Abraham Lincoln's Assassination.
*from left, to right*
(Major Henry Rathbone, Clara Harris, Mary Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln, and John Wilkes Booth)
My mother had told me that I was to look my very best this evening. She had chosen a most elegant gown from my wardrobe, demanded that I wear it, and did the same for my younger sister. We were attending a performance at the Ford's Theatre tonight, and my mother was very vigilant about our attire. When we finally arrived at the theatre, I was in awe. It absolutely astonished me. It appeared to be like a palace that a king or queen of some sort would reside in. As we sat in our reserved seats waiting the performance to begin, I studied the theatre’s beauty for quite some time. The lights grew dim, and mother tugged on my arm to redirect my attention back to the stage. I loved every minute of the comical play, and so did my sister. Moments after it began though, I heard my mother gasp and whisper in a very hushed tone, “God almighty.” Somewhat frightened, I looked over at her to see that she was looking in the direction of the president. Instinctively, my eyes followed hers to the balcony where he and his wife were seated. As soon as I did this, a deafening gun shot rang throughout the entire theatre. The actors froze in their positions, backstage crew members were gandering through the closed curtains, and the entire audience was filled with nothing but gasps of terror, and eruptions of anger. The man who fired the gun leaped from the balcony, and darted out the door just as fast as he mercilessly pulled the trigger. Many men chased after him, but the chaos was far from over. A doctor who had been in the theatre rushed up the stairs immediately. Tears began to swell, and spill over my cheeks. I glanced down at my sister, who was hopelessly lost in the situation, being much too young to understand. I securely wrapped both of my arms around her, in an attempt to comfort her. As the doctor examined the president’s wound, the theatre fell silent. Nothing was spoken, but many tears were shed that evening for our nation’s leader.
An artist's interpretation of Lincoln after he was shot.
(Don't mind me, this is that comment assignment thingy, sorry.)
ReplyDeleteFrancis Scott Key: Ah, this was such a tragic event in our nation’s time. Although this occurred much after my moment in history and life, both of our events shaped this proud country as it is today. President Lincoln was a fine president who served dutifully and with a pride that resembled what I had felt to inspire me to write the Star-Spangled Banner. His assassination was such a terrible occurrence. Being an amateur poet, I feel I could express my feelings better through a stanza or two. But it would better be explained through the attorney side of me. I hope Sir John Wilkes Booth did get put to justice. It would have been terrifying to witness the account that you happened to see. I had long passed before President Lincoln’s time, but it would have been an honor to see him, even the horrific way you did. The country was still young and new when I composed the anthem, but President Lincoln seemed to have just as a mighty effect on the nation years later. So thank you for sharing your account of his assassination.