Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1898 — MAKING LINCOLN PRESENTABLE [ARTICLE]

MAKING LINCOLN PRESENTABLE

Mrs. Lincoln “Fixed Up” the Presi-dent-elect to Meet a Delegation. In narrating “When Lincoln -.Was First Inaugurated,” in the Ladies’ Home Journal, Stephen Fiske writes interestingly of the memorable journey from Springfield, 111., to the national capital, and tells of Mrs. Lincoln’s efforts to have her husband look presentable when receiving a delegation that was to greet them upon reaching New York City. “The train stopped,” writes Mr. Fiske, and through the windows immense crowds could be seen; the cheering drowned the blowing off steagi of the locomotive. Then Mrs. Lincoln opened her hand bag and said: “ ‘Abraham, I must fix you up a bit for these city folks.’ “Mr. Kincoln gently lifted her upon the seat before him; she parted, combed and brushed his hair and arranged his blaqk necktie. “ ‘Do I look nice now, mother?’ he affectionately asked. “ ‘Well, you’ll do, Abraham,’ replied Mrs. Lincoln critically. So he kissed her and lifted her down from the seat, and turned to meet Mayor Wood, courtly and suave, and to have his hand shaken by the other New Y'ork officials.”