Part 12 (1/2)

Then noticing his co such a speech, he added: ”_Tad!_” and passed on, chuckling over his little joke

And to Tad the title really belonged--to President Lincoln's youngest son--as a small ind of impetuous despotism; and woe to the man, woman or child who resisted his te of all his subjects was the great President, whom tyrant Tad ruled despotically

Before President Lincoln's day there had been a succession of adh the stately rooe when the three Lincoln boys arrived, in March of 1861, bringing with thes to norhteen years old only stayed in the White House for his father's inauguration, then went back to Harvard to finish his education, and Willie, and Theodore or ”Tad” as he was always called, from his own pronunciation of his name, (the little fellow had a serious defect in his speech which made it hard for hinified White House echo with their h its long passages, careless of the fact that they were on historic ground, as they scattered their balls, bats, kites and other treasures wherever they chose

They had few playmates, hom they were allowed to play frequently, except two boys, the sons of a government official, and the four boys'

fertile brains were keen to think out all sorts of exciting and mischievous plans which kept their families on the alert to restrain their actions within the bounds of safety and propriety The boys ere playh they were older than the Lincoln boys, they were much like them in temperament and in looks, Budd was fair like Willie Lincoln, and Hally dark, andwith his quick i, the four boys were taken to see a minstrel show in the city They were thrilled by what they heard and saw, and decided on the spot that they would give a show thean between the nu day, when they discussed it again there seemed to be no room suited to their plans either in the White House or at the Taft's, but finally they decided that by having sohly divided into small bedrooms, taken down, they could be accommodated However, fortune favoured the preservation of the Taft ho of the boys' interest in the direction of the White House Mrs Lincoln was called to New York for a week; Willie and Tad had such severe colds and the weather was so rainy, that she wished the her absence, and that could only be done by giving thely one day Hally and Budd were thrown into a state of feverish exciteer with Mrs Lincoln's invitation for them to spend a whole week at the White House

Besides delivering the invitation, the er also asked whether Willie and Tad were there, as they had not been at hoh they had been traced to the Capitol, where they had been seen sitting in the gallery of the House of Representatives, and later treated to lunch in the restaurant of Congress by a gentleman who es in the Capitol, but nohere were they? The er ell acquainted with the truants, seemed more amused than alarmed over their disappearance, and soon carried back a note to Mrs Lincoln accepting the invitation for Budd and Hally, provided the truants should be found! While Budd and Hally were excitedly helping to pack their clothes in a small valise, for the visit, in walked the wanderers They carried a very large and much dilapidated umbrella which Tad said they had borrowed from the cook--doubtless a Southern ht in the boys' pranks, and aided them all she could in theirwith aes earlier in the day, and both boys had entirely forgotten that they had bad colds All four soon set out in high glee together, while Tad gave a whoop of joy as they left the house

”You bet we'll have a good time!” he exclaimed, and from all descriptions of that visit, they certainlyday there was a review, and the boys all rode in the President's carriage, looking as severe and dignified as if they had never had aof ht be only skin deep, a member of the Taft fa on To her relief she saw that the building was still standing, but on being ushered in, she noticed that all the orderlies, soldiers and doorkeepers wore broad grins Asking where the boys were, and being ushered upstairs she came upon Tad, who instantly called out:

”Oh, say, we've got a circus in the attic We're et his dress on--it's too big Pin it up, will you? Hurry!”

The horrified question, ”Does the President know it?” was answered impatiently by Tad

”Oh, yes, he knows it,” said Tad ”He doesn't care He's got soeneral or other in there Co with the long, flowered skirt of a lilac silk reception dress of Mrs Lincoln's, and Budd was getting into one of her ruffledat the top of his voice:

”Old Abe Lincoln came out of the wilderness----”

”Hush,” cautioned Budd, ”the President will hear you”

”I don't care if pa does hear, and he don't care either,” said Tad

”We're going to sing that in the show” And sing it they did!

Another day when Tad was shouting out a ca rails,” Willie asked Mrs Taft if she did not think it was disrespectful of Tad to sing such a song Tad overheard what he said, and kicked a chair, as he always did when displeased, and said:

”Well, everybody in this world knows Pa _did_ use to split rails!” But when Mrs Taft explained to hi this, Tad said with equal decision:

”Well, I'll sing John Brown's body then” However headstrong he see to be convinced that he rong, if any one approached hiht way

There was ton, and they were especially interested in the models of locomotives and steamboats in the Patent Office, where they spenta survey of the White House grounds under the guidance of a good-natured engineer At other times they invaded the McClellans' house, where they were allowed to play with the baby and where General and Mrs McClellan were very kind to the in the staff, when the bridle of Willie's horse was held by the Duc de Chartres and Budd's by the Comte de Paris, while Hally and Tad rode in front of the aides, sitting as erect and stiff as if they were the chief features in the parade

On another day, Tad was not allowed to go to the review, as he had not been well the day before The review took place across the Long Bridge, and after the President's carriage had passed down the line, a rickety cart ca old horse, and driven by a grinning negro boy In it were Tad, Willie, Budd and Hally in new Zouave uniforhed and smiled as that cart passed by, but there was never a smile on the faces of the Zouaves, who had paid the darkey a quarter frolory!

Having the uniform ready they formed themselves into a military company called ”Mrs Lincoln's Zouaves” Much amused by their , and the President formally reviewed them Willie was colonel, Budd,the rank of dru, and all of theiven to thereatly enjoyed their pranks and soested new ones When other amusements failed, the quartet spent their time on the flat roof of the White House, which was perfectly safe, being surrounded by a strong balustrade There they built a cabin, and the roof was in turn a quarter-deck, or a fort, and they used to raise and lower the flag with proper ceree sail,” and Budd's sister tells how one day when she ascended to the stronghold with a stern de for several days she was received at the ”side” with such strict naval etiquette that she meekly retreated without the scissors

That first year when President Lincoln was in office was a happy one for his boys and their companions, but all too soon the pleasures came to an end, for Willie Lincoln was stricken with typhoid fever, of which he died Then the Tafts left Washi+ngton and roup of boys, ”Tad” alone remained to enliven the White House, and to a days which seemed so quiet in coether

But Tad, as now ten years old, was equal to any eency, and as resourceful as a dozen ordinary boys, and after the first bitter loneliness had worn off, he made as ether, and soon becaallopedhis on the lawn, or urging his goats to do some impossible feat