ST OS mm mlmam uraiwv mmnmm mmm TTNr ,™,NCLUDJNG HIS JOKES AND ANECDOT! CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY FROM Vrs.'-itti.F.E.G-arley Cornell University Library E457 .G84 1900 The story of Abraham Lincoln oljn 3 1924 032 758 116 ^^^ h^fitA '' ^sHk£!HI^^^H MiS PH^^IM "■ , "■■.;■ . m 1 "*"■ ■%# i THOMAS LINCOLN'S MONUMENT. Monument erected near Farmington, 111., to Thomas Lincoln, father of Abraham Lincoln. GRAVE OE NANCY HANKS LINCOLN. This tombstone was erected to the memory of Lincoln's mother by the late Hon. P. E. Studebaker, who purchased the Lin- coln Farm in Spencer County, Ind. ABE'S FIRST GRIEF. 61 Lincoln he had inherited a distaste for work and cultivated a disinclina- tion to labor. Therefore the boy spent his time in dreaming, in think- ing and reading. His mother had given him all that she possessed — three books, the Bible, Esop's Fables, and Pilgrim's Progress, and these he read and re-read until he almost knew them by heart. Upon these three books the literary tastes of Abraham Lincoln were founded. The grave was for many years utterly neglected and unmarked. At last it received recognition, and Mr. P. E. Studebaker, who purchased the Eock Spring farm in Spencer County, Indiana, enclosed the grave with a neat iron fence and placed at the head of the mound a white marble stone, on which is inscribed the following: "Nancy Hanks Lincoln, who died Oct. 5, 1818, aged 35 years. Erected in 1879 by a friend of her martyred son," CHAPTER IX. ABE'S NEW MOTHER AND HIS NEW LIFE THE summer passed away in a sort of go-easy fashion, and the housekeeping was more uncomfortable than ever before, when Thomas Lincoln one day made the startling announcement to his children that he was "going down to Kantucky on a visit." The three forlorn and lonely little people were nearly stunned, and talking among themselves wondered how they should get along while the father was away. It is quite easy to believe, however, that they were no more unhappy and no more uncomfortable during the father's absence than they had been before. Thomas Lincoln had been away from his little family fully three months, and the children were no doubt beginning to think that their father would never return, when one day in December the children heard a loud hurrah from the edge of the forest and upon looking out from the cabin they beheld a wondrous sight. Had a fairy god-mother touched the world with her wand and produced the wonderful change? Seated in a canvas-covered wagon and driving four horses sat their father, and at his side a neat and tidy woman. On a seat behind them were three children, who peeped out and called a lusty welcome. The horses dashed up to the door in fine style and the travelers alighted. The children in the cabin hung back and were loath to greet the new- comers, but when the pleasant-faced woman stepped up to the desolate and unkempt children and, putting her arms about the young girl and the ragged, scrawny boy, said to them in a kindly tone, "I have come to take your mother's place," they knew she was their friend. Would wonders never cease? The wagon was unloaded, chairs, tables, a bureau with drawers, crockery, bedding, knives and forks were taken out and carried into the cabin. 62 ^ABE'S NEW MOTHER AND HIS NEW LIFE. 63 THE NEW MOTHER And now we should stop to inquire about this wonderful company and where Thomas Lincoln found the woman and her children. He had known the woman before his marriage, in fact, had been engaged to her, but why they had never married history does not reveal. She became the wife of Daniel Johnston, and Thomas Lincoln the husband of Nancy Hanks. The children — Elizabeth, Matilda and John D. John- ston — soon became acquainted with the young members of the Lincoln household. The new wife was like the new broom that, we're told, "sweeps clean." She took the reins of government into her hands. Glass was put into the window frames instead of the old rags that had been jammed into the openings. The old rickety frame gave way to a door with hinges. A floor was laid and some mats spread upon it. Cupboards were fast- ened to the wall and the dishes were put within; but best of all, a few books were unpacked and put upon a hanging shelf that had been fastened to the wall. These Abe straightway seized and began to de- vour their contents with a hunger that was really pitiful. And now the boy was supremely happy. As soon as the chores were done he would lie upon the floor in front of the fireplace and read till his father would command him to go to bed. The new mother took an especial liking to the miserable and forlorn little fellow from the first. She appreciated his gentle nature and realized that he hungered for something that she did not quite under- stand. She washed and cleaned her adopted son and dressed him in a suit of her own boy's, though she had to piece down the legs of the trousers with another kind of cloth and of a different color, for Abe was, even at this early age, uncommonly tall. ABE GOES TO SCHOOL The thrifty ways of Mrs. Lincoln soon made an impression upon the new members of her family. Even Thomas Lincoln began to fix up and the house was becoming quite snug and comfortable. The children were sent to the school-house close by, the meeting house to which the 64 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. traveling schoolmaster would come to give the boys and girls four months' schooling each year. It was in this miserable log hut, scarcely high enough for a man to stand erect, with holes for windows and greased paper to take the place of glass, that Abraham Lincoln received the elements of his meager education. Reading, writing and ciphering was his entire course of study. For two years he attended the four months' school, making eight months in all, less than a year of school- ing, and yet he was again and again at the head of his classes. In the spelling contests he was sure to "spell down" the entire school, "big and little." The care that his stepmother gave him began to tell. He was strong, he was tall and he was wiry. He was clean and decently clothed, and therefore respected himself. He was gentle, he was manly and true, he was good natured, never a bully, but always a protector of the girls and the little boys. Though he was often ridiculed by the school girls and his narrow, sharp, bony shins provoked their mirth and derision, yet he never retaliated, but when occasion required proved himself their staunch ally. It is related that when one of the girls who had "poked more fun at him" than any of the others was one day being brutally reprimanded by the teacher, a rude and unlettered schoolmaster, because she persisted in spelling definite with a y, Abe with a significant cough attracted her attention and placed his long bony finger on his closed eye. The girl understood the gesture, the word was spelled correctly and thus the threatened punishment was averted. LINCOLN ALWAYS A GENTLEMAN Abraham Lincoln was always a gentleman. He was never unkind nor cruel and any inhuman treatment to animals was quickly resented. The boys of his age and acquaintance were in the habit of putting live coals on the backs of turtles so as to see them writhe and twist. This so incensed the young lad that for this act of cruelty he gave many a boy a sound "drubbing." It is said by some of Mr. Lincoln's biographers that his first composition was on "Cruelty to Animals." During the period of Abraham Lincoln's boyhood and young man- "ABE'S NE W MOTHER AND HIS NE W LIFE. 65 hood lie was called the girls' champion and protector, while in his later years, and, in fact, through all the years of his life, he was con- spicuous as the defender of woman's honor. When a young lad, during his struggles for an education and when he could think and write only indifferently, he was in the habit of amusing himself by composing verses, doggerel verses to be sure, but the following composition shows the trend of his thoughts: LINCOLN'S FIRST POEM "When Adam was created He dwelt in Eden's shade, As Moses has recorded. And soon a bride was made. The Lord then was not willing That man should be alone, But caused a sleep upon him And from him took a bone. And closed the flesh instead thereof, And then he took the same And of it made a woman And brought her to the man. Then Adam he rejoiced To see his loving bride, A part of his own body, The product of his side. The woman was not taken From Adam's feet we see. So he must not abuse her The meaning seems to be. The woman was not taken From Adam's head we know. To show she must not rule him 'Tis evidently so. 66 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. The woman she was taken From under Adam's arm, So she must be protected From injuries and harm." EAGER FOR KNOWLEDGE Abraham Lincoln was now fifteen years old, and a homelier boy or more ungainly, awkward lad probably could not be found in the whole Western country. He had very little education so far as schooling goes, but he had taken advantage of every opportunity, no matter how simple or meager. Every scrap of printed paper that he could get hold of he devoured and digested. If a sentence or paragraph pleased or interested him he would write it down with a piece of charcoal on a slab of wood or on the logs of the house, in fact, in every conceivable place that he could find. He was always around when any of the settlers came to the house and was a quiet listener to the conversa- tion. If a traveler stopped before his father's house young Abe was the first to mount the fence and question the caller, in regard to the out- side world. His curiosity was so tremendous that every passing stranger was hailed, and the young lad would put his inquiries with so much intelligence and enthusiasm that his hearer would not only pause but tarry and cheerfully impart to the boy his fund of infor- mation, ABE WORKED FOR WAGES His father now thought that his son "fooled away" enough time, and therefore he told him that "he must go to work for wages and bring the money home." The boy obeyed his father willingly and started out barefoot, chopping, grubbing, ploughing, mowing, cradling, gathering and husking corn for the neighbors; but never losing an opportunity to read — constantly reading. When he returned to his home at night and after the farm and household chores were "done," instead of joining the family meal he would take from the cupboard a piece of com bread, stretch his long legs out and eat, reading till late into the night. Thomas Lincoln would often complain, call the boy lazy and declare that so much "readin' would spile him." But his HBE^i" NEW MOTHER 'AND HIS NEW LIFE. 67 stepmother would take his part, and often in after years said that she "allers allowed Abe to read till he quit of his own accord." The next five years of Abraham Lincoln's life were hard and the ugly monotony would have driven most boys to rebellion or dissipation. Though dwelling in the roughest of frontier settlements during this molding period of his life, yet he entered upon his manhood without having acquired a vice. His privations are full of pathos, but the 3uccesses of his life were gained through the discipline that was imposed upon him in his youth, and he owed his strength and patience to the vicissitudes that he had been obliged to endure. His spirit was tried by fire and in after years, through all the trying events of his political and public life as President of the United States, he never failed to do what was expected of him at the vital moment. HIS FIRST BOOK One day when doing some work for his old schoolmaster, Mr. Craw- ford, who had given up teaching and was now a citizen of the settle- ment, Abraham Lincoln found upon a table a copy of Weem's Life of Washington. This was a famous book in those days and the boy was very anxious to read it. Mr. Crawford loaned the book to the lad with the injunction that if anything happened to it he would have to pay for it. With this possibility staring him in the face the boy was unusually careful, always placing the book out of reach by putting it on the top of the highest shelf. There was, however, a big crack between the logs back of the rude book-case and accidentally the book fell against the opening. During the night a severe rainstorm came up and when Abe awoke in the morning he found the book completely watersoaked. Mr. Crawford was a cross and cranky old man, and when Abraham Lincoln told him of the accident he stormed and scolded and said that he must "pull fodder for his cattle for three days." Although the boy considered the penalty unjust, he said not a word but complied with the demand, and it was in this manner that Abraham Lincoln paid for the first book that he ever owned. Not having been able to find in the different histories of Mr. Lin- 68 THE STORY OF 'ABRAHAM LINCOLN. coin's life an account or even an allusion to the animal pets that a boy usually possesses, in one of my conversations I asked "Uncle John Hall" if Mr. Lincoln did not as a boy care for pets, such as rabbits, squirrels, birds, or dogs, remarking that as he always seemed so kind and tender to everything I imagined that he must have many. He replied to my question by saying, "Why, Uncle Abe allers wanted everything to be free and enjoy theirselves jest as God intended they should, but grandmarm use to tell us a story about a dog they onct hed and she'd told it like this: A HEARTY RECEPTION " 'The boys took it into their heads they'd like a dog, so Uncle Abe, John D. Johnston and the rest teased grandpap to get one. Wall, he found a bull pup that nobody cared for and brought it hum. Ye ought ter hev seed how tickled they wus. Jest arter this, father went down the river with a boat-load of stuff. In those days it took a long time to go down to New Orleans. Father wus gone six months, and of course the pup hed grown up to be quite a big dog. One day we wus all look- ing out of the winder when we seed your grandfather comin' through the woods. He had been gone so long we thought he wus dead. You jest reckon when we seed him we all rushed out and got around his neck, all of us and Aunt Betsy Hanks, and we hugged and hugged and kissed him and made the terriblest fuss you ever seed. But the bull dog, he didn't know what to think about such a row, and he was tu young when your grandfather went away to remember him, so he jest showed his teeth and took a holt, tu; but the holt wus behind and we didn't see the dog, but yer grandfather felt it though, and between the dog and all of us he hed a hard time. He hollered and kicked and throwed us first one way and then t'other and then tried to tackel the dog, but he hed hold in such a awk'ard place that before he could get rid of the pup the seat of his breetches wus nigh gone and he hed a wound, the scar of which he carried till he died.' Wall, that finished the dog business, and our folks all round haint much hands for a dog since no how." CHAPTER X. STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S KINDNESS TO ANIMALS IN SPITE of the historic interest connected with the place, time hung heavily. The commonness of all about us was so oppressive and the sweltering heat so depressing that my young lady friend was tempted te return to Chicago. The promise of a more varied and pleasanter visit reassured her and she concluded to remain and enjoy or suffer with me, as the case might be, the allotted period of our stay. THE IRON WASHBOWL The fourth day arrived and seemingly promised to be a repetition of the other uneventful and tiresome days. The heat was intolerable, Old Sol renewed his strength and was determined to test our powers of endurance. At last becoming disgusted we counseled together and decided upon a change. Looking across the fields we caught a glimpse of the old log cabin, shaded by the huge old locust tree that "Grandpap Lincoln" had planted soon after the erection of the log house. It was uninhabited, there was no steaming hot stove, the doors opposite were standing wide open and we knew a breeze must be blowing through the house. All this was indeed inviting. We determined to cross the "medder", and once again we stood within the shadow of the "old log cabin." Kemaining on the north side of the house and sitting down upon an old stump, close to the door, upon which had stood the iron wash-bowl, in the days gone by (I could even see the dish of old-fash- ioned home-made soap), we took in the entire situation from an en- tirely different standpoint, and for the first time since our arrival enjoyed the peculiar circumstances that had befallen us. "SARVIN' HIS TIME IN THE LEGISLATOOR" Time turned backward, the cabin was a scene of life and activity again. Its inmat?^ were humble, poor folks, yet the interior of the 69 70 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. house was clean and tidy. Tlie fire was burning briskly, the tea-kettle was singing a merry song, the table was set, the younger members of the family were astride the fence looking down the road. Thomas Lin- coln, whittling a stick, was telling his neighbor that his son, who had "been sarvin' his time in the Legislatoor," was coming to see him. The mother, standing at the gate holding in her hand a bunch of holly- hocks and "bouncing betties" that grew so profusely in the front yard, was also watching for her boy, Abe. From an unexpected direction there appeared a tall, ungainly figure; upon his head was a "stove- pipe hat," in his hand an old black canvas satchel, and beside him a young woman who strove to keep step with his long paces. They approach the cabin. Cousin Sarah Hall, one of Mrs. Lincoln's grand- daughters, had left the house unobserved and cutting "across lots" had interrupted her relative whom she begged to abandon the traveled road and stroll through the woods with her that she might first hear the news. With his usual kindness and willingness to please, Mr. Lincoln agreed to the proposition, and so they wandered down the river- bank and up through the woods, finally coming into the yard from an unexpected quarter. A SNAKE STORY Mr. Hall's recital of this circumstance was recalled and I could in imagination again hear him relate in his quaint and homely fashion the conversation that passed between Mrs. Lincoln and her granddaughter Sarah, Uncle John Hall's sister. "Sister Sary said to Grandmarm as they came into the yard, Wall, I ken now believe all that yer ever told me about Uncle Abe's bein' kind to dumb critters. Jest think of it, we run across a couple of big black snakes ahanging from a paw paw tree and when I said to him, come quick and kill the black varmints, Uncle Abe jest turned around and seed them tu, ahangin' from a branch agettin' warm in the sun, and he walked off and wouldn't touch 'em, and he said, "No, no, their lives are just as sweet to them as ours are to us." ' " LINCOLN'S KINDNESS TO ANIMALS. n UNKNOWN ENEMIES Miss C!oleman, stretched out at full length upon the grass in the shade of the old locust tree, had fallen asleep. I went into the <;abin and explored its interior with the hope of finding some relic that had been overlooked and left behind by John Hall and his family, when they moved into the cottage on the hill. Nothing but emptiness and vacancy and loneliness was encountered; the silence appalled me and a consciousness of the presence of the departed took possession of me. Again Thomas Lincoln's pleasant voice responded to the "howdy" of his neighbor, with the answer, "Purty middling and that's the best of the hog ye know." The whir of Grandma Lincoln's wheel was heard. Abraham Lincoln's tall, gaunt figure was bent, and his "high" hat was in his hand that he might pass through the low doorway. A sort of superstitious fear seized me and I fled from the house. My rapid and boisterous exit aroused the sleeping young woman. Rubbing her eyes and yawning, she demanded that we return to the little cottage. 'Twas twelve o'clock and time for dinner, she said. Unlatching the gate we passed out of the door-yard and intended to return to the house by way of the cornfield, but directly in front of us, in our path, was a drove of hogs which stared at us in such a ferocious manner that we felt the necessity of making a change of base, and therefore turned about and undertook to walk through the "medder lot," but here again we found an enemy, his royal highness, Mr. Bull, who eyed us so steadily that we climbed the high rail fence in considerable haste and awaited develop- ments. THE RESCUE We had been missed from the house on the hill and our friend, Mr. Hall, getting anxious on account of our long delay, started out to find his guests. When he spied us on the top of the rail fence, holding on for dear life, he laughed immoderately and hallooed, "take courage, I'll save ye." Mr. Hall approached the "gentlemanly" creature and when he stroked him on the neck the heretofore vicious animal dropped his head and walked away as quietly as though he had never had any n THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. unkind intentions. Mr. Hall politely assisted us to the ground, and we thanked our rescuer and rejoiced over our deliverance. "DON'T BE SO SQUEAMISH" Uncle John had told us of the wonderful sulphur spring whose waters had been described as being delicious and good for all kinds of "sores and eruptions." As a cure for the "seven-year itch" it was in- valuable, and when he informed us that the spring was "jest over that rise of ground" we consented to accompany him. We were tired, hungry and so thirsty that almost any liquid would have been accept- able. Forming a cup with our hands we undertook to drink the spark- ling water, but the odor was so peculiar and offensive that we abso- lutely refused to even taste it. Mr. Hall, dropping upon his knees, fairly plunged his face into the spring and taking a long draught said, "sho, women, don't be so squeamish but jest stop sniffing and take a stout pull." "THAR WUS NOTHIN' BUT POVERTY" Our host now kindly volunteered to guide us to the hous^ and we gladly accepted his proffered service. The adventure was related to the family and Sis exclaimed, "I allers heerd that city women was afraid of farm critters and the like." The afternoon was hot and sultry and the hours would have dragged had not Uncle John related many curious and quaint stories of the Lincoln family and their relatives. He dwelt upon the early life of Mr. Lincoln and recounted so many incidents of privation and dis- couragement and sorrow that I became exceedingly depressed and begged for anything that savored of humor or romance. My host shook his head and said, "Thar was nothing but poverty and work and mis- fortune for our family." "PAW WENT TO FARMINGTON" We retired at an earlier hour than usual that I might find, in slumber, a panacea for all life's griefs and discomforts. But after hours of rest- less tossing the idea of sleep was abandoned and I arose and sat in the open door, striving in vain to catch a refreshing breeze. The night LINCOLN'S KINDNESS TO ANIMAlS. 