Stopping Booth

"To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise,

If the redress will follow, thou receivest

Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus!"

- Brutus in Julius Caesar by Williams Shakespeare

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"I plan to kill the president Maria! For the South, to do what Lee could not do!" The dark haired man spoke passionately as he paced the sitting room.

"I don't see why this is necessary. John please restrain your anger, there will be something new to look to in the morning," my mother Maria pleaded. I listened outside the door whilst clutching my calico skirts. Mama was always saying that "there will be something new to look forward to into in the morning." Mama said that when my first beaux broke it off when the day before the war ended. Mama, Sarah, and I rejoiced the war was over. No more would we cry over dead causes and dead soldiers. No more would we be in want of food and supplies. My cousin John, however, became outraged. Nonstop would he pace in and out of the house and many nights would he come home late from the Surratt tavern. Usually drunk, or at least he sounded like it.

"I'm going to the Surratt Tavern, don't wait up," declared John as he grabbed his coat and hat off the stand. Walking toward the door he turned and saw me. "Don't worry Mary, you'll have your chance. One day you will be grown up and you will understand." He said to me then turned and left. Maybe it was God, maybe it was instinct, but the impulse to follow my cousin became overwhelming. Without a shawl, I exited out the front door just as Booth left on his horse. I followed on foot.

Arriving at the Surratt Tavern and Boarding House thirty minutes after John, I crept in, hearing loud voices coming from the Dining Room. "Why hello Mary, what brings you out here so late at night? Following your scoundrel of a cousin around? Don't worry I'll take care of him Mary." Said Mrs. Surratt as she greeted me with a warm smile and embrace. She was used to my cousin's nightly visits and always took care of all the rascals that dared to grace her fine establishment.

"I know, but I'm here to look after you," I state embracing her again. "Go on to bed. I'll close up for the evening. I know how to do it, I 've seen it a thousand times," I say, smiling. She smiles and nods.

" I trust you, goodnight Mary," Mrs. Surratt says and gracefully turns and walks up the steps. As soon she leaves I sneak to the Dining Room and put my ear against the door. Their are people in there alright and John sounds pretty angry.

"I don't think we should do this. Let us just stick to our old plan." Says a voice from inside the room.

"Have you no courage? We will be the most remembered people if the South! Like Brutus murdering Caesar we will be," proclaims my cousin with volume. My blood turns cold,my cousin, assassinating the president? Is my cousin crazy? One firm resolve is in my mind: stop my brother from committing the crime of the century.

"I like would like you to come see the play tonight with me Mary." my mother; Maria told me as I fixed my hair for that day. I had decided on two plaits with blue ribbons.

"What play and where Mama?" I asked as I smoothed my hair. 'Please choose Aladdin,' I thought. President Lincoln was to be a spectator that evening.

"Our American Cousin at the Ford's Theatre," said Mother then kissed my forehead. Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre, but John was going to commit his crime. For the past few weeks I had spent everyday listening to John and his cohorts. Tracking their every move every night when they visited the Surratt Tavern.

"But Mama, Aladdin is playing tonight and I wished to attend the performance." I said. I hated sounding so whiny.

"But Mary Our American Cousin is playing tonight and I wished to attend the performance," whined my mocking mother. I grinned.

"Sorry for whining Mama. I will go with you," I consented. I prayed silently that God would prevent John from arriving at the theatre that Aladdin would be premiering at.

Later that evening at Ford's Theatre:

I clenched my hands tightly, the play had started and my mother was right the play was good. But I couldn't get the evening's events happening at another location. My mother and I were dressed in our Sunday best and my mom was smiling, already rapt in the performance. The actress said something and gestured with her hand to the back balcony. The crowd erupted with applause. I turned and saw the president with his wife and a few others behind him. I gasped, he was supposed to be attending the Aladdin performance. Then I smiled and clapped my hand with the rest of the audience. If the president was here then John wouldn't be able to carry out his plan. I smiled even wider, I had nothing to worry about. Right?

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"Caesar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius;

come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius;

mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast

wronged Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these

men, and it is bent against Caesar. If thou beest not immortal,

look about you. Security gives way to conspiracy."

Excerpt From: Shakespeare, William. "Julius Caesar." iBooks.

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