A Step Back in Time

At a nearby park there is an annual Civil War Encampment. It isn't a large enough park for any actual battle re-enactments. But they do put on skirmishes and the like. Today we saw a young marine demonstrate how to load a musket, examined a cannon, saw some old time toys, watched a woman work a spinning wheel - and - oh yes, had a conversation with Abe Lincoln.

We had just started talking to Mr. Lincoln when a reporter for the local newspaper showed up, mini-recorder in hand. He had a question. "What do you think of John Wilkes Booth?"

"I liked his acting very much," Mr. Lincoln said, "I saw him perform in Hamlet. I asked to see him after the show, but he declined - he said he'd see me another time."

And then Mr. Lincoln added an interesting tidbit. He told us that Edward Booth, John Wilkes' brother once saved Lincoln's son when he was about to fall into the train tracks in front of an oncoming train. So we learned a little something new - and the kids got an example of what irony is all about.