73 deepened; the uncanny and bewitching midnight-hour filled me with terror and drove me back into the hot, stifling atmosphere of the little front room. The "break of day" was gladly welcomed for the noise and bustle of the feathered tribe was an indication that the family would soon be astir, and my fainting condition relieved. But exhaustion over- came me and I fell into a heavy, dreamless sleep, and did not awaken until rudely shaken by Sis, who announced that "if I wanted to write any more stories that day about the President of the United States I'd hev to be up and doin', for paw hed to go down to Farmington and wanted to get offen his mind what he had to say afore he went." The day was so hot and sultry that I excused him and suggested to Miss Coleman that we also take "a day off." CHAPTER XI. STARTING OUT IN LIFE IN THOSE days when Abraham Lincoln was a young lad the son's wages belonged to the father until twenty-one years old; but as the country was sparsely settled and the people very poor we can- not imagine that Abraham Lincoln earned a fortune for either himself or his father. When he was sixteen years old he ran a ferry boat across the mouth of Anderson Creek where it empties into the Ohio River. When he was not paddling the boat across the stream he was doing farm and house chores. He remained with his employer nine months, and during that time was hostler, plough-boy, ferryman and farm hand. When he was at work in the house he did everything from running the hand mill that ground the meal for the family to perform- ing the duties that belong to a "maid-of-all-work," for all of which he received but six dollars a month. His accommodations were uncom- fortable and he was obliged to sleep in the loft with his employer's son, who often insulted and ridiculed him. MR. CRAWFORD'S NOSE After this experience he went back to his old home and loafed about, as young Abe called it, for awhile, building fires, carrying water, chop- ping wood, splitting rails, ploughing, sowing, reaping or choring for the women. At last he became so perfectly ravenous for "some read- ing" that he hired out to cross, old Mr. Crawford that he might get a chance to read all of his books. While in Mr. Crawford's employ he really enjoyed himself, although the cranky old man "docked him" whenever he "missed time." During this period of his life, however, he gathered a great deal of information and instruction from the small but well-selected library. After having finished his engagement he took his revenge upon his hard taskmaster by writing some very funny verses about Mr. Crawford's nose. The nose was very large, crooked 74 STARTING OUT IN LIFE. 75 and pulpy, and the yerses were very poor, but both verses and nose be- came very famous all about the country. THE EXAMPLE OF EARLY HARDSHIPS No matter what circumstance or condition came into Abraham Lincoln's life, instead of complaining, he profited by the severe ex- periences. As the years progressed and his hardships and privations increased, he met them with a firm determination to conquer. The struggle for the mastery did much to perfect that character, which for quaint simplicity, gentleness, integrity and honest purpose has never been surpassed among the historic personages of the world. His example will surely teach the lesson that no matter how poor one ma^ be or how few advantages one may possess, he can, if he will, acquire sufficient education to get through the world, not only re- spectably, but honorably. That no matter how lowly one's origin, or how humble one's home, he may rise to affluence and power. He may, as did Abraham Lincoln, become the choice of the people — ^the repre- sentative of a mighty nation. ABE KEPT RIGHT ON Naturally I inferred, as no doubt most people have, that young Abe was considered, among his associates and the inhabitants of the primi- tive settlement, an exceedingly smart boy, and so I remarked to Mr. Hall. An emphatic "No" was the response of my host, who immedi- ately launched out into a somewhat lengthy account of what the neigh- bors and family thought of Abe's ability: "Grandmarm said 'that Abe wasn't considered nigh so smart as Upcle John D. Johnston, who could talk well, dress well, and go about the neighborhood of an evening.' Nuther wus he much of hand to go among the gals 'cept to corn shuckin', and as John D. Johnston, grandmarm's son, wus right peart, she told him onct that John would cut him out with the gals; but Abe said 'that didn't bother him any,' and so the folks kept thinking that John wus the smartest of the two, 'cause he wus allers sittin' in the house at night porin' over his books, quiet and sad like, and John could talk right smart like. At last John began to quit larnin', but Abe kept 76 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. right on. Then his mother told him that Abe wus gittin' the start of him, but he ses, ses he: 'Don't care, marm, 'cause I can go with Mahala Anderson, a right smart girl, who wears a right smart pair of mittens and cuts a pea in two and jest eats ha'f at a bite;' but grandmarm said 'that Uncle Abe wus allers asked to all the shuckin' bees and he wus the fust one chosen, 'cause they knowed his side war shore to win, and allers after the bee wus over he had to rastle with some of the boys, or he'd tell some of his cur'us stories that wus so funny they'd make a hog laugh.' " ABE BECAME A LEADER We are told some wonderful stories concerning Abraham Lincoln's marvelous strength, and no doubt he was an unusually strong boy, for his severe training and extraordinary size gave him great advantages. It is well known that in physical strength and athletic feats he was the master of them all, but he was never quarrelsome, nor disposed to make an unpleasant show of his powers. Nor was it because he was strong and active, but merely because he was fair and honest and true and just in all his relations with those about him that he became a leader among the boys and young men of his neighborhood. THE STUMP SPEAKER About this time he got hold of a book called "The Kentucky Pre- ceptor," and from this speaker he got his inspiration for oratory. In the harvest field, at the noon hour, he would mount a stump and his rough, uneducated audiences were held spellbound with the magic of his then young and no doubt crude oratory. The farm hands would stand about with hands jammed down into the pockets of their trousers and mouths wide open, unmindful of the flight of time, till either his father or his employer would seize him and drag him from the im- provised platform. Again in the evening the neighbors would gather to hear him spout, as they called his speechmaking, and thus he would entertain and amuse the crowd oftentimes till after midnight. EVen at this early age he was noted for his "funny and odd stories," a gift which he had inherited from his father, who, though shiftless and lazy was always good natured and something of a genius in his own way. ABE'S PARENTS TOO POOR TO PURITISH HIM A SLATE. STARTING OUT IN LIFE. 7? ABE'S FIRST VOYAGE That Abraham Lincoln was perfectly content with the humdrum life that he was leading, and was satisfied with the uncomfortable con- ditions of his surroundings, is not at all probable. He had already caught glimpses of life in the outside world, a life of greater sig- nificance and greater dignity. Echoes from the large towns and cities had reached his ears. He was now eighteen years old, and was beginning to chafe at his limited horizon. He had learned the use of tools, and by nature pos- sessed considerable mechanical talent, and so he set to work to build a boat and in it row out into the wide, wide world. TWO SILVER HALF DOLLARS Mr. Lincoln himself never gave any detailed account of his ventures, but after he became the Chief Executive of the United States he told Mr. Seward, the Secretary of State, the following story: "I was stand- ing at a landing on the Ohio Eiver and a steamer was coming down the river. At the same time two passengers came to the river's brink who wished to be taken with their luggage out to the packet. They selected my boat and asked me to scull them to the steamer. This I did, and after seeing them and their trunks on board I had the pleas- ure of receiving a silver half dollar from each of the gentlemen. I could scarcely believe my eyes." And, facing Mr. Seward, he said: "You may think this a very simple matter, but it was a most important incident in my life. I could hardly realize that I, a poor boy, had earned a dollar in less than a day. The world seemed wider and fairer before me; I was a more hopeful and confident being from that time." ABE'S SECOND VOYAGE This event aroused a new train of thought and urged the young man on to further and larger effort. At the age of nineteen Abraham Lin- coln made his second voyage, and at this time caught something more than a glimpse of the great world in which he was to play so important and tragic a part. A neighbor applied to him to take charge of a fiat 78 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. boat and its cargo, and in company with his own son take it to New Orleans. He was given charge of the entire business, and the fact that he had never made the trip, knew nothing of river navigation, and was unaccustomed to business transactions, made the contract an un- usual proceeding. But Abraham Lincoln's tact, ability and honesty were so thoroughly established that the trader did not feel the least hesitancy in trusting him with the cargo and his son's welfare. The young men of to-day cannot imagine the delight that entered into the heart of young Lincoln as he swung loose from the shore upon his clumsy craft and realized that he had started upon a journey of nearly eighteen hundred miles. With modern inventions and the innovation of the iron horse into all parts of our great and wealthy country, it is utterly impossible that any of those early and simple conditions can now exist. AN EXCITING ADVENTURE The incidents of the trip were not likely to be very exciting, but the social intercourse that the young man enjoyed with the hunters and settlers along the banks of the Ohio and Mississippi, and an exchange of ideas with the boatmen of similar craft was a wellspring of joy and pleasure to the backwoodsman. At length the boat was pulled in and tied to the shore for the purpose of trade at a sugar plantation somewhere between Natchez and New Orleans. Night was approach- ing and consequently business must be deferred until morning. The tired voyagers laid down to rest and sleep, when Abraham heard a noise that aroused his suspicion. He shouted, "Who's there." The noise continued, and not waiting for a reply, Lincoln sprang to his feet and discovered several negroes evidently intending to steal the cargo. Seizing a handspike, he rushed toward them and knocked into the water the first one that attempted to get on to the boat. The second, third and fourth, who tried to leap on board, were served in the same rough way. The remainder, no doubt, felt that they would meet the same fate, and so they turned to flee, but Lincoln and his young companion had become so excited that they jumped ashore and gave chase to the negroes, whom they soon overtook and gave all of them a sound STARTING OUT IN LIFE. 79 pounding. The young men returned to the boat just as the first colored men were escaping from the water, but further pursuit was abandoned. Abraham and his companion were injured, but not disabled, and being unarmed they were unwilling to remain at that point any longer for fear that the negroes would receive reinforcements. Cutting loose, the boat floated down the river a few miles and was tied up again, while the now excited young men eagerly watched for the day to dawn. ARRIVAL AT NEW ORLEANS The trip was made to New Orleans without further accident, and when the young men arrived at the Crescent City the unusual sights of that peculiar Southern metropolis burst upon their view, and the coun- try boys were both astonished and delighted. The anticipation and anxiety of bringing to a successful issue the business that he had been intrusted with, absorbed Abraham Lincoln's attention so closely that he gave little heed to the peculiar customs and methods that prevailed in that city before the war. After some unex- pected delay and worriment he succeeded in selling the entire cargo at a good profit. Being relieved of the pressing business, Abraham Lincoln and his young friend concluded to look about and take in the sights. The institution of slavery was a question that the young lad had pondered over. He had often been heard to express himself as being "sorry for the black man's enslavement, and often said that when he grew to be a man he hoped that he could help free the negro." Here was an opportunity for the young man to see the effects of the unjust institution in all its deformity and evil results. From this time on till the shackles of millions of slaves were broken, Abraham Lincoln never ceased to speak in open condemnation of slavery. THE RETURN The trip was at last ended. The cargo sold for money and the raft itself also disposed of, the young men retraced their tedious journey on foot, which occupied several weeks. 80 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. The venturesome enterprise for two such youths turned out a capital thing, and when their narrow escape was known the trip on the flatboat was talked of as a wonderful expedition, and Abraham Lincoln re- ceived the credit of being a good boatman, an excellent manager and a first-class salesman. The success of the journey and its satisfactory results were due to the tact, judgment, ability and fidelity of the young man, and his employer was not chary in his praise. He was heard to say with con- siderable conceit : "I was sure of my man, for I had tested Abe Lincoln's honesty in more ways than one." CHAPTER XII. SECOND NEW HOME-VISIONS OF WEALTH THOMAS LINCOLN'S household was now greatly diminished. There had been three weddings in the family. Sarah Lincoln, his daughter, when only fifteen years old, had married Aaron Grigsby, a young man living near neighbor to the "Linkhorns," as the name was then pronounced. The sister of Abraham had been married but a year when she died, thus adding another severe sorrow to young Abe's tender and sensitive heart. In speaking of the marriage of Mrs. Lincoln's two daughters, Mr. Hall refers to that of his mother's, who was Matilda Johnston, the younger girl, in the following manner: "Grandmarm told me that graudpap was so awful poor that she was glad to have mother get married, and that when she was fourteen years old paw, who wus only nineteen, came along and asked her to hitch up. She said yes right smart." Glancing at me, Uncle John Hall said: "I can't think that paw and ma wus much better off than grandpap, be- cause they hed to go out in the woods and gather leaves for to make their bed of, and so they hed to stay with grandpap and grandmarm till they could get somethin' ahead." ANOTHER PROMISED LAND A general discontent now seized the entire Lincoln household and the members of the family began to talk of "moving away" from In- diana. The country was still very unhealthful, the land was difficult of cultivation and the sons-in-law as well as Abraham were anxious to make a change in order to better their condition if possible. Keports were now coming to the family that the prairie lands of Illinois were rich beyond imagination; that farms could be obtained for almost nothing; that the land only needed the plough and the hoe to make it immediately productive. 81 83 THE STORY OF 'ABRAHAM LINCOLN. DENNIS HANKS' RETURN One day Dennis Hanks, who had been with the Lincolns since the death of his mother, Betsy Sparrow, came rushing into the house and announced his intention of going over into Illinois for the purpose of finding a farm big enough and rich enough for the "hull family." The young man left with high hopes, and the inmates of the humble home anxiously awaited his return. In proper season he came back and gave such glowing accounts of the new country that the family were anxious to move at the earliest opportunity. Mr. Lincoln sold out his squatter's claim in Indiana and early in the spring of 1829, with his family, his two sons-in-law and their wives and children, left the old home for the promised land. THE JOURNEY TO ILLINOIS Mr. Hall's quaint and peculiar description of the journey to Illinois and the life and changes of the Lincoln family will interest the reader and convey a true impression of those unfortunate days that came to Abraham Lincoln and his people. He said: "Grandpap and grandmarm' got so awful poor when they lived down in Indiany that their cows took the milk sickness and all of the family got the milk fever; why Aunt Betsy Hanks like to died with it, and the times wus hard and the pickin' so poor they jest made up their minds they would move, and so we picked up and come over into Illinoy and settled jest a few miles from where Decatur is now located. I wus a suckin' babe when they left Indiany and we moved all on one big wagon from Spencer County, In- diany. There wus father and mother and John D. Johnston, Abe Lin- coln and grandmarm. Uncle Dennis Hanks, Uncle John Hanks and his wife and Aunt Sarry and her man and Grandpap Lincoln. The team that we moved with wus a four yoke of oxen." Pointing to the old cabin, he said : "Don't you mind that old yoke that hangs on the north side of the old cabin? Well, that's the same old yoke that grandpap brought up from Indiany. Uncle Abe he druv one of the teams and grandmarm said, 'He'd often carry me in his arms.' When we first come to this State we stopped at Macon County. Grandfather Lincoln SECOND NEW HOME— VISIONS OF WEALTH. 83 and Uncle Abe Lincoln cut the poles and built a log house. Then they split rails to fence in ten acres of prairie land right on the edge of the timber, and took it for a squatter's claim. They lived on this place about a year, but they all liked to died with the chills and fever, and wus afraid to stay there any longer for fear they'd all die off. That winter the snow come so stiff they could catch deer on the top of it. The snow would break through with the deer, but not with the dogs, and then they'd chase them down. MAKE ANOTHER MOVE "The next year we moved ag'in to a place south of Mattoon and called it Buck Grove, because the men found two big bucks what had been fightin', with their horns locked together, and they hed died that way. They built a log house and lived there one year, I think, and then went down in the timber, further south two or three miles, and built another house. They stayed there but a short time, when grandpap took it into his head ag'in that he hed to move. He wus an uncommon uneasy man, and a moving about so much seemed to make him mighty unfortunate. Grandmarm said 'it wus like the children of Israel trying to find the promised land,' but no Eed Sea divided fur them, fur in coming up from Indiany they hed to ford thru many a swollen stream and all sorts of other difficulties beset 'em." COMING OF AGE Abraham Lincoln was now twenty-one years of age, and he had determined to see the world for himself — ^to branch out and seek his fortune. He so announced his intention and left home, although he still remained in the neighborhood, paying for his board and clothes by splitting rails, for money was a commodity never reckoned upon in the Lincoln family. It is told by Mr. Herdon, one of Mr. Lincoln's biographers, that he made a bargain with one of the women in the set- tlement, "that for every yard of brown jeans, dyed with white walnut bark, he would split her four hundred rails." In those days Abra- ham Lincoln often walked five, six and seven miles to his work. 84 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. ANOTHER MOVE Again Mr, Hall took up the narrative and said: "Well, ag'in, in the spring of 1831, grandpap moved and come up here into Coles Ck)unty and built a log house jest a little northeast of where the cabin now stands." This last statement I did not quite understand, therefore I questioned. The information I gained put me in possession of the fact that the east room of the cabin was built by Thomas Lincoln and Uncle Abe some distance from its present site. After a few months it was moved down nearer the road leading from Groose Prairie to Charleston, and Abraham Lincoln insisted that another room should be added. The house now contained thirteen people, young and old, and there was no opportunity for Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln to have a quiet moment. Abraham Lincoln upon the occasion of his visit at this time announced his intention "of cutting entirely adrift from the old life," and insisted that the "new room" should be erected at once. He remained long enough to assist his father in building and completing the west room of the old log cabin, and also succeeded in putting his mother into more comfortable quarters. PRIMITIVE TOOLS AH the tools that Abraham and his father used in the construction of the cabin were simple in the extreme — a common ax, a broad ax, a hand- saw and a "drawer knife." The doors and floors were made of punch- eons, and the gable ends of the structure were boarded up with plank "rived" by Abraham's hand out of oak timber. The boards used for the roofs were cut by Thomas Lincoln, and it took him six months "to com- plete the job." Forty acres of land were secured and Abraham promised to help his father pay for the farm if he was ever able. The time had now come when Abraham Lincoln bade his father and mother a final farewell. In referring to this family event Mr. Hall said that his "Grandmarm Lincoln" expressed herself as follows: "When Uncle Abe went away to live we all jest thought the hull world wus gone, and when he^d come back to see us we'd hug and kiss him and try to get him to promise that he^d never go ag'in no more." SARAH BUSH JOHNSTON LINCOLN. This photograph of Abraham Lincoln's stepmother was taken when sh( was ninety years of age. FAMILY EELICS POUND IN THE LINCOLN HOMESTEAD. The clock purchased In Kentucky was carried to Indiana, thence to Illinois, where It ever adorned the old home. The bureau brought by the stepmother from Kentucky caused much excitement in the Lincoln household. ■SECOND NEW HOME— VISIONS OF WEALTH. 