window, lintel, trembled the touching emblems of bereavement; flags, at half-mast, were edged with crape, and heavy with the signs of sorrow. In doorways, in windows, on roofs, on temporary staging, provided for the occasion, and along the sidewalks, were thousands assembled to see the coffin, if they might see nothing more. The minute guns pealed, the bells tolled, and the coffin was borne to the Court House. Placed upon a massive dais, it now awaited the mass, who thronged, in one compact, condensed crowd, day and night, to look for the last time upon the beloved face of their martyred chief tain. From the Sherman House my rooms faced the Court-House Square, and never, never, shall I forget the crowd of sorrowful faces that there assembled to do homage to their slain President. No day or night was known; but one compact crowd congregated to pass through, just to catch a glimpse of him whom a a nation mourned. Among the events of history there have been great processions of mourners; there was one for the Patriarch Jacob, which went up from Egypt; there was mourning when Moses fell upon the Heights of Pisgah. There have been mournings upon the earth when the kings and warriors have fallen; but never was there, in the history of man, such mourning as accompanied this funeral procession. If we glance at the processions which followed him, we see how the nation stood aghast. Tears filled the eyes of manly, sun-burnt faces. Strong men, as they clasped the hands of their friends, were not able, in words, to find vent for

their grief. Women, and little children, caught up the tidings as they ran through the land, and were melted into tears. The nation seemed to stand still. Men left their ploughs in the field and asked what the end should be. The hum of manufactures ceased, and the sound of the hammer was not heard. Busy merchants closed their doors, and, in the Exchange, gold passed no more from hand to hand. Through three weeks the nation as yet had scarcely breathed, nor was the mourning confined to any class or sect. Men of all parties and creeds united in paying their mournful tribute. The Papist and the Protestant walked side by side in the sad procession, and a Jewish Rabbi performed a part of the solemn service. Senators, judges, governors, soldiers, and the poor negroes whom the soldiers had freed, were all here- and more persons gazed upon the face of the beloved dead than ever looked upon any human being. One perpetual stream of sorrowing humanity thronged, day and night, through the great Hall of the Court-House, which waved, from basement to dome, in heavy festoons of black. house, in the loyal city of Chicago, but what, on that day, was draped in heavy mourning. The city seemed like one massive hearse cradling the sacred dead. At 9.30, on the night of May 2nd, the remains were conducted, beneath a gorgeous torchlight, from the city, and taken to Springfield, where, followed by like processions, and amid touching demonstrations of grief, he was buried at Oak Ridge, and there, surrounded by friends, he rests in

No

Peace. "Farewell, Chieftain! the nation mourns thee. Children shall lisp thy name, youth shall emulate thy virtues, statesmen shall study thy record and learn wisdom. Thou didst not fall for thyself. The assassin had no hate for thee; our hearts were aimed at, our national life sought. We crown thee our martyr, and humanity enthrones thee her triumphant son. Hero, Martyr, Friend, Farewell."

The warm hearts of our citizens did not revive from their sadness until General Grant came to

them. The great Sanitary Fair was now to be opened, and it was meet, and, no doubt, wisely guided that the Great Chieftain, he, the bronzed warrior, who had fought those battles, suffered those hardships, endured those long campaigns and won those unparalleled victories, should meet those returned comrades of the field, and receive the country's first, best, congratulations. How he was received the following chapter will tell.

Altogether, it is the saddest story in American history! If well-substantiated rumors are to be relied upon, we have had more than one Presidential murder; and, indeed, no individual's life was worth a year's purchase, in days gone by, unless he could be handled like a puppet by the leaders of slavery. Buchanan (if nature herself had been willing to extend the base of his existence) might have lived and presided forever, so far as slaveholders were concerned his sensibility was sufficiently accommodating; but, as for Mr. Lincoln, the real wonder is

that he escaped so long. Twice before we know of attempts being made upon his life, once by open violence and again by secret poisoning. But God's workmen never die until their work is done, and for that work he seems to have been spared.

CHAPTER XV.

SANITARY FAIR.

Funds at a Low Ebb-Fair Best Means of Raising Them - Mrs. Loomis Mrs. Hoge - Mrs. Livermore - Mr. Blatchford - Hon. T. B. Bryan-Hon. Mark Skinner- Mr. McCagg - First Meeting - Organization - Voice of the Fair- Mr. Andrew Shuman Building - Reception of Goods-Indian Costume - Inauguration and Procession-Fair Opens by a Speech from Governor Oglesby — First Evening — Union Hall Farm House, etc., etc.— Bryan Hall -Temple Platform - Foreign Departments-Letter from B. F. Taylor Miss Snow- Mrs. Judge Bradwell - Dr. Tiffany - Judge Bradwell-Veteran Soldiers - Close of Fair.

THE funds of the committee were at a low ebb, and an appeal would eventually have to be made to the public in its behalf. A suggestion, like most others which were made by the active and suggestive Mrs. Livermore during the war, was acted upon, and it was agreed that $28,000 of the proceeds of a fair to be held, should be given to the Home, and that the remainder should be handed over to the Commission. (The question of a fair being the best means of raising funds was early decided.) This important matter settled to the satisfaction of all parties concerned, another lady, Mrs. Loomis, moved that the fair should be opened February 22nd, on Washington's birthday, and that it should continue until March 4th, another great historical day- namely, that of the inauguration of President Lincoln. This resolution was put and carried, and the executive committee for the great enterprise,