The story revolves around a fictional character who claims to have been the conductor of a train that traveled from Boston to Washington D.C. on the night of April 18, 1865, carrying the body of assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. The narrator recounts his experiences and observations during that fateful journey, including the reactions of passengers and officials upon learning of the president's death.
By Edward Everett Hale · First published 1862 · Genre: Short Story, Crime Fiction, Moral Tale