85 It is said by Mr. Lincoln's biographers that at this time he was the roughest looking man that one could ima^ne. He was so tall, so angular, so ungainly, and wore trousers made of flax, cut tight at the ankle and baggy at the knees — ^that he indeed made a comical and ridiculous looking figure. He was known to be exceedingly poor, but yet he was a welcome guest in every house at which he ever called. CHAPTER XIII. GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH HIMSELF GOING back to the neighborhood from whence he came but a few months previous, he was told that John D. Johnston and his uncle, John Hanks, had been engaged by a trader named Denton Offutt to take a "boatload of stuff" to New Orleans. They were indeed glad to have their relative put in an appearance at this time, for he had been down the river and his experience, united with his good sense, made him a very acceptable party. For a small consideration they engaged Abraham Lincoln to pilot the raft and help them dispose of the cargo. ABRAHAM BECOMES A CLERK When the men returned and reported an unusually good sale Mr. Offutt realized that the management of the entire trip and its success- ful issue was the result of the young man's good judgment. The trader offered him a position in his country store. Abraham Lincoln was more than pleased and eagerly accepted the offer. Mr. Offutt soon became impressed with the honesty and capacity of his new clerk and intrusted him with the entire business of his store, and his mill as well. It was during his term of service with Mr. Offutt at New Salem, 111., that many of Abraham Lincoln's traits of character were thoroughly tested. Upon one occasion he discovered that he had overcharged a customer, and in order to rectify his mistake and return the money he was obliged to walk several miles, but that fact did not alter his pur- pose, and he tramped the entire way in order to refund the money. WHIPPING THE BULLY He was living in a community containing some coarse and vulgar men who had no respect for women; Abraham Lincoln had upon several occasions reproved some of these roughs, and the bully of the town un- 86 GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH HIMSELF. 87 dertook to pick a quarrel with him. Sauntering into the store, and in the presence of several women, the rude fellow began a tirade of profane and obscene language. Leaning over the counter and speaking in a low tone Mr. Lincoln politely requested the young man to cease using such words. The bully said in reply "that he'd like to see the man that could stop him from saying anything that he chose to say," and still persisted in insulting the customers. After the departure of the women the bully began to abuse Mr. Lincoln, and dared him to come out and fight. Striving to calm the young man's anger by keeping perfectly cool Abraham Lincoln was at last obliged to retaliate. Patience had ceased to be a virtue, and, remarking to the crowd that had gathered about, "Well, if he must be whipped, I suppose I can do it as well as any other man." Mr. Lincoln without further parley proceeded to give him a. sound thrashing, and for further punishment rubbed his face and eyes with a sharp and stinging weed, until the bully fairly roared with pain and anger. LINCOLN MASTERS GRAMMAR It was while young Lincoln was engaged in the duties of "store life" that he commenced the study of English grammar. He could not, however, obtain a text-book in the neighborhood, but, hearing that a friend of his, Mr. Li M. Green, a lawyer, living eight miles distant, possessed a grammar, he walked to his friend's home and succeeded ini borrowing the book, which he studied diligently at every spare moment, and whenever his friend would come to New Salem Lincoln would take him aside and ask him to explain some of the most obscure and difficult parts. At last the book was completed and the young man observed that "if grammar was a science he reckoned he could master others." It was during this period of his life that Abraham Lincoln became interested in debate, and many of the "sparring matches" as they were called by the young men of that section, were held in Mr. Offutt's store. It was here that Abraham Lincoln made his first political speech, and its delivery gave evidence of his powers of oratory. At the end of the year, business and trade having been so slack, Mr. Offutt was obliged to close the store and shut down the mill, and in consequence Abraham 88 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Lincoln was out of employment. Though he had received small wages and performed constant service yet the year's hard experience had not been lost. He had made new and valuable acquaintances, had read many books, had won a host of friends, and had established a name that was more valuable than all the rest. Everywhere and by everybody he was called "Honest Abe." This reputation and name won for him honor, respect, and power then, as it afterward did throughout his entire career. He was a pacificator, an arbitrator, everybody's friend, and an authority. He was called the homeliest young man, but at the same time the kindest, the gentlest, the strongest and the best natured fellow in all the country about. LINCOLN GOES TO WAR Abraham Lincoln, now being out of business, concluded to enlist in what wap known as the Black Hawk War. Many of the recruits were from Ne^ Salem and the country about and were personal friends of Mr. Lincoln. The method of selecting army officers in those days was rather unique. The candidates were placed opposite each other and the soldiers were told to make their preference. Abraham Lincoln was the successful candidate, and when those who had just chosen his opponent changed their minds and also came over to Lincoln's side he could scarcely repress his delight. It is said that Mr. Lincoln subse- quently confessed that no other success of his life gave him the genuine pleasure that this election did. The Black Hawk War was not a very remarkable affair and Mr. Lincoln never spoke of it in public other than as an interesting episode in his life. But no doubt he must have related some of his experiences to his relatives, for Mr. Hall said that when "v,fe children ast grandpap if Uncle Abe wus allers good natured he said, yes, he never did get mad or out of humor, 'cept onct when he wus in the Black Hawk War, a right smart feller kept imposin' upon him and pickin' at him till he said, 'If you don't dry up, I'll kick you into the river.' But the feller didn't stop his foolin' and Abe done Jest what he said he would and then walked off as cool as could be." GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH HIMSELF. 89 TALKING ABOUT UNCLE ABE At this point in Mr. Hall's conversation, an old acquaintance of the Lincoln family called to make some inquiries concerning the old home- stead, and catching the final words of Mr. Hall's recital asked if he was talking about Uncle Abe. An answer in the affirmative elicited further inquiry, and when the caller understood that I was trying to learn something concerning Mr. Lincoln's career as a soldier and officer during the Black Hawk War, he volunteered to bring me a book which probably contained the informa- tion I desired. As good as his word, the farmer came the next day, bringing the promised book, which contained the following humorous reference made by Mr. Lincoln himself to his military career. A WIILITARY HERO It was while Mr. Lincoln was a representative in Congress that the friends of General Lewis Cass, when that gentleman was a candidate for the Presidency, endeavored to endow him with a military reputation. This sort of pretension was so obnoxious to Mr. Lincoln that he used it as an instrument of ridicule, and in a sarcastic and irresistibly ludicrous allusion, said: "By the way, Mr. Speaker, do you know that I am a military hero? Yes, sir; in the days of the Black Hawk War I fought, bled and came away. Speaking of General Cass's career reminds me of my own. I was not at Stillman's defeat, but I was about as near it as Cass to Hull's surrender; and, like him, I saw the place very soon afterwards. DID NOT BREAK HIS SWORD "It is quite certain I did not break my sword, for I had none to break; but I bent my musket pretty badly on one occasion. "If General Cass went in advance of me picking whortleberries, I guess I surpassed him in charges upon the wild onions. If he saw any live, fighting Indians, it was more than I did, but I had a good many 90 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. bloody struggles with the mosquitoes; and although I never fainted from loss of blood, I can truly say I was often hungry." In after years, when Abraham Lincoln was a candidate for the presidency, some of his campaign biographers undertook to make a little political thunder for him out of his connection with the Black Hawk War, but he expressed himself as being quite disgusted wi*h such pretense. CHAPTER XIV. LINCOLN'S FIRST CANDIDACY THE soldiers engaged in the Black Hawk War from Sangamon County arrived home just ten days before election, and Abraham Lincoln had made himself such a favorite that his comrades requested him to allow his name to be placed among the candidates for the Legislature. Could anyone have been more surprised than was this obscure and humble young man when such honor and recognition were thrust upon him? His nomination was secured, and in accepting it Lincoln made a few quaint and brief remarks, such as ever after characterized his speech. He assured his friends that if elected he would be thankful to them and should always do his duty, but if nQt elected it would be just the same. LINCOLN'S DEFEAT Mr. Lincoln received a large vote — his friends worked for him, his soldier comrades voted for him, but the State of Illinois was too gen- erally Democratic, and he was therefore defeated. Can anyone doubt that Abraham Lincoln was not a disappointed man? The first excite- ment over he looked about and found himself a stranded man, with no occupation, trade or profession. He now began to think seriously of learning the blacksmith's trade. Notwithstanding he had made up his mind to pursue this course yet he was so anxious and ambitious to live in a more elevated sphere of thought and action that he was ready to catch at any straw as a drowning man might, and when an immediate opportunity offered itself he became a partner in a dry goods firm. His associate, however, proved a worthless, dissipated man and soon wrecked the entire business. The venture was both unfortunate and valuable. Though it left Mr. Lincoln burdened with debt, yet he was rich in experience. 91 92 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Wherever he went or whatever he undertook he made friends. One of his biographers has said: "Lincoln had nothing, only plenty of friends," and when his financial trouble overtook him some of his ad- mirers asked for his appointment as postmaster. He was delighted with the office. It gave him a chance to read every newspaper that went through the postoffice, and now for the first time in his life he had "a constant feast of reading." The business of the office was very- insignificant and he did not feel as if he was morally compelled to spend his entire time at the office. The postoffice he carried with him, and Uncle Sam's servant took off his hat, looked over the mail and dis- tributed it wherever the public found him. He kept the position of postmaster until the mail delivery was removed to Petersburgh. ABE LINCOLN'S HONESTY One of the most beautiful exhibitions of Mr. Lincoln's honesty oc- curred in connection with the settlement of his accounts with the post- office department several years afterwards. It was after he had become a lawyer, and at a period in his life when he was distressed financially. He had but just acquired his law education under unusually adverse circumstances. He was perplexed and worried and so exceedingly poor that many another man would have yielded to temptation and appropriated, if only as a loan, the money that he had in his possession. But it was safe with Abraham Lincoln, though he had starved. It was one day after he had formed a law partnership with Major Stuart, that the agent of the postoffice department entered and inquired if Abraham Lincoln was in. Mr. Lincoln answered in the affirmative, and the agent told him that he had called to collect the balance due the department since the New Salem postoffice had been discontinued. THE OLD TIN BOX Mr. Lincoln seemed annoyed, and a friend who was present offered to loan him the required amount. Making no reply Mr. Lincoln rose and pulled out from under a pile of papers a small tin box. Turning around he faced the agent and asked him what the amount was. The LINCOLN'S FIRST CANDIDACY. 93 sum was named, Mr. Lincoln took from the box a package, unfastened the wrapping, and counted out the exact amount, which was a little more than seventeen dollars. After the agent left the room Abraham Lincoln quietly remarked that he "never used any man's money but his own." Although the money had been in his possession for several years, and he had often been hungry for food, he had never used one cent of it, even for a temporary purpose. It was this rigid honesty that made Mr. Lincoln so responsible and trustworthy. This quality of honesty in Mr. Lincoln's character was his strongest fortification, and through all the years of his career, in which there were many epochs of absolute penury, he did not swerve one iota from the straight and narrow path. In these days of money-getting and money-keeping, it is well for the young lad to pause and consider this lesson. The reputation that Mr. Lincoln won as Honest Abe was more priceless than money or position, and he had honestly gained the name by actual proof over and over again. Because of this very characteristic, thus it was that an anxious nation trusted him with its welfare, and knew that he would not betray his trust. The postoffice having "winked out," as Mr. Lincoln expressed it, he was now ready for something else and it came to him from an unexpected quarter. The surveyor of Sangamon County needed an assistant, and though he found Mr. Lincoln entirely ignorant of the science of sur- veying, yet his employer loaned him a text-book and assigned him quite a large territory. LINCOLN THE SURVEYOR Mr. Lincoln was quite satisfied with the terms, because his employ- ment furnished him with sufficient means to earn his daily living and also procure some books. During his twelve months' engagement he was a close student and constant reader, and he performed his work with such accuracy that the surveys that he made were never disputed. Lincoln had not the least knowledge of surveying, and now having ac- cepted the position he was obliged to acquire the science in the shortest k- 94 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. possible time, and he did. He was a close student, and after a brief study procured a compass and chain and started boldly in at the work. Hi,s first attempt ended in discouraging and disastrous results, for his chain and compass were attached, to pay a debt for which Mr. Lincoln was surety. The implements were, however, bought by a friend, who immediately returned them to the young man, and bade him fear no more trouble. M' CHAPTER XV. MR. LINCOLN'S POLITICAL CAREER R. LINCJOLN was still miserably poor, still a humble man^ humble in condition but not in spirit. There is no doubt but even at this time he had begun to think of a political life. He was now thoroughly familiar with the history of the politicians and statesmen of his country. He was already a marked and peculiar man. People were talking about him. His studious habits, his greed for information, his power in story-telling, his quaint, odd ways, and his uncouth appearance were attracting the attention of all classes. Wherever he appeared he was the center of attraction. His duties as surveyor had brought him in touch with the people of other localities and he had already made something of a record as a "stump speaker." He made no pretension to win favor; he was the poorest and plainest man in all the country about, but yet again in 1834 he became a candi- date for the Legislature and was elected by the highest vote cast for any candidate. He was elected because he had made no enemies, because people were glad to see him rise, and because he was honest, was truthful, was kind and unselfish. LINCOLN BEGINS TO STUDY LAW During the Black Hawk War Mr. Lincoln had met Major John T. Stuart, a lawyer of Springfield, who then told Abraham Lin- coln that if he could ever be of service to him to let him know. At the close of the canvass which resulted in his election Mr. Lincoln walked to Springfield, borrowed some books from his friend and took them back to New Salem. It was at this time that Mr. Lincoln began the study of law. He studied as diligently and as thoroughly as he had read. He was so absorbed in his new study that he could think of nothing else, until he was forced to stop for absolute lack of food. A surveying tour would bring him some money, and then be would "devote 95 96 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. himself again to his books, and so the days passed until the convening of the Legislature, when he dropped his books, hung his satchel upon a stick, slung it across his shoulder and on foot, trudged a hundred miles to Vandalia, then the capital of the State of Illinois. THE YOUNGEST MAN IN THE LEGISLATURE During this session Mr. Lincoln learned much but talked very little, and in referring to that period of his life Mr. Lincoln said: "By so doing I made no mistakes to be rectified at another session." Though the youngest man in the Legislature, he was always in his place, and faithful to all duties imposed upon him. When the session closed he walked home as he came, and resumed the study of law, but took up surveying again as a means of livelihood. Again in 1836 he was honored by the people of his district. The canvass was an unusually exciting one, but, as before, he was elected by a good majority. It was during this campaign that Mr. Lincoln made an unusually brilliant speech. As he grew inspired with his subject, the tall, awkward, homely man became majestic in his bearing. His face was illumined with a radiance unseen before and his dreamy eyes were filled with the light of inspiration. From that day to the day of his death, he was recognized as one of the most powerful orators in the county. Among those who composed the members of the House that session many of them became distinguished men, and it was during this term of the Legislature that Mr. Lincoln associated with and was often pitted against the brightest men of his State. CHANGING THE CAPITAL Although but twenty-seven years old he was pushed to the front and became an important factor in the work of the House. It was during this session that through his immediate and unceasing efforts the cap- ital of Illinois was changed from Vandalia to Springfield. Thus, with no early education or culture or training, he had achieved what the best educated and most favored would have been proud to do. This session of the Legislature was notable for its connection with the beginning of Mr. Lincoln's anti-slavery history. MR. LINCOLN'S POLITICAL CAREER. 