The story-life of Lincoln; a biography composed of five hundred true stories told by Abraham Lincoln and his friends . on rang out John WilkesBooths cry, Sic semper tyrannis!—not after he reached the stage, ashas been stated in some accounts;neither did he jump from the boxfull height, with arms outspread andupstretched, as we often see him inillustrations. On the contrary, heplaced both hands upon the rail of the box and swung himself overin that manner, thereby lessening the fall by the distance of hisown height. One of his spurs caught in the American colorswith which the box was draped, an
The story-life of Lincoln; a biography composed of five hundred true stories told by Abraham Lincoln and his friends . on rang out John WilkesBooths cry, Sic semper tyrannis!—not after he reached the stage, ashas been stated in some accounts;neither did he jump from the boxfull height, with arms outspread andupstretched, as we often see him inillustrations. On the contrary, heplaced both hands upon the rail of the box and swung himself overin that manner, thereby lessening the fall by the distance of hisown height. One of his spurs caught in the American colorswith which the box was draped, and he probably landed his wholeweight on one foot. On striking the stage he pitched forwardon all fours, and I then saw the blade of a long stiletto or daggerglisten in the footlights, as his hand lay on the floor. He quicklyrose to his feet and took one or two uncertain steps, then, turninghis face to the audience, made a grand flourish with the dagger, andwas off the stage in a flash. • Next came the piercing and horrifying shriek of Mrs. Lincoln,and then arose a fearful commotion. Directly efforts were made. Arrangement of the double boxwhere Lincoln was shot. LINCOLNS LAST DAY 649 by some parties to get into the box from the outside, but the doorwas barred from the inside. I next noticed a military officerstanding on the shoulders of another man and endeavoring to climbup to the box from the stage. Meantime the President had remained sitting in his chair withhis head bent forward, but I distinctly saw him rise once to his feetand in a dazed sort of way attempt to take a step or two. He wasnot upright, but half erect. Just then Major Rathbone came to hisassistance, and, supported by the latter, he sank back into the this time I noticed Miss Laura Keene, who had reached thebox from the private way back of the stage, and who was said tohave brought a glass of water which might refresh the bar against the door having been removed, from the inside,se
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