What You Take With You

[294 words] When Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed in Ford’s Theater April 14th, 1865, he had no idea that night would be his last. Lincoln loved the theater and it was his common diversion for his stressful job. So he probably didn’t think much about what he carried in his pocket that night, but maybe we should. In the personal effects found on Abraham Lincoln that night: a small handkerchief, a pocketknife, a watch fob, glasses (one repaired with cotton string), a Confederate five-dollar bill, and wallet with only some worn-out newspaper clipping in it. Most of the items were common enough but I want you to notice the newspaper clipping. One began, “Abe Lincoln is one of the greatest statesmen of all time. The clippings were, even at the time of his death, so well-worn they were almost unreadable. They mostly extolled his presidency. Lincoln was probably the…