97 The agitation of the slave question was just beginning to create great uneasiness among the people, both at the North and the South. The slaveholders were as agitated as the politician, and the subject was broached in this session of the Illinois Legislature. A resolution in behalf of slavery was offered, and an attempt was made to stigmatize all who refused to endorse the same. Only two men in the house, Abraham Lincoln and Dan Stone, 'both from Sangamon C5ounty, had the manliness to refuse to vote for the "offensive resolution." It was something for these two men to stand out and declare their principles against the entire House. This act was the beginning of Mr. Lincoln's anti-slavery record. This little protest was the platform on which he stood and fought out the great battle whose "trophies were four million freemen" and a redeemed nation. MEETING STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS It was also at this session that Mr. Lincoln met Stephen A, Douglas, who was then only twenty-three years old and the youngest man in the House. These two young men had now set out on their important careers, one to disappointment and a grave of unsatisfied hopes and baffled ambitions, the other to the realization of his highest dreams of achievement and renown, and a martyrdom that crowns his memory with an undying glory. The young solon had made no money, and was still about as poor as they make them. His clothes were shabby and thin, and the weather was raw and cold. It is said by one of Mr. Lincoln's biographers that he complained to a friend, who was also a member of the Legislature, of being cold and chilly. An associate said: "It's no wonder, Mr. Lincoln, that you are cold; (there is so much of you on the ground." None of the party appreciated this homely joke at the expense of his big feet more thoroughly than did Abraham Lincgln himsel£ 98 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. BEGINS THE PRACTICE OF LAW The time "had come for Mr. Lincoln to leave his old home and his old associates. The natural ability of the man demanded his removal to larger territory and better environment; the future course of events commanded him to shake off the limitations and seek stronger action and greater achievement. Springfield, the capital of the State, was the most enticing point, and Mr. Lincoln argued that here was the proper place to begin the practice of the law and to secure any further political recognition that he might desire, for Mr. Lincoln was a man of political ambition. He had already had just enough of the excitement and fascination of a political career to whet his desire to further taste; just enough political recognition to incite him to further attainment, Abraham Lincoln turned his back upon New Salem with many regrets, for his friends had aided him when he needed aid; here his friends had appreciated him and raised him to an elevation, though slight and unimportant compared to the future heights and power he was destined to attain. He left behind all the old stepping-stones by which he had bridged the time between now and then, and ascended to homely prominence. The old store, the wrestling matches, the foot races, the lounging places, the insignificant postoffice — these were ever pleasant scenes to memory dear. The few cabin homes were dearer still; the cabin homes in which kindly women dwelt, who, with womanly instincts, detected the manliness of character, and gave to the poor young man a home, "just for his com- pany," as they said. It was in the spring of 1837 that Mr. Lincoln went to his new home, and it was with many misgivings that he took up his abode there. A FRIEND IN NEED Although he had no money, was poorly dressed and most ungainly in appearance, yet he had attracted the attention and interest of the Hon. William Butler, a prominent citizen of Springfield, who invited him to become a member of his household. This privilege was of great MR. LINCOLN'S POLITICAL CAREER. 99 benefit to Mr. Lincoln, for he was now thrown into the companionship of educated men and refined women. Mr. Lincoln's law practice was not lucrative, nor particularly agree- able. He as other young lawyers had to engage in considerable prac- tice that brought poor returns, hard labor and small fees. It was not a smooth or fiowery path that he had chosen. THE CIRCUIT RIDER The man who practiced law in those days in Illinois "rode the cir- cuit" — ^that is, the lawyers were obliged to follow the judges about from county to county, some on horseback and some in buggies. Mr, Lin- coln's outfit was very primitive and homely and provoked much ridicule from the well-to-do lawyers. The long journeys from county seat to county seat, the stopping at the settlers' homes to eat or sleep or feed his horse, and his evenings at the country taverns, gave Mr. Lincoln a wide and extensive acquaintance. It was during these trips that many incidents occurred which demonstrated his kindness of heart and his entirely unselfish purpose. He would often stop and fall far behind his companions in order to rescue some animal which had sunk into the mire and wa.s struggling to free itself, or he would climb a tree and put back into its nest the little fledgling that had fallen to the ground, thus quieting the shrill cry of the distressed mother bird. CHAPTER XVI. A THRILLING NIGHT AT THE OLD LOG CABIN THE sixth day of our sojourn had begun. Time had been rather indolent in passing and we had hoped for a change, no matter how or what. The coming to-morrow was the Sabbath day, we dreaded its approach, anticipating an usually dull time, and there- fore I determined to do something desperate in order to relieve our minds of the terrible monotony and dreary, every-day humdrum exist- ence. A startling proposition was made to my young friend. She was aghast and sought to persuade me that the experiment would be dan- gerous. I did not share her apprehension and told her that I had con- cluded to dare the danger. We had been at the log cabin every day, had viewed it from the old stage road, had seen it from the top of the knoll, had sat upon the rotten old doorsteps, had passed in and out and had climbed into the loft, but we had not spent the night at the wonderful old house. A GAME OF CARDS The evening of the sixth day dwelt with us and an announcement was made that really startled Uncle John and the boys. My host gravely shook his head and Little Joe said, "You dasen't." This re- mark decided the affair and I informed Mr. Hall that Miss Coleman and myself would pass the night at the "Old Log Cabin." We took our hammocks, pillows and books, and, escorted by the boys, went down to the cabin. We chatted, told stories, and my friend and I made believe we were happy. Darkness descended, we filed into the cabin, lighted a "tallow dip," rolled in some stones, placed upon them some rough boards for seats, hung up our hammocks, and proceeded to tell more stories. Finally the boys were getting restless, and, consulting our watches, we discovered that it was late, quite eleven o'clock. The 100 'A THRILLING NIGHT. lOl boys were too tired and sleepy to stay longer. We promised more stories but that attraction had worn out, and we coaxed in vain until Abe slyly drew from his pocket a pack of soiled cards. Putting them down on the boards he said: "I'll stay and play ye a game of 'seven-up' if yere won't tell paw." I responded to his proposition with alacrity, and, passing the agreement around, the entire company acquiesced. A CURroUS PICTURE A picture was created that never can be effaced. The west room of the old cabin was dimly lighted, but the direct rays of the candle fell upon the faces of the party. What a contrast, a woman of mature years, bearing the impress of education and refinement, a young gjrl fashionably attired, three rough, uncouth lads, all in their shirtsleeves, one bareheaded, the other two wearing caps; one an old fur covering, the other a torn and faded sombrero. The uncanny hour was fast approaching and the game was growing exciting, when a slight tap on the window-pane brought a shriek from' my young companion, and little Joe declared he "seed a face and it looked jest like the pictur' of Uncle Abe." The young gentlemen decided that they must be going and advised us to give up our valuables into their safe keeping. So watches and pocketbooks were handed over to the boys and my companion and I were left with the night and the solitude. Miss Coleman begged me to abandon the idea of remaining alone at the cabin and I frankly admit that I was sorely tempted to call the boys back, abandon the project and ask them to help us "tote^' the bedroom paraphernalia up the hill to the little cottage. My courage received a fresh impetus however and I cast out the cowardly thought. Announcing my final decision I begged Miss Coleman to control her nervous dread and make of herself a more cheerful companion. She could not conquer her distress, and, acquiescing to her pleadings, I made myself very uncomfortable by occupying with her the same ham- mock. 103 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN THE FRIGHT We selected the one that had been hung in the corner of the west room, and "right where Uncle Abe allers slept when he came back to visit the relations." Nestling close to each other we awaited develop- ments. Hov/ long we suffered, it seemed an eternity, and when a rat ambled slowly across the cabin floor we were too paralyzed to even scream. At last the horror passed, the morning dawned. We looked into each other's haggard faces, laughed hysterically and made a sol- emn compact that we would never again indulge in so foolish an under- taking. Our limbs were cramped, rigid, sore, and we could scarcely drag ourselves about. Folding up our outfit we "silently stole away," The day was awakening, and the morning sun, stretching out his long, red, fervid rays, bathed the world in a resplendent light. Miss Coleman and I, weary and nervous, walked slowly through the dewy grass, and as we neared the cottage discovered the feathered tribe excited and turbulent. The chanticleer filled the air with his loud and warning call, the hens were rushing about, keeping up an incessant cackling, the ducks waddled to and fro, while their incessant quack, quack told us that they too were agitated. The geese stretched out their necks, and, hissing in a defiant manner, demanded the cause of so much excitement, the watchdog came bounding from the rear of the cottage, leaped the fence, and in a thoroughly military fashion guarded the entrance. THE STRANGER'S ARRIVAL What a wonderful scene revealed itself as we ascended the hill and climbed the rail fence. A fine turnout, to which was harnessed a pair of prancing steeds, stood at the front gate and a stranger was alighting. We now understood why the "dumb brutes" had displayed so much excitement and we too became equally aroused and congratulated our- selves that an adventure was in store for us. Expecting a tale of woe from a lost and benighted traveler we were impatient to have the mystery unravelled. The boys were up and dressed and out of the house A THRILLING NIGHT. 103 as soon as possible, and upon demanding from the stranger the cause of his early call he responded by handing "Squire^' two letters. The boy looked at them dubiously, then observing Miss Coleman and myself, handed me the missives. One v^as addressed to Mr. Hall, the other ta myself. How our hearts throbbed, and we anticipated something, we hardly knew what. The envelopes were hastily opened and — such a disappointment. Simply letters of introduction and recommendation. THE CUSTODIAN The "cabin" had now become an object of interest to the country people, and as many sightseers were beginning to visit it the mem- bers of the Lincoln Log Cabin Association had concluded to send out from Chicago a custodian to be put in charge of the cabin, for the pur- pose of protecting and preserving the valuable old homestead from vandalism, and the custodian had been instructed to give the cabin con- stant attention, both night and day. Though the event turned out to be rather a tame affair, yet the ar- rival of the stranger was a great event, and we welcomed him right royally. CHAPTER XVII. A MEMORABLE SUNDAY BKEAKFAST was served on short notice, and after the "keen de- mands" of appetite had been satisfied, the guard was escorted to the "old log cabin" by the entire household. Each one was eager to tell what he knew, or what he had heard, or was anxious to point out some favorite spot and to explain to him where and when Abraham Lincoln occupied the famous old house. This wonderful Sun- day will ever remain a pleasant memory. A COMPANY OF SIGHT-SEERS In pointing out and describing the cabin and its particular belong- ings we became so engrossed in entertaining our new acquaintance that the approach of other and stranger sightseers was unnoticed, until the sound of rapidly moving vehicles aroused our attention. Coming down the road we saw three or four wagons containing a number of people, who were shouting at us. The neighbors and country folk from far and near, many of them acquaintances of the Lincolns, were flocking to look at and comment upon the old log cabin. It told its own story, for* its dilapidated condition, its poor and homely construction, were object lessons that even the youngest sightseer might appreciate and profit by. STALE CREAWl Awaiting the approach of the small and unpretentious procession, it was soon discovered that it consisted entirely of strangers. The party alighted and a spokesman announced the fact that the party had come out from Charleston to see the old log cabin. The young people were cordially received and shown the old house, both its exterior and interior. The company was composed of young men from fifteen to 104 'A MEMORABLE SUNDAY. 105 twenty years of age. The watchful and faithful custodian soon de- tected that they were undoubtedly relic hunters, for several had un- dertaken already to chip off pieces from the logs, windows and door frames. Baffled in their attempt to secure some mementos of the old cabin, but bent on further mischief, they thought to make some sort of game out of Mr. Hall, and the leader of the party, turning to our host, asked him if he "Couldn't tell a funny story? You are related to Mr. Lincoln," he said, "and perhaps you have some of his genius in that line." With a peculiar twinkle of his eye, Uncle John Hall quietly remarked: "This yer woman has milked me dry, and I don't want ter use the same cream ag'in; for I reckon it's stale now." A look of amusement passed over the faces of the sightseers, and after another effort they succeeded in inducing our host to try his "tongue at story-telling." POOR BUT PROUD Pausing for a moment to collect his thoughts, then turning to me, he said : "Hev I ever told yer anything about grandpap's britches hold- er?" I could truthfully reply in the negative, and consequently we heard the following tale: "Grandpap Lincoln would sometimes wear galluses made out of buckskin, though grandmarm allers kept a pair that she'd made out of the linen that she'd growed and spun. Grandmarm wus a terrible industrious woman. Wal, when grandpap worked he'd sweat like all get out and his galluses would get so stiff that they'd stand alone. One day one of the neighbors comin' in said to him, 'Grandpap, ye haint greased yer galluses lately?' Then grandmarm said, 'There, paw, I told ye so, and I'm glad on it,' for though we wus poor and humble, grandmarm wus awful proud and lowed her men folks should have the best that was agoing," and turning about quickly he faced a group of young lads and said to them: "Jest to think, boys, how our folks got their clothes, never none of 'em wus so shiftless as to wear store shirts, or coats either. We got our clothes from natur." 106 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. LEATHER BREECHES Mr. Hall continuing, said: "The woods ust to be full of deer and whenever grandmarm wanted buckskin to fox the men's pants with she ast grandpap or Uncle John D. Johnston to go out and kill her a buck. Uncle Abe tanned the hides, but he never did the killin' part. Grandmarm allers said that Uncle Abe couldn't stand that part of the bisness, for even when the hogs wus killed he'd go away for fear he'd hear their squealing. Then when the hides wus ready grandnmrra would sew it on the men's britches clean up to the knees, so as to save the cloth under it. When it rained and we got wet we'd have to stand in front of the fire place and dry out. Wall, as the buckskin dried it would shrivel and crawl up till it almost reached our knees. One day Grand- pap Lincoln, Uncle Abe and Uncle John D. Johnston wus a standin' in front of the fire dryin' theirselves. Uncle Abe would allers stand and turn and turn around till he wus fully dried, but he wus awful tall and awkward, and his legs wus so long and they looked as red as though they were about blistered. Then the folks would laf fit to kill, and Uncle John D. would allers sing out, 'Pull down yer britches, Abe, yer old marrer bones need kiverin'.' " THE FRIENDLY WRESTLE The boys were now intensely interested, and by asking a oignificant question Uncle John Hall was induced to tell more anecdotes regarding the strength and agility of Abraham Lincoln. In response to a ques- tion Mr. Hall replied: "Ye want to know if Uncle Abe wus strong enough to tackle anything or lick anybody, do ye? Wall, I'd low that didn't concarn him, for Uncle Abe could tackle anything, and onct on a time Uncle Abe and Dan Needham rastled britches holdt and Uncle Abe throwed Dan two times and then he ses, ses he, 'Let's quit,' cause he didn't want to hurt Dan's feelings. Why, grandpap hisself wus allers a braggin' about how strong and limber Uncle Abe wus. How he could stand with his hands in his pockets and bend over and tech the back of his head on the ground, right level ground, tu. Uncle John D. John- ston wus allers trying to throw Uncle Abe by bein' tricky. Howsom- A MEMORABLE SUNDAY. 107 ever, Uncle John D. Johnston wus mighty strong, tu, and whenever he'd try any of his tricks Uncle Abe ud stand with his hands in his pockets and say, 'Come on, John, and try to throw me; take a hold anywhere/ Then Uncle John he'd try and try, and Uncle Abe would jest s.tand and laf and laf. LIGHT AS A FEATHER "But as for strength, we wus all of us noted for that. While we're talkin' about strength, Grandfather Hall wus a terribly strong, active feller, tu, and he'd often come in and pick up Grandmother Lincoln and pitch her into the bed two or three times, till it peered like she wus a feather, and he'd stand back and fold up his arms and laf and laf, and he'd say, 'Why don't ye stay still, grandmarm?' SPLITTING RAILS "Now do ye want to know how Uncle Abe got his strength?" and without waiting for an answer Mr. Hall said: "Why he got it splitting rails. Ye knowed it wus down in Illinois near Decatur, and at Buck Grove and Muddy Point that Uncle Abe use to do so much rail-splittin'. Never no tree wus too hard for him to tackle. They'd jest topple right over when Uncle Abe ud chop. He never minded choppin' any trees, nor splittin' rails, nor nothin', nor no kind of work, though one time I remember he did say that the hardest work he ever hed to do and that which worried him the most wus when he loaded a boat with a wheel- barrer. It puzzled him awfully to keep the barrer on the plank, and to catch holt of the handle's, and to run it up hurt him mighty. I reckon it wus because he wus so tall." Mr. Hall paused and appeared to have exhausted his fund of stories, but the interest of the boys was now at fever heat and they fairly begged Mr. Hall to tell them just one more. Young Davis, the brightest lad in the party, suggested that Mr. Hall relate the story of the celebrated rail-splitting bee at which Mr. Lincoln had been the victor. But Uncle John Hall thought he had something more important and significant than the President's rail-splitting, and he proceeded to tell the follow- ing story: 108 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. NOT EXACTLY THOSE RAILS "John Hanks told me about a piece that Uncle Abe spoke onct, and I reckon it wus the first time that he ever made a political speech. It wus down at Salem, a little town nigh to Springfield. Wall, they had a spruce speaker from the big town, who thought he could tell the country people all they ought ter know. He spouted away for a while and after he hed finished, John Hanks, who wus a cousin of Uncle Abe's tu, told the folks he could produce a rail-splitter who could beat that feller all to pieces. Cousin John, he got a lot of rails and piled 'em up in a heap and then took Uncle Abe up by 'em and told him to go ahead, which he did, and of course he knocked the other feller all to flinders. When Uncle Abe hed got thru speakin' the feller that hed talked first come up and askt him if he split them rails piled up thar. Uncle Abe looked at 'em purty carefully and then said, ses he, 'I can't say that I exactly split those particular rails, but I have split just as good ones,' which wns the truth, fer I myself hev seed Uncle Abe make the slickest rail ye ever looked on." The day was waning, the shadows were lengthening and we all real- ized that Mr. Hall would soon send his boys off to attend to the evening chores. Their departure meant an interruption and probably an end, for that day, to story-telling. An appealing look directed to me from one of the young men of the party decided my course of action, and I concluded to take this occasion to ask Uncle John to relate the circum- stances connected with Mr. Lincoln's first law case, a reminiscence which he had promised to give me for some time, but had never seemed in the mood for that particular story. Without comment or delay Uncle John Hall gave us the following account of Mr. Lincoln's first lawsuit: LINCOLN'S FIRST LAWSUIT "The folks round here in our neighborhood use to hold camp meetin' down to Paradise onct a year. Uncle Joe Hall, he went over one time with a lot of young people. He bought a flask of whisky and took it along with him and when he got on to the camp grounds he hid it in ABRAHAM LINCOLN. The original photograph of this half-tone of Abraham Lincoln was taken just previous to his nomination as president. (By courtesy ot H. W, Fay, DeKalb, 111.) ABBAHAM LINCOLN AND HIS SON "TAD."' "A MEMORABLE SUNDAY. 