Affairs at Washington [excerpt]

[. . .] Ex-Governor Ordway was sergeant-at-arms in the house of represen- [566][568] tatives at the time of Lincoln’s death, and had charge of the funeral train which bore the remains from Washington to Springfield, Illinois. Governor Ordway tells some interesting incidents concerning that trip. His close observations of Lincoln during those days made it seem to him that Lincoln was inspired in his decisions and his unfailing good nature and patience under the most trying circumstances.
     He says McKinley always reminded him of Lincoln, and his tragic death seemed one of those curious cycles of history which cannot be explained.
     “Each had in him the elements that made men love them as devotedly and tenderly as they would a woman, and they seemed inspired by an intuition direct, positive and firm and yet never offensive.”
     Governor Ordway pointed out as we stood on the corner near the White House, a spot where Lincoln used to love to linger in the long summer twilights and all alone—“just thinking,” as he used smilingly to remark when interrupted. Curiously enough, this same spot under the identical trees was a favorite haunt of President McKinley during the trying days of the Spanish war.