HIS LAST DAY

President Lincoln had visited Richmond, after its capture, twice. Once with his little boy, Thomas, and once with Mrs. Lincoln, other women, and several Senators from Washington. He had returned to Washington and the news of Lee's surrender came as the finishing touch of expectation. On the morning of the 14th of April, his son, Robert, came home and breakfasted with the family at the White House. He gave a full account of the surrender and the family enjoyed a pleasant hour. There was a Cabinet meeting that day at which the President said he had a presentiment that something awful was about to happen. He and Mrs. Lincoln took a carriage ride in the afternoon, having a pleasant little talk of past, present, and future. He had a number of callers in the evening and between nine and ten o'clock he, with Mrs. Lincoln, went to Ford's Theater.

HE WAS ASSASSINATED

He had weathered the storm and was serenely anchored in the haven of peace. Four years of strife and struggle had spent their force and a future calm had dawned. All expectations had been more than realized. Joy and gladness vied with each other for expression. The bells of rejoicing were ringing throughout the land. All hearts were bounding with delight and joy, when, from the dark recesses of death, on that fated 14th of April, stalked forth the assassin doing his hated work. So the nation was plunged into sorrow, sadness, and mourning. His great life of usefulness, when yet greatly needed, was ruthlessly cut short. His awful taking off was a shock, a stunning shock the nation and the world will never forget.

HIS FUNERAL

Never has the country been more sorrowfully impressed than when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. After suitable funeral services in the White House and at the Capitol, a funeral train wended its solemn way from Washington to Springfield over the route by which, four years before, he, with his expectant family, went to Washington. At Springfield in grief and mourning his mortal was consigned to his immortal by a sacred ceremony and a large concourse of old neighbors and friends, including several of the Cleary Grove Boys.

MRS. ABRAHAM LINCOLN

It does not seem right to close without a personal mention of Mary Todd Lincoln. She was a bright, vivacious, fine-looking, interesting young woman. She won the love of a great man. She was a loving, dutiful wife. She was a good mother. The passing of three of her children and the assassination of her husband, in her presence, were sad, solemn, distracting experiences that bore upon her sorrowfully and heavily, rendering her closing years sad indeed. Thus does public life have its tribulations.

HOW DID HE LEAVE THINGS?

Abraham Lincoln had been President four years, one month, and ten days when he was assassinated.

During this time he had been busy, overcoming opposition, and preparing a war-torn country for peace and prosperity.

Reconstruction of the Union was all that remained, to have again a complete United States of America. He had subdued all disturbances and was ready with the balm of restoration. War had been changed to peace.

That brief administration registered a great victory, a great triumph, and left all things the country over infinitely better than it found them.