109 the wagin. Ttie preacher hed been watching him and noticed whar he put the flask, so he jest walked along and picked it up and put it into his pocket and carried it into the pulpit with him, and jest before he began to preach he held up the whisky and told the people that he hed found it on the camp grounds and wus agoin' to preach a sermon about it, when Uncle Joe jest stood right up and said to the minister, 'That's my bottle and the whisky in it is mine, tu; and I'll take it if you please.' But the preacher wouldn't give it up, and Uncle Joe knowed it wouldn't cost him nothin' to hev a suit, as we hed a lawyer in the family, so he kept still, said nothing, and the first time that Uncle Abe come up yere after that he got him to sue the preacher for the whisky, the flask and for hurting his feelings by exposing him before the gal he took along with him. Uncle Abe tried the case and got twelve cents damages, but the preacher wus so mad that he carried it up to a higher court. Uncle Abe jest laffed and said, ses he, 'We'll beat 'em ag'in,' and shore nuff he did, and got the judgment raised two cents more; that made fourteen cents now, and the other feller hed all the costs to pay, which wus a whole lot. Of course we knowed all the time Uncle Abe would win anythin' he set out tu." "HE-OH-A-NAY, WHOOP" Mr. Hall rose from the low seat and stepped within the old cabin. He looked about the room for a moment, and seeming to forget the presence of others, said in a low voice: "Poor grandpap and grand- marm, they wus so good and kind. When Uncle John D. Johnston lived with us grandpap wus awful fond of his children, and if any of them wus sick or worrisom he allers hed one favorite song he ust to sing to them. This it wus, 'He-oh-a-nay, He-oh-a-nay, whoop.' It would allers stop the children cryin', and he'd say, 'That is what the Injuns sing to their pappooses.' I can still hear him singing that Injun song." Then facing the little company, Uncle John Hall brushed a tear from his bronzed cheek and exclaimed; "How I wish ye could have seen and knowed grandmarm. Jest after my third child wus bom she got crippled, but she couldn't lay still in bed, nohow. So she got my woman to tie a string to the cradle, and there she would lay and rock the baby. 110 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. I lowed not to have her, but she would. Well, she couldn't be no other way but kind, and good and patient, nohow, 'cause she wns the best woman I ever knowed." THE FAMOUS BUREAU With many thanks for their pleasant reception, the party was re- luctantly preparing to leave, when Mr. Hall offered to show them the very bureau that Grandmarm Lincoln had brought from Kentucky to her new home in Indiana. The young men were delighted, and inviting us to ride "around the road to the cottage," we were soon at Mr. Hall's "new" house, and following the old gentleman into the kitchen, the valuable family relic was pointed out by Mr. Hall, who called attention to the brass handles, which were objects of especial family pride. The party was given the privilege of closely inspecting the old piece of fur- niture, and when all were satisfied and the numerous questions an- swered, Mr. Hall opened the upper drawer and with a mysterious and solemn air took from it a package. Carefully unwrapping it, he handed me a book. Great was my astonishment when I discovered that I had before me the old family Bible. It was old and finger-worn and bore the date of 1799. The party clamored for a sight of the family record, but Mr. Hall shook his head and, using a few unmentionable words, said, "Uncle Dennis Hanks took it long enough to have it copied and never returned it, fur he sold it to a relic hunter and got a right smart price fur it," and with another burst of indignation Mr. Hall again mourned the loss of the valuable relic. M' CHAPTER XVIII. LOVE, COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE B. LINCOLN'S legal career was now begun in earnest, and he entered into the most trivial cases with as great zest and enthu- siasm as he did the most important ones. The poorest client could expect as thorough and conscientious work as the richest and most influential citizen. Though his profession claimed his attention, yet the special session of the previous Legislature, held during 1839 at Van- dalia, found Mr. Lincoln in his seat, and he was faithful to legislative duties, although he felt that his business was suffering thereby. When Mr. Lincoln was placed upon the legislative ticket in 1840 he consented to run, as he would not be obliged to entirely sacrifice his business, for the capital had been changed to Springfield. He was of course re-elected, for he had now become so thoroughly a man of the people that he could easily carry his district, and apparently for any office that he might run for. During this session Mr. Lincoln took part in all the debates. Some of them were political, while others were entirely local; but no matter how important or unimportant, he had proven himself able to cope with them. If of vital importance he handled the issue with great ability, but if deserving of dismissal or riddance, he showed an equal ability in overcoming the nuisance. A STORY FOR EVERYTHING From an entirely different standpoint, however, was the latter situa- tion handled. The tactics which he here used were begun in his early youth, and he had now grown wonderfully adept in them. If a man broached a subject which he personally did not want to hear, he told a story that immediately changed the conversation. If he was called upon to answer a question that he did not care to answer 111 112 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. direct, a question was put in turn and the other fellow had the worst of it. He had a story for everything, either real or imaginary, and his faculty for finding or making these apropos stories was indeed won- derful. Every fact or comhination of facts seemed to revolve themselves into allegorical or real form, and without seeming effort, unrolled to suit the occasion. His mind was so full of these quaint stories that one wonders how the store house was supplied. It was during this session of the Legislature that Mr. Lincoln used a "fiction point" with great success. A member from Wabash County had been very troublesome over an exceedingly unimportant point. At last his constant appearance and vociferous utterance became unpleas- antly annoying to the members in general, Mr. Lincoln included. THE MEMBER FROM WABASH One day when the member aforesaid had discharged all of his bat- teries concerning his pet object, Mr. Lincoln took the floor, and with one of his quizzical expressions and in an unusually drawling tone, ad- dressed the speaker. Becoming exceedingly personal, he began by saying: "The member from Wabash reminds me of an old friend. He's a peculiar looking fellow, with shaggy, overhanging eyebrows, and a pair of spectacles under them. One morning just after tne old man got up, he imagined, on looking out of his door, that he saw rather a lively squirrel on a tree near his house. So he took down his gun and fired at the squirrel, but the squirrel paid no attention to the shot. He loaded and fired again and again, until at the thirteenth shot he set down his gun impatiently and said to his boy, who was looking on: 'Boy, there's something wrong about this rifle.' 'Eifle's all right, I know 'tis,' responded the boy, 'but Where's your squirrel?' 'Don't you see him humped up about half way up the tree?' inquired the old man, peering over his spectacles and getting mystified. 'No, I don't,' re- sponded the boy, and then turning and looking into his father's face he LOVE, COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 113 exclaimed, 'I see your squirrel; you have been firing at a louse on your eyebrow.' " The story needed no application or explanation. The House was in convulsions of laughter, and the member from Wabash was completely routed, so much so that he was very careful during the entire session not to provoke any allusion to his "eyebrows." FORMED SECOND LAW PARTNERSHIP At the close of the legislative session Mr. Lincoln severed his con-i nection with Major Stuart and immediately formed a business associa- tion with Judge S. T. Logan, of Springfield, one of the ablest lawyers in the State. He entered upon this new partnership with a full determin- ation to devote his entire time to his chosen profession, but the people would not permit him to do so. He was called upon from all quarters of the State, and from that time and until his election to the Presidency of the United States he engaged in the many exciting and important political campaigns between the years eighteen hundred and forty and eighteen hundred and sixty. A BIG MAN AND A HIGH HAT He was now considered by the old neighbors and friends and rela- tives a "big man," and in speaking of him they nearly all referred to him as wearing a "high hat, but never being no different, nohow." His love and sympathy and kindness did not decrease in proportion as his popularity increased, but on the contrary he now felt that as he was earning something more than a living a greater responsibility rested upon him, and he still continued to bear the burdens and share the anx- ieties of his immediate family. About this time he assumed the debt that rested upon his father's little farm, located in Coles County, and always visited the old homestead twice a year in order to pay up the interest, and from time to time lessen the principal, which had been borrowed by his father from the school funds. This debt Mr. Lincoln finally succeeded in canceling after many years and many sacrifices. He always walked to the old home in order to save livery hire, and the 114 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. money which he would have used for that purpose was given to his mother. After his father's death he deeded the land to Daniel D. Johnston, the son of his stepmother, in consideration of a promise that he would support her as long as she lived. MR. LINCOLN'S RESPONSIBILITY What a remarkable thing to do. The stepson paying the mother's son a consideration for the care of his own mother. But so it was throughout his entire life; Mr. Lincoln was ever looking out to defend the weakling, to protect the innocent, and to succor some needy one. Friend or foe, relative or stranger, irrespective, received his kindly thoughts and active efforts. An unfortunate man was a subject of his sympathy no matter what his business relations to him might be. Un- paid notes were returned too and rather than cause further discomfort he would cancel the obligation of such an one. Legal counsel and services were freely given to those who were un- able to compensate him. Mothers' sons were pardoned and restored to their homes through the kindness of the great-hearted man. Dumb animals were rescued from cruel treatment, and little childre^n were caressed and always given a tender greeting. When a great and mighty nation called upon him in its extremity he was not found wanting. No cowardly fear filled his soul. The pilot stood at his post, and the ship of state was carried safely through treacherous waters, past dangerous rocks, into a safe harbor. LINCOLN'S MARRIAGE Mr. Lincoln was now thirty-three years of age and already a great favorite with the young ladies of Springfield. In November of this year (1842) he was married to Miss Mary Todd, daughter of the Hon. Robert S. Todd, of Lexington, Ky. Miss Todd was quite a belle and had often met Mr. Lincoln at the home of her sister, Mrs. Edwards, of Springfield. When criticised by her relatives and friends for bestow- ing her affections upon so awkward, homely and uncouth a man, she remarked: "I am marrying a man great enough to be the President ^LOVE. COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 115 of the United States," and we know that her prophecy became a verity. Mr. Lincoln now undertook to give himself up to the pleasures of domestic life and professional work, but the people would not be con- tent, and he was constantly called into political service. He had not married earlier in life because circumstances would not permit, and in fact had hitherto denied himself the companionship of women, because of his limited means, although he was especially fond of their society. A glimi>se of his domestic life shows the same unpretentious atmos- phere that had always characterized every situation, condition and circumstance in the man's career. The newly married couple began life by taking cheap rooms at one of the hotels in Springfield, and it was not until some time afterwards that Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln moved into more pretentious quarters. This new relationship did not change Mr. Lincoln's habits; he was the same unaffected and simple-hearted man. His home was modest in the extreme, his relation to his children was that of a comrade rather than a monitor. His visits and intercourse with his "poor relations" were not discontinued, nor less cordial. I LOW YE'VE GOT HYSTERICKY This very fact led me to speculate upon how the announcement of his marriage was received by his old friends and relatives, and I won- dered if his wife had ever visited his father and mother. Sitting upon the dilapidated doorstep of the "old log cabin" I fell into a dreaming mood and my thoughts ran away back more than half a century. Had not this quiet, sad-eyed man, through all the years of his young man- hood, which had been so full of sorrow, poverty, privations and hard- ship, never known the joy of love before? In fancy, however, I heard the bashful and clumsy youth telling a coy and gentle maiden the old, old story. Her answer, low and sweet, was interrupted by a shadow falling across the little path that led to the front gate, and 1 looked up quickly. The living figure of Mr. Lincoln confronted me. Uttering a shriek of terror, I sprang from my low seat and attempted to flee, but the voice of Uncle John Hall brought me back to the present, and re- 116 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. assuring me, he said: "Sho, woman, that night at the cabin has made ye narvous, and pon my soul I low ye've got hystericky." My only reply was, "But you looked so much like Mr. Lincoln." With a quiet Toice again he said, "So I'ye ben told nigh onto a hundred times." YE TAKE IVIY BREATH AWAY The opportunity had arrived and I must take advantage of it. Itt- viting him to sit beside me on the decayed old doorstep, I plied him with the following questions: What did the old friends and relatives say when they heard that Mr. Lincoln was to be married? Did his wife visit them? Did you ever see the children? Pursuing my ques- tions further I also asked if Mary Todd was the only sweetheart that Mr. Lincoln ever had. Looking at me in a curious way, he answered: "Yer take my breath away with so many questions all to once." Then, after the man- ner of a philosopher, he looked wise and appeared to have some im- portant information. Fearing that if I interrupted his meditations I would altogether lose my answer, I awaited patiently his pleasure. Distracting moments passed by before he replied: LINCOLN'S FIRST LOVE "It wus after a little visit to us, and when we heard that Uncle Abe wus goin' to be married, then we axed grandmarm if Uncle Abe never hed a gal before, and she said, ses she, 'Well, Abe wus never a hand nohow to run round visitin' much, or to go with the gals neither, but he did fall in love with Ann Rutledge, who lived out somewhere near Vandalia or Springfield, and after she died he come home and told all about her, and cried dreadful, and he never could talk of her nohow but he'd shed tears.' SHE IS BUSY AND COULDN'T COME "He told grandmarm onctthey wus promised to be married, and that's all any of us ever heerd about that love affair; but after Uncle Abe hed lived at Springfield for a while we heerd he wus a goin' to marry a Kantucky woman, and nothin' more than that. S* LOVE, COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 117 the next time Uncle Abe come up to see us he told us he wus already married, and when we ast him why he didn't bring his wife up to see us he said, 'She is very busy and couldn't come.' But we knowed better than thatw You see, he wus too proud to bring her up, 'cause he knowed nothin' would suit her, nohow. Of course she hadn't been raised the way we wus, and wus different styled from us, and we heerd tu that she wus as proud as spades. No, and he never brought nary of the chil- dren, either. They were young before they went to Washington, and Uncle Abe could not bring them without her to nuss and take care of them. But he allers come himself twice a year, and there wus no dif- ference in him, as I can recollect, from the first time I ever seed him." Mr. Hall paused for breath and fell into a silent mood. Hoping he might have something further to say if I did not disturb him, and thus change the current of his thoughts, I also remained silent. His meditation grew tiresome, and annoyed by his long abstraction, I gave up hope and sought information elsewhere. Gathering up my papers I consulted my correspondence, and dis- covered that many of Mr. Lincoln's immediate associates had considered him queer and at times constrained or absent-minded, as they termed it. Quoting from a personal letter, the writer said: "Although one of the most even tempered men that ever lived, Mr. Lincoln was the subject of great varieties of mood and extremes of fueling. He was often oppressed with a deep melancholy, weighed down by the great problems of his own life and of humanity in general. At (Other times he was as happy as a boy, and took delight in the most trivial things, and would laugh immoderately over incidents and stories that would hardly interest many another man in his position. MY CHILDREN ARE WIY HAPPINESS "He was heard to exclaim more than once: 'Oh, how hard it is to die and not to be able to leave the world any better for one's little life in it.' Again he would be as jolly as others and would then say: 'My children are my happiness, and I feel that God is good to me for having conferred upon me the privilege of bringing into the world innocent children.' " 118 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. This all reminded me that some of Mr. Lincoln's biographers had intimated as a fact the possibility of suicide, and as Uncle John Hall was returning to the affairs of this particular globe, I asked him if he believed that Mr. Lincoln had ever attempted or even contemplated suicide. His answer was short and to the point: "No; don't ye believe sech trash as that. Uncle Abe knowed too much to do sech a foolish act. Why, he couldn't be peart all the time, and jest because he took some of his time to be a thinking how he was going to run the United States, then folks called him sad like." Our conversation drifted along and Mr. Hall acknowledged that Mr. Lincoln had said to him more than once, "that there were some things so hard to bear that one felt like getting rid of it all." Then, looking at me suspiciously, he said: "Sho, woman, don't 'low sech things to trouble ye, for Uncle Abe thought too much of hisself to ever think of sech a cowardly deed." GIVING UNCLE ABE A SEND OFF The day was done. A call from the little house on the hill conveyed the welcome news that supper was ready. Mr. Hall proposed that we return to the cottage by way of the traveled road. As we walked along Uncle John Hall pointed out here and there some particular spot sacred to by-gone recollections. "Eight in this yer corner of the fence Grand- pap Lincoln dug a yarb that cured my first baby of the chills and fever. Over yander we all found a turkey's nest full of eggs, and whether or not it wus our particular turkey that didn't make no difference, nohow, because we claimed the young turkeys by right of takin' care on 'em. You know, don't ye, that young turkeys is mighty easy to kill, and we had a lot of trouble with that particular brood, for it wus out of sea- son; but we wus expecting Uncle Abe up fore long, and as he'd been down to Washington to Congress, we hed lowed to give him a send off, and we nussed the turkeys very particularly. Wall, Uncle Abe come and wus jest the same, and never put on no airs, nohow, but jest told his cur'us stories, went round barefoot like the rest of us, and split kind- 'LOVE, COURTSHIP. AND MARRIAGE. 