THE HARDEST TRIAL OF LINCOLN'S LIFE.

In February, 1862, Mr. Lincoln was visited by a severe affliction in the death of his beautiful son, Willie, and the extreme illness of his son Thomas, familiarly called "Tad." This was a new burden, and the visitation which, in his firm faith in Providence, he regarded as providential, was also inexplicable. Christian lady from Massachusetts, who was officiating as nurse in one of the hospitals at the time, came to attend the sick children. She reports that Mr. Lincoln watched with her about the bedside of the sick ones, and that he often walked the room, saying sadly:

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"This is the hardest trial of my life; why is it? Why is it?"

In the course of conversation with her, he questioned her concerning his situation. She told him that she was a widow, and that her husband and two children were in heaven; and added that she saw the hand of God in it all, and that she had never loved him so much before as she had since her affliction.

"How is that brought about?" inquired Mr. Lincoln. "Simply by trusting in God and feeling that he does all things well," she replied.

"Did you submit fully under the first loss?" he asked. "No," she answered, "not wholly; but, as blow came upon blow, and all were taken, I could and did submit, and was very happy."

He responded: "I am glad to hear you say that. Your experience will help me to bear my affliction."

On being assured that many Christians were praying for him on the morning of the funeral, he wiped away the tears that sprang in his eyes, and said:

"I am glad to hear that. I want them to pray for I need their prayers."

me.

As he was going out to the burial, the good lady expressed her sympathy with him. He thanked her gently, and said:

"I will try to go to God with my sorrows."

A few days afterward she asked him if he could trust God. He replied:

"I think I can, and will try. I wish I had that childlike faith you speak of, and I trust he will give it to me." And then he spoke of his mother, whom so many years before he had committed to the dust among the wilds of Indiana. In this hour of his great

trial the memory of her who had held him upon her bosom, and soothed his childish griefs, came back to him with tenderest recollections. "I remember her prayers," said he, "and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."

DEATH OF LINCOLN'S FAVORITE SON.

Mr. Lincoln regarded the death of his favorite son as the turning-point in his spiritual history. He said, "That blow overwhelmed me. It showed me my

weakness as I had never felt it before."

Again, in 1862, at Fortress Monroe, after having read the discussion between Hamlet and his courtiers, and the soliloquy in which conscience debates of a future state, also where Constance bewails her impris oned lost boy; then, closing the book, and recalling the words, "And, Father Cardinal, I have heard you say, that we shall see and know our friends in heaven." "If

that be true, I shall see my boy again," Mr. Lincoln said: "Colonel [Cannon], did you ever dream of a lost friend, and feel that you were holding sweet communion with that friend, and yet have a sad consciousness that it was not a reality? Just so I dream of my boy Willie." Overcome with emotion, he dropped his head on his Bible, and sobbed aloud.

HOW YOUNG DANIEL WEBSTER ESCAPES A FLOGGING, AS RELATED BY LINCOLN.

Mr. Lincoln, on one occasion, narrated to Hon. Mr. Odell and others, with much zest, the following story about young Daniel Webster:

When quite young, at school, Daniel was one day guilty of a gross violation of the rules. He was detected in the act, and called up by the teacher for punishment. This was to be the old-fashioned "feruling" of the hand. His hands happened to be very dirty. Knowing this, on the way to the teacher's desk, he spit upon the palm of his right hand, wiping it off upon the side of his pantaloons.

"Give me your hand, sir," said the teacher, very sternly.

Out went the right hand, partly cleansed. The teacher looked at it a moment, and said:

"Daniel, if you will find another hand in this schoolroom as filthy as that, I will let you off this time."

Instantly from behind the back came the left hand. "Here it is, sir," was the ready reply.

"That will do," said the teacher, "for this time; you can take your seat, sir."