119 ling wood jest as handy as ever." The homely anecdotes were told so naturally and so vividly that it took no effort whatever to feel the pres- ence of the departed household as each had followed this self-same path. I'D LIKE TO SEE UNCLE ABE We were now entering the gate, and Mr. Hall paused, looked up and down the road, as if expecting some one, then, seeming to address an invisible person, said: "Grandmarm allers took this track when she walked over to Mr. Phipps onct a year to get bled. She never failed and would walk the mile and a half as spry as a young gal. She use to tell us that every- body should be bled in the spring, so as to keep well and healthy. She allers had the big vein in her ankle jint opened. I- reckon she did that because she was so proud and didn't want a scar on her arm." Then pointing to the cabin, whose dim outlines were just discernible, Uncle John Hall spoke in a voice so low that one could hardly catch the words: "How I'd like to see grandmarm and grandpap and Uncle Abe onct ag'in." CHAPTER XIX. MR. LINCOLN IN CONGRESS THE political biographers of Mr. Lincoln have said that in 1846 he was "induced to accept" the nomination for Congress from the Sangamon district. Would it not be quite as well to acknowl- edge, with his own frankness and directness, that Mr. Lincoln did not wait Macawber-like for something to turn up, but admit that his own shrewdness and prudent, diplomatic effort secured his nomination? Al- though at this time he was leading a rather unimportant and circum- scribed life in Springfield, simply following his profession and attend- ing to his domestic duties, yet he had not been idle in political plans. Having received the nomination, Mr. Lincoln did, after the manner of Western nominees, stump his district. He had plenty of material for discussion and he handled anything that he undertook with the same thoroughness, determination and ability that had always been a part of his nature from his earliest boyhood. There had been important changes in the acquisition of new terri- tory, for Texas had been admitted to the Union during the winter of the preceding year, and the war with Mexico had commenced. The country had a foreign war on its hands, a war which the old Republican, or rather Whig, party considered unnecessary and unjustifiable. The issues between the two political parties were pronounced and the difference clearly shown. Mr. Lincoln's position was so clearly out- lined that his friends and the community were not in doubt as to his views. He convinced the many and set the few thinking by his clear and just reasoning, and his terse and comprehensive way of putting the truth before the people secured his election. Mr, Lincoln was elected by an unprecedented majority, and "there seems to be no doubt but that this remarkable plurality was because of the popular faith in Mr. Lincoln's earnestness, conscientiousness and integrity." 120 MR. LINCOLN IN CONGRESS. 131 He took his seat in the Thirtieth Congress December 6, 1847. Mr. Lincoln was from the first alive to the interests of his party. He made himself master of every subject that he undertook to discuss, and his earnestness, honesty, clearness and deep unselfish interest in questions of public concern won for himself the respect, at least, if not the admi- ration, of the more polished members from the cultured East, who had been led to believe that the member from the Sangamon district was an ignorant clown. THE TALLEST MAN IN CONGRESS It was during this Congressional session that Mr. Lincoln became better acquainted with the Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, who was also a member from Illinois. Mr. Lincoln was the tallest man in the House and Mr. Douglas the shortest man in the Senate. It was a peculiar coincidence that these two unique characters, so strangely unlike, should soon meet in forensic battle, standing out before their State and country as the champions of the policies that divided the American people. The fourteenth day of August the first session of the Thirtieth Con- gress came to a close. The session had beei. one of great importance, and excitement. Mr. Lincoln had discharged his duties ably and cor scientiously, though he had not entirely pleased his constituency. The second session was comparatively a quiet one and the fourth of March brought Mr. Lincoln's congressional career to a close. While he had maintained a most respected position in the House, he had not made any great impression either upon the members or the country at large. Upon his return to Springfield Mr. Lincoln again entered upon the duties of his profession. He gave himself up to the enjoyment of do- mestic and social pleasuresi and to further and broader research in study and investigation. His children were a constant and continual feast of joy to him. He was so tenderly fond of them that he exercised no paternal government except to tax the disobedient child with having broken his heart when it did wrong. 122 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. LINCOLN'S REGRETS Mr. Lincoln's lack of early advantages and his limited education were now indeed a source of great irritation and annoyance to him. His intercourse with the distinguished men of the country and the culti- vated society of Washington no doubt had deeply impressed him with the fact that he was wofully lacking in society manners. Yet with all of these drawbacks facing him he was never a humble man, for he recognized his own strength of moral character and thus ever lived up to the highest ideals — sincerity, generosity and absolute honesty. It was at this time that Mr. Lincoln embraced every method and opportunity for further mental development. From the year eighteen hundred and forty-seven up to the year eighteen hundred and fifty-four Mr. Lincoln led a quiet professional life, and seemed to have been rather indifferent to the course of political affairs. But now at this time a new political era was opened. Events of great interest were occurring and the slavery question was begun, an agitation which was destined not to cease until slavery itself should be destroyed. Mr. Lincoln had always known and felt that slavery was wrong — a blot upon the nation's otherwise fair fame — but to wipe out that institution which had been for so many years the woof and web of the fabric which had formed the Southern man's home and his industrial world, meant such a breaking up of established ideas and methods and beliefs that the stoutest heart quailed at the mere thought of what such a move- ment might mean. But now the entire complexion of things was changed. Stephen A. Douglas, the member of Congress during the period of Mr. Lincoln's congressional service, and who had since remained continually in Con- gress as the distinguished and brilliant member from Illinois, was the responsible author of that important and disgraceful bill which, if passed, would disregard the compromise made in 1820, barring slavery from the Northwest. Under such an enactment as Mr. Douglas pro- posed certain Territories, Kansas and Nebraska, would then be free to choose whether they would have slavery as an institution or not. MR. LINCOLN IN CONGRESS, 133 AN EARLY VERDICT Mr. Lincoln felt that the intent of the bill was, without doubt, to force slavery upon the Territories and thus make it impossible for them ever to become free States. Mr. Lincoln reasoned that if this were so, then the greatest political crime of the age had been committed and so he said, "There is to be no peace on the slavery question until either freedom or slavery shall triumph." Mr. Lincoln's great soul was wrought up to the highest pitch of indignation and he determined the people, of his own section at least, should understand the iniquity of such a political crime. Challenging Mr. Douglas to open debate, he made the subject of discussion the Kansas-Ifebraska bill. When Mr. Douglas returned to Chicago, the city of his adoption, he met with such a vigorous protest from the leading men of his party that he knew he had made a fatal mistake, but he tried to overthrow public opinion by speaking at various towns in the State. In September of 1854 Mr. Douglas found himself in Springfield. The State fair was in operation and he took this occasion to speak to the large concourse of people in attendance. Mr. Douglas was a man known to the whole nation, and was the recognized leader of his party in Illinois. He was experienced in debate, had great ability, strong will and unconquerable ambitions; all these characteristics made him a dangerous antagonist to other than his equal or superior. Mr. Lincoln, compared with Mr. Douglas, was inexperienced; he was unknown to the country, save in his own State; was slow of speech, and up to the present time devoid of brilliant action. He was known far and wide throughout the State as Honest Abe, the backwoodsman, but his oratory had hitherto remained unchallenged and his speeches had been confined to less important issues. REPLY TO DOUGLAS' SPEECH On the day following the speech of Mr. Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, who had listened to him, replied, and the former speaker was present. Mr. Lincoln began by saying that he intended to tell the people the 124 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. truth, for to that they were entitled, and further remarked that if Judge Douglas should catch him saying anything that was untrue, he was at liberty to correct him. This willingness on the part of Abraham Lincoln for fair play was turned against him by Mr. Douglas, who interrupted him continually, not because the speaker had made any false statement, but simply for the purpose of breaking down his antagonist. Mr. Lincoln humored this ungentlemanly behavior and answered all of Mr. Douglas' criticisms. At last Mr. Lincoln could no longer bear the annoyance, and he reproved Mr. Douglas by saying: "Gentlemen, I cannot afford to spend my time in quibbles. I take the responsibility of asserting the truth myself, relieving Judge Douglas from the neces- sity of his impertinent corrections." Mr. Lincoln was permitted to proceed without further interruption, and at the close of his speech the assembly gave abundant evidence of its appreciation. THE HOUSE STILL AS DEATH The Springfield Journal described the occasion in the following language: "He," meaning Mr. Lincoln, "quivered with feeling and emotion. The whole house was as still as death. He attacked the bill with unusual warmth and energy, and all felt that a man of strength was its enemy, and that he intended to blast it if he could by strong and manly efforts. He was most successful; and the house approved the glorious triumph of truth by loud and long-continued huzzas. Women waved their handkerchiefs in token of woman's silent but heart- felt consent. "Mr. Lincoln exhibited Douglas in all the attitudes he could be placed in friendly debate. He exhibited the bill in all its aspects, to show its humbuggery and falsehoods, and when thus torn to rags, cut into slips, held up to the gaze of the vast crowd, a kind of scorn was visible upon the face of the crowd and upon the lips of the most eloquent speaker. At the conclusion of the speech, every man felt that it was unanswer- able — that no human power could overthrow it or trample it underfoot. The long and repeated applause evinced the feelings of the crowd, and ULYSSES S. GBANT. Appointed commanding general of all the armies by President Lincoln in 1864. MR. LINCOLN IN CONGRESS. 135 gave token of universal assent to Lincoln's whole argument; and evei^^ mind present did homage to the man w^ho took captive the heart, and broke like a sun over the understanding." When Mr. Lincoln concluded his speech, Mr. Douglas hastened to mount the stand and made the statement that he had been abused, "though in a perfectly courteous manner," He continued to speak until adjournment for supper, but knew in his heart that he had made a failure of the whole business. A WONDERFUL SPECTACLE What a wonderful spectacle. The man of refinement, culture, edu- cation, position and fame worsted by a "common man of the people." It only goes to show that no matter how falsehood and injustice is coated and veneered with the semblance of reality, right will at last prevail, and the everlasting and enduring truth is generally discovered and dug out of the mire and mud by an honest and faithful toiler. Mr. Lincoln, as well as his friends, were now convinced of his power and strength, and the excitement of success and the triumph of right over wrong uplifted and filled the man with a vigor and exaltation of conviction. He had partaken of the "strong wine" of righteous doing, but he was not drunken therewith, only exhilarated and free. The little giant, as Mr. Douglas was called, went to Peoria, 111., and to that place Mr. Lincoln followed him, and again, as at Springiield, challenged him to debate. At Peoria the victory for Abraham Lincoln was more marked than at Springfield. DOUGLAS STUNNED Mr. Douglas seemed stunned with the crushing blows that Mr. Lin- coln dealt, and so wonderful was the "backwoodman's" power over the audience that Judge Douglas did not attempt to reply to Mr. Lincoln'** speech. It should be remembered by all aspiring young men that Mr. lilncoiij did not reach the zenith of his oratorical fame by any of the trickery i;it, THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. that tlie stump speaker usually resorts to. He was always in earnest and closely followed his subject, never swerving from his idea concern- ing the truth of the question up for debate. To be sure he told stories, many stories, and very humorous and pithy ones. He never told them for the mere purpose of amusing the crowd, but always with the intent of illustrating some vital point. The real issue was never lost sight of, and he never undertook to raise a false notion or attempted to dodge the real issue. His words were always plain and contained no pyro- technical display, but he covered the field, and their meaning was never foggy; always clear and understandable. Mr. Lincoln wished to continue these discussions between himself and Mr. Douglas, throughout the State, but Mr. Douglas felt that he had had enough for a while at least, and so expressed himself. Abra- ham Lincoln did not, however, feel inclined to abandon his purpose, and therefore made several other speeches which produced a political revo- lution. FURTHER HONORS During his absence from Springfield and while he was engaged in making these political speeches, the people of his own district had placed his name for nomination, without his consent, and again he was elected. Again he was a member of the Legislature, but the honor was not accepted. He resigned without taking his seat. Abraham Lincoln was steadily and slowly, but surely, climbing the ladder of fame. He was, however, the same humble and unassuming man. He had not acquired wealth, he had no possessions. The same simple habits were kept up; his home was unaffected but hospitable. He had sons, little boys, and they were very dear to him. It was a common sight to see the tall, ungainly man wheeling through the streets of his city a baby carriage containing a robust but uneasy infant, while with the disengaged hand he pulled along a small cart in which another healthy but older child was riding. Even at this period of his career he filled the position of maid-of-all-work, and was often seen helping his wife with the household duties. He never became too great or too MR. LINCOLN IN CONGRESS. 137 proud to lend a helping hand, no matter how insignificant or common the work, and the service was never too menial for him to render it. THE FAMOUS SPEECH On May 29, 1856, we find Abraham Lincoln attending a convention at Bloomington, 111., and with the powerful assistance of this now truly great man the Republican party was organized. From the date of this meeting, Mr. Lincoln felt that a party had been organized to whose platform he could give his honest support. He had become very pronounced in opinion concerning the rights of the black man, and upon this occasion he made a speech full of power and eloquence. One of Mr. Lincoln's biographers makes the following states ment: "Never was an audience more completely electrified by human eloquence. Again and again, during the progress of its delivery, they sprang to their feet and upon the benches, and testified by long and continued shouts and the waving of hats how deeply the speaker had wrought upon their minds and hearts." Abraham Lincoln thus proclaimed his ever strongest characteristic, — protection, support and sympathy for the weak and defenseless. The tender and loving heart of the boy would not let him stand idly by and offer no assistance to the helpless. The strong and vigorous man could not resist the suppliant's appeal, and now the black man had gained a staunch and fearless champion. THE ABSORBING QUESTION This act of recognition by Abraham Lincoln was but the forerunner of greater and more powerful deeds, when his simple spoken words] broke the shackles of slavei^, and four million bondmen stood erect as freemen of the common soil. Mr. Lincoln was now regarded, not only by the Republicans of Illinois, but by all the Western States, as their first man. His name was presented to the national convention as their candidate for the Vice-Presidency. He was defeated on the informal ballot, and this of course decided the matter against him, but the vote was a great com- 128 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLM. pliment to this common son of tlie Western soil, and was really his formal introduction to the nation. From this time to the close of his life he was almost entirely ab- sorbed in political aifairs. Mr. Lincoln's hatred of slarery had been constantly growing. He was the exponent of a party whose avowed purpose it was "to resist the extension of slavery, and to shut it up in the territory where it held its only rights under the Constitution," and thus he felt himself more of a free man in politics than ever before. The slavery question was now the great absorbing question of Mr. Lincoln's life. He threw himself into it and attacked it with all the vigor and strength of his great and powerful nature. He said, "I shall speak for freedom and against slavery as long as the Constitution of my country guarantees free speech, until everywhere on this wide land, the sun shall shine and the rain shall fall and the wind shall blow upon no man who goes forth to unrequited toil." CHAPTER XX. THE NEIGHBORS' VERDICT ODE custodian proved to be faithful and efficient, and there now seemed no danger in leaving the "cabin" to his entire care and protection. Therefore I began to plan a series of rides about the country for the purpose of interviewing the old neighbors and friends and relatives of the Lincolns. A DISCOVERY IS MADE Finding Mr. Hall in a particularly good humor on the morning of my eighth day's sojourn, I suggested to him that he needed more rec- reation; a change would be both beneficial and pleasurable, and im- mediately I began to arrange for the different excursions that I had mentally arranged. My proposition startled him. He flatly refused tp spend so much time in "chasing around after old women's stories." 1 explained more fully, and candidly acknowledged that his consent to my plans would give me great pleasure. Mr. Hall hesitated, but final- ly said: "Wall, if I hed a buggy I'd like to take ye. I low I'm a good deal like Grandpap Lincoln, poor and unfortunite." Should I permit so commonplace an object as a "buggy" to interfere with my "sight-seeing?" No, indeed, and a suggestion that almost anyone of the good neighbors would loan us a vehicle finally succeeded in im- pressing Mr. Hall with the same idea. Still he debated and seemed exceedingly reluctant to undertake such an errand. I did not give up, but continued to urge the matter. Finally a discovery was made. Mr. Hall did not wish to secure, even from a neighbor, a buggy without pay- ing for the use of it. That objection being overcome by promising to pay the bill myself, Uncle John at once departed and slowly descended the hill toward the little village of Farmington. 129 130 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. GIT READY, WOMAN His return was anxiously awaited, and when I discovered him ap- proaching the house I fairly trembled with a nervous dread that he might not have been successful. Not a word passed between us. He entered the gate, walked to the rear of the house and disappeared within the barn. My curiosity was whetted to intensity. The large bam door swung open with a bang and a span of mules appeared with harness on. Mr. Hall sang out, "Git ready, woman, and we'll be off in right smart time." My expectations and desires were soon to be realized, a week of seclusion and retirement from the busy world had rendered me childishly joyous, and I awaited Mr. Hall's return with an almost nervous anxiety, imagining that he might not after all be prepared to take the outlined trip, Mr. Hall soon, however, "hove in sight," seated in a real old "demo- crat," cracking his whip with the vigor of a much younger man. We were now on our way to Charleston, a small town nine miles northeast of the old cabin, MIGHTY DEEP AND ROARING The day was hot and dusty, and the mules were allowed to drag themselves leisurely along. Notwithstanding all these drawbacks I enjoyed the trip and as place after place was pointed out to me that was in some way connected with the early life of Mr, Lincoln, my ride be- came exceedingly interesting. We crossed Indian Creek and the Kick- apoo, which used to be, so said Uncle John, "mighty deep and roarin' wide," but now a mere ribbon and so narrow in many places that one was surprised to find a rippling flow still further on, THE TRIP TO CHARLESTON We reached Charleston at noon. The town was dead, not sleeping, and really appeared to have died an untimely death. The streets were deserted and the sun's hot rays in actual loneliness glinted here and there, hoping to melt, by chance, some unwary straggler. Newcomers and visitors, especially at this season of the year, were THE NEIGHBORS' VERDICT. 131 so rare that our arrival was widely observed, and when the ne ws spread about the little community that a woman connected with tie press of iChicago, and engaged in the interests of "The Lincoln Log Cabin Asso- ciation," had come to town, questions and information poured in from all directions. THE OLD COURT HOUSE The town of Charleston is full of associations connected with Mr. Lincoln. He was a familiar figure on the streets. The country stores were his lounging places, where the loitering community gathered to hear his quaint and humorous stories. The law offices were often honored with his presence; the dilapidated old court house that stands in the center of the square on which the business portion of the town faces was the scene of many a legal battle in which Mr. Lincoln played a conspicuous part Charleston was then, as in former years, politically opposed to Mr. Lincoln, and many things were told me defamatory of him and his family. Some of his relatives who live here still displayed more malice than strangers, and why? Simply because he did his duty as he saw it. Charleston has a place in the nation's history and all on account of a riot that took place in the court house yard, where several citizens were killed and wounded. The evidences of the struggle are still to be seen and are always pointed out and explained to sightseers. During the Rebellion when war and carnage filled the land with a nameless terror and the nation was sorrowing for her slaughtered sons, this riotous scene took place. Of course I was anxious to hear all about the particulars and through my own observation see the telltale evi- dences; Uncle John and I sauntered into the yard, where the bullets are , titill embedded in a tree close by the court house. We went into the queer old-fashioned building and here I found a relative of Mr. Lin- coln's who volunteered to show me about and to also point out the very exact spots "that Uncle Abe had stood on." The brief tour of inspec- tion was very interesting and when we came out of the court house I begged Mr. Hall to give me an account of the riot. He appeared to be quite eager to impart the information and at once said: 132 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. THE RIOT "Wall, now, I'll hev to tell ye all about it and then ye'U know how Uncle Dennis Hanks got in to see Uncle Abe, after he got to be Presi- dent. During the war things got purty hot over to Charleston and the copperheads got sassy. One day Colonel York wus makin' a speech in the court house yard because Captain Mitchell wus takin' his company off to the train to go to war. While the crowd wus all gathered there a wagon-load of these yere Southern sympathizers drew up and begun to pick a quarrel. Their wagon wus full of straw and in the bottom of it wus a lot of guns. Hard words wus said, and Colonel York wus shot and killed. William Hart wus killed, tu, and one of the copperheads, Jesse Cooper, wus killed, tu, and several others wounded. Wall, you know the government tried the fellers who did the killin' and sent them all off to the Dry Tortagus. THE APPEAL "After a while the friends of these men got Colonel Ficklin of Charleston to go down to Washington and get Uncle Abe to let 'em off. Colonel Ficklin knowed Uncle Abe jest like a book and he said he wus sure he'd get the men released, so down he goes as peart as you please and told the story to Uncle Abe. Uncle Abe wus orful glad to see him and when Colonel Ficklin hed told the yarn Uncle Abe jest says to him, ses he, 'I think a heap of you because you like your mother so well and take care of her, though we are on different sides of politics.' Then Uncle Abe asked him to name over the fellers who had ben sent to the Dry Tortagus, and when he come to the name of young Winkler, who use to be one of Uncle Abe's boy friends, he said: 'I did not expect anything better of him because he always spelled everything backwards.' And then he told him he guessed he would let 'em stay there a little longer. So Colonel Ficklin hed to come back without getting any of the boys off, and would you believe it, Uncle Dennis Hanks up and said he'd bet ten ag'in one that he could get in to see the President. THE NEIGHBORS' VERDICT. 133 UNCLE DENNIS BRAGS "Uncle Dennis made sech big brags that some of the citizens of Charleston said: 'Hanks, we will give you tv/elve hundred dollars if you'll get the boys off.' " Interrupting Mr. Hall I thrust upon him the hasty question, did he secure the release of the prisoners? "Sho, woman, don't be in tu big a stew, I'll take ye down to see Uncle Dennis and he'll tell you the story himself, fur he's orful proud of what he did. He likes to tell it over and over ag'in." Looking at me with a merry twinkle in his eye, Mr. Hall said : "He's allers a adding each time some new part that we hadn't heerd before." Of course I was impatient and wanted to start for Uncle Dennis' at once, but when Mr. Hall informed me that his relative lived down at Paris I knew that I must postpone the trip until some future day. This fact made me feel very uneasy, as Mr. Hanks was then ninety-one years old, and I realized that delay was dangerous. Mr. Hall noticed my disappointment and sought to comfort me by telling in his own peculiar way and earnest manner "a story of the war": SENTENCED TO BE SHOT "Onct during the war," he said, "when Charley Conzert, who wus born and raised in a tavern down in Greenup, deserted from the army, Captain Talbot was sent to capture him, and the Captain stayed all night with me in the 'old log cabin.' Grandmarm Lincoln, when she found what wus goin' on, begun to cry about Uncle Abe, and said: 'Them fellers are cuttin' up and actin' so dreadful, some of them will kill him, cause he'll do right though he knowed he wus goin' to be shot the next minute.' The next mornin' I hitched up and took the Captain and Charley down to Charleston and those fellers (copperheads I call 'em) who hed their Golden Circle lacked only one vote of takin' me out and hangin' me to a tree cause I'd delivered up the prisoner. Wall, Charley wus tried and sentenced to be shot, but Uncle Abe saved him fur he promised to go back into the war ag^in and be a good soldier, and then Uncle Abe said to some of the big fellers down to Washington, 134 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 'Charley used to be a neighbor of mine and I know what kind of stuff he's made of. He'll do as he says.' So he let him go and Uncle Abe'si words proved true. After Uncle Abe wus killed and many a time sence Charley Conzert has sent word to us that he thought so much of Uncle Abe cause he saved him that he'd lay down his life fur any of his blood kin." During the afternoon we called upon several of the relatives who would give me no information, except upon a paying basis. I also dis- covered that even those that had held offices under Mr. Lincoln's admin- istration seemed to have forgotten the ways and mannerisms of their distinguished dead relative, and expressed very few kind words for the great man. LINCOLN'S PREFERRED POSITION After dinner we called upon Mrs. Colonel O. W. Ficklin, whose hus- band was a most intimate friend of Mr. Lincoln. Her greeting was cordial and friendly and under her guidance we called upon several old citizens who had known the lamented and martyred chieftain. Among the very few reminiscences collected from them was the following, related by Mr. Abram Highland, who said: "Mr. Ficklin and Mr. Lin- coln were often pitted against each other in their profession, both hav- ing a large law practice in our district. Upon a certain occasion, the case being one of considerable importance although it was held in a very small and dilapidated school house out in the country, Mr, Lincoln was compelled to stoop very much in order to enter the door and the seats were so low that he doubled up his legs like a jack-kii?fe. Mr. Lincoln was obliged to sit upon a school bench and just in front of him was another, making the distance between him and the seat in front of him very narrow and uncomfortable. His position was almost unbear- able and in order to carry out his preference which he secured as often as possible, and that was 'to sit as near to the jury as convenient,' he took advantage of his discomfort and said to the justice, 'Your Honor, with your permission I'll sit up nearer to the gentlemen of the jury, for it hurts my legs less to rub my calves against the bench than i^ does to skin my shins.' " THE NEIGHBORS' VERDICT. - 135 THE WEIGHT OF THREE HOGS A quotation from a personal communication to the same party was also repeated. The letter was chiefly upon the political issues of the times, and Mr. Lincoln said: "We now have three parties in the field, the Kepublican, the Democratic, and the Knownothing; but it is just as easy to prophesy the result of the election as it is to count the weight of three hogs." LINCOLN'S COUSIN Before our departure for home we walked around to the house of Mrs. Tom Darling, a cousin of Mr. Lincoln, and from her heard nothing but words of praise for the good man. Mrs, Darling told us that the first letter she ever wrote was addressed to Mr. Lincoln and his reply was very kind, full of wise counsel and loving words. After Mr. Lincoln was married and little children came into his life he sent for this cousin to come to Springfield and help his wife take care of the little ones. Mrs. Darling was at the Lincoln home for quite a year. Her account of the many kind acts that Mr. Lincoln bestowed upon her was but additional testimony to his greatness of heart GITTING HYSTERICKY Late in the afternoon we started homeward. Again the ride was most enjoyable, and again my host related many anecdotes of his rela- tives. As the twilight shadows deepened I became uncomfortable and imagined the departed were hovering near, and so uncomfortable was the feeling that I suggested the mules be forced into a trot at least that we might not be overtaken by the darkness. Uncle John Hall smiled and accused me of getting "hystericky ag'in." "I'll chirk ye up right smart with a circus story," he said, and at once proceeded to tell the following: THE CIRCUS STORY "In the year 1835, one time when Uncle Abe was in Charleston, he thought he'd jest look around and see what the circus amounted to. 136 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. This wus the first that ever showed up at Charleston, so he went down by the big tent and when he seed the little one for the performers to dress in he ast one of the circus fellers what that side pocket wus fur, and all the time he never cracked a smile but wus jest as ser'ous as a deacon. When the feller told Uncle Abe what it wus fur he jest winked one eye and crossed his legs." THE MAPLE SUGAR PULL The little village of Farmington was just ahead of us and Mr. Hall suggested that we drive down the road a short distance and call on some of the old neighbors. I gladly consented and after a drive of nearly a mile we drew up at the house of Mr. Samuel Ohowning, who lived nearly opposite the little cemetery in which old Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln are buried. We found the master of the house absent but his wife who had lived near neighbor to the Lincoln family cordially received us and cheerfully related the following little episode: "In the spring of 1833 when I wus then a girl of only sixteen years Grandpap Lincoln as usual 'sugared off,' and John D. Johnston invited the young folks to come over some evening, when Abe Lincoln wus up to the old home. John D. Johnston sent us word that Brother Abe had come and we made up a little party. Well, John D. and Abe Lincoln took me across the river in a canoe. John had promised us young folks some taffy and purty soon he said to Grandpap Lincoln, 'I want some taffy for the girls.' You know John D. Johnston was mighty good lookin' and awful takin' and we knowed he'd get some taffy for us. We girls didn't care much about Abraham Lincoln, though, for he wus so quiet and awkward and so awful homely, and he never made up to the girls anyhow, so none of 'em cared about asking any favors of him. Grandpap Lincoln wus terrible savin' and said, 'No, John, I can't have the 'lasses wasted that I have worked so hard to get.' But Abe Lincoln talked to John D. in a low voice, and purty soon when grandpap had scooped out all but a little in the bottom of the kettle, John D. caught up a bucket of cold water and throwed it into the kettle. When the sugar rose to the top he stuck his hands in and pulled it all out in fnn NEIGHBORS' VERDICT. 137 a lump and divided it among us. Of course we all laughed and shouted but grandpap only stuck his lips out and pouted a little and said, 'John, yer allers wastin' somethin'.- " MORE OLD NEIGHBORS We tarried a few moments longer and again Mr. Hall kindly pro- posed a ride around to Janesville and said, "Perhaps we'll see some more of the old neighbors." As we drove through the small burg, many eyes peered curiously at us. At last we pulled up in front of old Mr. Peter Furry's house. As is customai"y in this locality a "Hallo, neighbor!" brought "the man of the house" to the door, while the entire family without further ceremony dashed out, and the younger members of the household perched themselves upon the rail fence. Our errand was made known and Mr. Furry, a pleasant and kind-hearted old farmer, was delighted to tell me all that he knew about the Lincoln family. "EVERYBODY KNOWED IT" Without further parley he began: "Yes, I was bom and raised right near to Tommy Lincoln's. Pap's farm joined his'n and so you see I knowed a great deal about the old gentleman. They wus a purty shift- less set the whole of them, even Abraham Lincoln, who was afterwards the President of the United States. When he'd come up to visit the old folks he'd lay around jest like the rest; go barefoot, get out under a tree and lay looking into the sky fur half a day at a time. That thare cabin that yere going to write about wus as full of human critters as a nut is full of meat, they wus a jest hanging out of the winders, but Abraham Lincoln wus somehow given the best place in the house and almost every one round yere looked up to him. He had the respect of every- body and yet I could never see jest how he got it. He wasn't proud nor nothing like that, he seemed to be no more nor no better than the rest of his folks, but somehow he wus and everybody knowed it." "BEEF TO MY SORRER" After questioning the old man concerning the inmates of the house- hold he replied: "All of Grandmarm Lincoln's relatives wus there 138 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. a living right along and they kept old man Lincoln in a heap of trouble. John D. Johnston, that wiis her boy, wus the most shiftless and good- for-nothing feller ye ever seed; he wus no good no how, allers a gala- vanting around the country to see the women folks and disposing of anything that wus Grandpap Lincoln's vnthout ever saying by your leave. Why, one time he rode off on the old horse, the only one they had, and wus gone two or three days. While he wus away he traded off the horse for a pair of young steers. Wall, when he brought 'em home it wus nigh onto ten o'clock and all the family hed gone to bed. Anyhow, John D. Johnston wus so eternally shiftless and didn't like to do no work no how, he jest tied the steers to a young saplin'; they wus yoked together, and of course they got to trampin' around in the night and raisin' cain, and when Grandaddy Lincoln got up in the mornin' he found them both on the ground ston' dead. He wus of an awful savin' turn of mind (everybody knowed that) and so he went right on takin' off their hides. By that time I went along by there and when I seed the old man skinnin' the critters I called out to him and said, ses I (I thought I'd plague him a little), 'Got some beef, Grandaddy?' He didn't look up but jest growled out, 'Yes, beef to my sorrer.' " Though this homely incident was pathetic in the extreme, yet it was so ludicrous that we all joined in the merriment which the story evoked, and even the children, hanging on the gate, appreciated the humor, for the youngest tot begged grandpa to tell another "funny story." THE KEY TO LINCOLN'S METAPHORS The old man looked up with a twinkle in his honest blue eyes and asked the question, "Will all that I say go into the paper? If so, I ken spin out as many yarns as you want." My reply to his question in the affirmative actually caused Mr. Furry to remove his old, greasy cap, the good wife came a step nearer and the children descended from their perches, and, coming close up to the buggy, eyed me with keen curiosity. Here was an unthought of circumstance. A real live "writing woman," and at their own house, too. Again the old gentleman broke out and related the following: "Ag'in, one time when I wus goin' by, I seed Grandaddy Lincoln out THE NEIGHBORS' VERDICT. 139 grubbin' up some hazelnut bushes, and so I said to him: 'Why, Grand- pap, I thought you wanted to sell your farm?' 'And so I do,' ses he, 'but I haint goin' to let my farm know it.' " Really there is more truth than poetry in the above homely state- ment, and its wisdom is clearly shown. So seemingly unimportant and commonplace was this original saying of Thomas Lincoln's that the casual observer would undoubtedly have passed it by unheeded^ but that very quaint expression is the keynote to an important discovery, and one plainly sees from what source Abraham Lincoln received his peculiar talent for apt and trite sayings. A GOOD RELIGION The old gentleman now appeared to have run out of stories, the evening was far advanced and I suggested to Mr, Hall that we had bet- ter remain no longer for the family and my companion would no doubt be anxious for our safety. Evidently Mr. Furry felt he had not fur- nished me with enough newspaper matter to make him immortal, there- fore he insisted that we should "git out of the buggy" and come into the house. Accepting his kind invitation, but insisting that we could remain but a very little while, we went into the plain old-fashioned house and awaited developments. Apparently deep in thought Mr. Furry preserved a dignified silence for a moment, then with a sudden energy that fairly startled the little gathering he related the follow- ing: "Old man Lincoln wus quite religious, you know; why, he allers walked down to Charleston, most ten miles away, every Saturday night. Stayed there all day Sunday so he could enjoy both the mornin' and evenin' meetin's and then walked back ag'in Monday mornin'. I don't think Uncle Abe was nigh so religious as his father, fur he didn't belong to no church, but then he wus mighty good and allers when he come down to see the old folks he^d walk over from Charleston so as to save payin' for a team because he wanted to give ^em some money to pay off the debt on the old home and a little besides so that both grandpap and grandmarm 'ud feel a little independent. Most every time he come to see 'em he'd give 'em ten dollars, and onct I see him give 'em two 140 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. hundred dollars. Now, to my thinkin', that's about as good a religion as I know of — 'honor your father and mother,' if one of 'em is your stepmother." MY VOW After some further conversation we thanked him for his kind atten- tion and really interesting information and departed. A pleasant drive of an hour or more brought us again to the little cottage. Our pro- tracted stay and the lateness of the hour had caused the family so much anxiety that our arrival was hailed with joy. Of course I related to the family the adventures of the day, and exacted a promise from my host that he would again take me for a drive, pi-ovided he could obtain the necessary requisites. A thought struck me and I silently regis- tered a vow, that before my taking leave of this kind-hearted and simple folk something should be done to make existence more pleasurable and thus relieve the monotony of their excessively humdrum life, especially the younger members of the family. I kept my vow and afterwards succeeded in bringing tO' the household some of the modern comforts and conveniences of the nineteenth century. Further on I shall tell my readers all about the transaction and describe the startling state of affairs that came about through its accomplishment. HOME OF JOHN HALL. This cottage on the Hillside is the present home of Uncle John Hall, late owner of the Lincoln Log Cabin. THE FAMOUS GBIND-STONE. The above picture is a photograph of the west end of the Lincoln Log Cabin, showing the old grind-stone. Upon this clumsy and rude stone Abraham Lincoln sharp- ened the axe which split the famous rails that were used in his first presidential campaign. UNCLE JOHN HALL AND CHILDBEN. Photograph of Uncle John Hall, Abraham Lincoln's cousin, his daughter, Sis, and his boys. Bud, Abe and Little Joe. THE AUTHOR AT WORK. Front view of the Lincoln Log Cabin, showing the secretary of the Lincoln Log Cabin Association, the stenographer, the superintendent and the two architects. The face at the broken window is Abe Hall, the nephew of Abraham Lincoln CHAPTER XXI. WHY LINCOLN NEVER USED PROFANE LANGUAGE STILL anticipating and longing for the promised visit to Uncle Dennis Hanks at Paris, I tried to be patient and pleasantly excuse Mr. Hall's habits of procrastination and inability to arrange for our second trip. The days were hot, the air was oppressive and the monotonous country life was making inroads upon my spirits. This day had been a particularly trying one, and we had been so uncomfortable that life was almost a burden. Evening approached, a light breeze sprang up, our hearts were gladdened and our spirits revived. We betook our- selves to the grassy lawn and dreamy moonlight. Myriads of fireflies flitting about us presented a charming sight, and it took no stretch of imagination to fancy we were dwelling in fairyland. Elfs, gnomes and wonderful giants were expected and talked about. A form appeared in the doorway of the little cottage and the "boggle man" appeared, not a cruel one, though, and said, "Sho, woman, don't put sech nonsense into the heads of the young folks, ye'll spile 'em." I begged Mr. Hall to come out and enjoy with us the beautiful night and tell us just one story about his beloved relatives. He refused in a rather decided tone, but when "Little Joe" joined in and pleaded too, the father could not refuse. He took this opportunity to give his boys a lesson in morals and told them their Grandfather Lincoln never swore, and to illustrate he related the following, which he said was the worst words he had ever heard their grandfather use: A GOOD EXAMPLE "Tour Grandpap Lincoln," he said, "never used no slang words, no- how; but he hed a favorite expression which he allers used when he wus suprised or bothered, and that wus, 'By dear!' Uncle John D. Johnston would drop an ear of com on the ground every time we un- 141 142 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. loaded jest to plague grandpap, and he would say, 'By dear! John, how shiftless ye are.' IWall, down at the cabin he allers kept his seed sweet potatoes between the two houses, the east room and the new part. He allers packed them in sand and I liked 'em so much when a boy that I'd eat 'em raw till I wus fit to bust. Grandpap, when he ketched me at it, he would allers say, 'By dear, by dear, the boy will eat up all my taters, and I won't hev none for plantin'.' So yer can see, boys^ yer hev a purty good example to foUer." An emphasis on certain words and the significant manner with which Mr, Hall related this brief moral lesson led me to believe that he had a particular purpose in telling his boys this simple little inci- dent. My suspicions were proven when young Abe said : "Wall, paw, didn't Grandpap Lincoln never swear, nohow, when he wus a young feller?" "I am sorry to say that he did," said Mr. Hall, "fur grandpap hisself told me he used to rip out an oath every time he got mad," I felt a curiosity to know how this bad habit had been remedied, and I asked Uncle John Hall if he knew why Mr. Thomas Lincoln stopped swearing? To which question he replied: "I reckon I du, fur grand- pap told me- When they wus livin' down in Kantucky Uncle Abe's sister, little Sary jest spoke right out one day with a right bad swear word, and Uncle Abe's mother said, 'Father, did yer hear yer little baby?' He never swore no more, nohow, arter that." SAYING GRACE Mr. Hall pausea, and, fearing he would request us to retire, I said, "I suppose Mr. Thomas Lincoln's first wife was a very religious woman?" "I reckon she wus," said Mr. Hall; "but both grandmarm and grandpap wus awful religious, tu. They wus awful good church members, tu, bein' Baptists away long back. Then they jined the Christians or Oampbellites. We allers held meetin' in the east room of the old log cabin, and Stanley Walker, who used to live in Kantucky, ud come and preach every fourth Sunday. Uncle Abe heard him a heap uv times, tu, in the old log house. Grandpap wus so terrible re- ligious that he never ud eat nothin', nohow, without sayin' grace, and I can reckerlect as plain as can be jest what he said. It wus short, but LINCOLN AND PROFANE LANGUAGE. 143 it wus allers the same, and he never failed to say it, 'Fit and prepare us for humble sarvice. Beg fer Christ's sake. Amen.' " Mr. Hall could not say enough in praise of the religious character of his relatives, but continued to relate more stories. "Both Grandpap and Grandmarm Lincoln prayed so much," said he, "that they hed a wonderful power about 'em to cure folks. Why, grandmarm could draw out fire and grandpap could cure a felon. Polks would come for ten miles around to get grandpap to cure 'em, and all he'd do wus jest to hold the sore finger in his hands a few minutes and say somethin' in a whisper, and every time he'd cure 'em shore nuff. Grandmarm, she would jest lay her hand on the burn and shet up her eyes and say two or three words and it would never hurt you no more. She hes drawed the fire out of my hands lots of times, and onct she told me that if she told arry a woman she'd never hev the power to cure no more, but that if she told a man it wouldn't make no difference, and she did tell me afore she died what she said when she cured 'em, but I can't tell nobody." LIKE UNCLE ABE I said to Uncle John Hall that it was a lucky circumstance that hia people did not live at the time of the Salem witchcraft agitation, for they would surely have been burned at the stake. This allusion to that period of our country's history proved most unfortunate, for I was com- pelled to tell the young people the story of the Salem witchcraft, and its recital turned the tide of conversation. Coming back to the realities of the time and place, I asked Mr. Hall to kindly relate a few more Lincoln stories. He said, "S'pose I should tell yer something about myself and grandpap, would yer mind?" Of course I was pleased to hear anything that might contribute to my history of the Lincolns and their humble home. Convincing Mr. Hall of my sincerity and desire to hear a personal story, he proceeded by saying: "Grandpap wus a good deal like Uncle Abe, allers trying to make us all feel happy by saying somethin' kind or giving us some little present, but he didn't hev quite the same way Uncle Abe did, no- how. When he got to be an old man he didn't hev much to give away, 144 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 'cept what Uncle Abe let him hev, nor much before that nuther, I reckon. "The only medder land grandpap hed wus two acres and a half a little north of the house in the east forty. But he said to me one day, 'If you will mow the medder I'll give you a yo.' I was seventeen years old then, but bein' a sickly boy all my life, this wus the first mowing I ever tried to do, I wus purty well tuckered out, but grandpap went around behind me with a fork and tossed the grass up into shocks. I got my yo, and the next spring she found three lambs for me, and saved 'em all. In two or three years I sold ten sheep out of my flock at $1.25 a piece, and so you see I got quite a start. When I talked with Uncle Abe about my money he jest said, 'Now you can get married and build a home of your own.' " Before I could interrupt him Mr. Hall again repeated, almost word for word, what he had told me before concerning Mr. Lincoln's visits to his people. BED TIME STORIES "Twice a year," he said, "Uncle Abe come up to the 'old log cabin' and would stay from one to three days 'cordin' to his business, and allers when he come he'd bring somethin' every time for grandmarm and grandpap and Uncle John D. Johnston and the balance of the family. He'd spend most of his time lookin' around the old place and out in the woods huntin' paw-paws and readin' on every occasion. Wall, of course all the old neighbors and friends would come in when they heerd he'd come hum, and he'd entertain 'em tellin' cur'ous stories till bed time. He never did seem no different, nohow; he treated us jest the same, and allers made us feel as if the hull world had left when he went away. "I reckolect one time when Uncle Abe wus up a visitin' us he said, 'It is remarkable to see so large a family stay together so long, but when they begin to go they will all go at once.' And shore nuff, so it wus. Grandpap Lincoln wus taken with smotherin' spells and we sent for Uncle Abe. He come up and stayed a few days and then his father got better. Uncle Abe went back, but he'd hardly got hum before Grand- LINCOLN AND PROFANE LANGUAGE. 145 pap Lincoln went off mighty sudden like. He died of heart disease, and we sent for Uncle Abe, but he wus so busy with important bisness he couldn't come up to the funeral. Shortly afterwards he come up to straighten out the property, for Uncle John D. Johnston lived with Grandpap and Grandmarm Lincoln, and Uncle Abe he'd give Uncle John a piece of writin' which said the property should be his'n for the sum of $200 without interest, and he could hev his life time to pay for it in if he stayed and took care of grandmarm and grandpap and then re- mained on the premises a year after both of 'em wus dead. I reckolect right well that Uncle Abe told Uncle John D. Johnston when he come up that he wus afraid he'd never be able to buy the place, and he wus perfectly willing to deed him the place if he'd promise to stay with grandmarm, for Uncle Abe said: *I am just as anxious to have mother cared for as I was before father died.' So Uncle John D. Johnston give Uncle Abe a promise on a piece of paper and Uncle Abe fixed the bargain up with a piece of writing, which give the property to Uncle John D. Johnston fur takin' care of grandmarm." THE LEGAL DOCUMENT Mr. Hall now invited us into the house and showed me the legal document that conveyed the old homestead to Mr. Lincoln's step- mother's son. The boys were as interested in the "piece of writin' " as my com- panion and I were, and appeared to enjoy the reading of the same as much as we did, though no doubt they themselves had often read the legal instrument. The following is a correct copy of the original : This indenture made this twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, by and between Abra- ham Lincoln and Mary Lincoln, his wife, of the City of Springfield, County of Sangamon, and State of Illinois, party of the first part, and John D. Johnston, of the County of Coles, and State aforesaid, party of the second part, witnesseth: That the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar to them in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby 146 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. acknowledged, have remised, released and foreyer quit-claimed and by these presents do remise, release and forever quit-claim to and in favor of the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns forever, all the right, title, interest and estate vfhich the said party of the first part have in and to the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter, and the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter, both of section twenty- one, in township eleven, north of range nine, east of the third principal meridian, situated in the said County of Coles, and together containing eighty acres, more or less, the interest of the said party of the first part in and to said lands being that derived as sole heir at law of the late Thomas Lincoln, now deceased, and subject to the right of dower of Sarah Lincoln, widow of the said Thomas Lincoln, deceased. To have and to hold to the same party of the second part and to his heirs and assigns forever the interest aforesaid in and to the above described lands, together with all and singular the privileges and ap- purtenances thereto belonging. In testimony whereof the said party of the first part have hereunto set their hands and seals this day and year first above written. A. LINCOLN. (Seal.) M. LINCOLN. (Seal.) GETTING POSSESSION OF LINCOLN HOWJESTEAD Mr. Hall, his family. Miss Coleman and myself returned to the front room. Looking up at the old-fashioned timepiece, our host said: "If 'twarn't so orful late I'd tell yer what a time I've hed buyin' and keepin' this yere place where the old log cabin stands." To our little company time was no objection, and we all clamored for the story. Mr. Hall began at once and said: "Grandpap hedn't ben dead very long before Uncle John D. Johnston got oneasy and wanted to go away and sell out, which of course he couldn't do legally, I don't suppose. Wall, as soon as I heerd of it I made up my mind that I would buy the farm and live with grandmarm. I hed found a gal, and we hed hitched up and wus livin' down in Farmington with my mother, who hed married again and hed quite a good house thare. I LINCOLN AND PROFANE LANGUAGE. 147 went over to see Uncle John D. Johnston and we talked the business over, and he took me up and said he considered it a good bargain. "I paid Uncle John D. Johnston for his interest and he give me a piece of writin' which said the property wus mine. I moved right in and took care of grandmarm till she died, which wus in the month of April, 1869. One day I got to thinkin' about the paper, and ses I to myself, now the piece of writin' that Uncle Abe give Uncle John reads, 'To his heirs,' and I made up my mind that his children could come back on me for their father's interest, and I jest thought I would speak about it. So one time when Uncle Abe vnis visiting us, and as soon as I ketched 'em all out of the house but me and Uncle Abe, I ses to him, ses I, 'Now, Uncle Abe, couldn't you change that bond you give Uncle John D. Johnston or else give me a piece of writin' that will make me safe; for his piece reads, "To his heirs," and when Uncle John D. Johnston is dead his folks may make me trouble, and I hev honestly paid him $50 and always expect to take care of grandmarm jest the same as if she wus my own mother.' But Uncle Abe ses, 'No, John,' ses he, 'I made that bond jest as obligatory as I could and no one will make you any trouble, I am sure.' A REQUEST TO ROBERT LINCOLN "I didn't like to trouble Uncle Abe, and so I didn't say nothing more about it, nohow; but shore nuff, jest as soon as grandmarm wus dead, Tom Johnston, Uncle John's oldest son, tried to sell me out round among the neighbors for $200, but none of them would tech it. After a while I got to thinkin' about it, that Uncle John's heirs hed no right to sell out, cause he hedn't kept his promise to Uncle Abe to take care of grandmarm, and so the property must still belong to the heirs of Uncle Abe. I wus orful worried and I got a right smart lawyer at Charleston to write to Major Conely, of Springfield, and jest ask Bob Lincoln, Uncle Abe's oldest son, if he'd ever try to get it away from me. He wrote, and Uncle Abe's son sent back word that he didn't want no money for it, nohow, and didn't want to tech it, and to tell me it wns all right, and fer me not to feel afraid. Wall, anyhow, my tax titles is 148 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. clear and I hev been in peaceable possession for nigh onto forty years, and so I reckon the property is mine." The children as well as the older members of the household listened attentively to the recital, and upon its conclusion each one of the little party gathered about Mr. Hall and began to ply him with questions, but our host insisted that we should retire immediately, for there would be no further story-telling that night. CHAPTER XXII LINCOLN SURPRISED HIS PHOTOGRAPHER ALTHOUGH the Springfield lawyer had visited Chicago, and been engaged in trials at that place, he was unknown to the general public. A few lawyers and some of their friends had formed the acquaint- ance of the peculiar man, and had expressed themselves as believing the odd and strange man would "be heard from." Some time during the year 1857 Mr. Lincoln came up to Chicago to conduct some legal affairs, but so little known was he beyond his own locality that when he went into a studio for the purpose of having his photograph taken he was not recognized. Mr. Hessler, the photog- rapher, was both amused and surprised to hear the awkward, homely countryman say, "I believe I will have my picture taken for some of the lawyers at the court house may want to have it." The photographer was too amazed and surprised to reply, but he placed the sitter in posi- tion and simply said: "Have you any objections to having your hair pushed back from your forehead?" The unknown sitter smiled and made brief response. Mr. Lincoln's hair was properly arranged accord- ing to the photographer's fancy, and the "picture" was pronounced a success. Mr. Hessler says in a letter written some time afterwards to a prom- inent citizen of Chicago: "Can you imagine my astonishment and sur- prise when I discovered that the negative which I had in my possession of a supposed ordinary, though rather peculiar, countryman was no other than Abraham Lincoln, the Presidential candidate." It has been my good fortune to secure the copy of a letter written by Mr. Hessler to a well-known citizen of Chicago, regarding the above- mentioned photograph. A copy verbatim of the letter is reproduced for my readers' benefit: 149 150 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S STORY Dear Sir. My first acquaintance with Mr. Lincoln was in Feb 1857 when he came into my studio in the Metropolitan Block and sat for his negative and as he explained it "So that the lawyers over at the Court House that wanted my picture bad enough to buy it could come and get copies." His tall, gaunt figure at first sight impressed me with the thought who could want your picture? but when seated, a glance at his head and face struck me as one of rare power and goodness — His hair was very long and full over his eyes and forehead. I asked him if I might arrange it to which he replied "Fix it to please you." I ran my fingers through his hair throwing it off from his forehead. The result was the picture in profile showing his magnificent head and strength of character, never since portrayed. This picture was greatly admired by all who loved his genial and expressive face and mouth. After his nomination came the demand for a likeness more smooth and dressed up, with hair not so long and more "smoothed down." I was requested to make one such, accordingly I wrote to Mr. Lincoln at Springfield to know if he was soon coming to Chicago, he kindly replied that his friends had decided that he should remain in Springfield until after the election "but if I would come there he would give me sit- tings." I went down the last of June 1860 — (it was the day of the great Camanche cyclone that caused such dreadful destruction across the en- tire state, striking Lake Michigan just north of Winetka — and secured a number of good negatives^ Prints from these were reduced and scattered by thousands all over the country and convinced the people that such a noble head was the one to lead and govern the mighty peo- ple. After he reached Washington he was persuaded to hide his strong and good, honest features by wearing his beard, thinking no doubt that by hiding the rugged noble features to enhance his beauty but then his real beauty was lost to sight and the strong features were gone. LINCOLN SURPRISED HIS PHOTOGRAPHER. 151 From a photograph with his hair suit on an engraving was made 80 smoothed and idealized that the real man is lost. Mr. Volk the sculptor has the only true likeness of him in clay- that has been made and if ever Mr. Lincoln is perpetuated in marble by true History, his will be the likeness chosen. A. HESSLER. The "true likeness" which Mr. Hessler refers to is a bust of Mr. Lincoln, life size, and taken of him soon after his nomination to the Presidency of the United States. THE SCULPTOR'S STORY Mr. Volk's letter describing Mr. Lincoln's sitting, writing to Mrs. Judge Bradwell, a prominent citizen of Chicago, is herewith repro- duced: "Mrs. Myra Bradwell — My dear Madam: Mr. Lincoln gave me about a dozen sittings before the first nomination in the old wigwam for the Presidency. He was always quite prompt and patient, and seemed interested in the modeling in clay, it being the first he had ever seen in his life, and at the same time telling me many of his unparalleled funny and amusing stories. "One Sunday he sat nearly all day, saying as he entered my studio on the fourth floor of the Portland block, that he would rather sit to me for his bust than go to church and hear a cut and dried sermon, and that when he heard a man preach he liked to hear him preach as if he were fighting bees, at the same time accompanying the words by ener- getically throwing out his long arms. "But I am digressing. About the last sitting he gave me was on a pleasant morning. As he entered he appeared a little hurried, and being desirous to represent as nearly as possible his neck, shoulder and breast in the model, in order to harmonize with the head and face, I invited him to loosen his garments so I could see plainly. He remarked that he would strip right off with coat, vest, collar, cravat and shirt, and I would then have a fair chance. "He hastily removed all the above mentioned articles and placed them on a chair. His undershirt he pulled down to the waist and tied the sleeves together in the front. I worked as rapidly as I could to transfer correctly to clay his brawny, muscular shoulders, which were soon destined to be applied to the government wheels. 153 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. "Upon the conclusion of the sitting, Mr. Lincoln hastily readjusted his toilet all right, as he supposed, declining any assistance, saying that he could do it just as well alone. And being intent on finishing some point in clay while fresh in my memory, I did not notice him particu- larly while rearranging his dress. After his usual inquiry when he should come again and a cordial good-morning, he passed out into the hall and started downstairs. "Suddenly I heard him retracing his steps, and immediately the door opened without much ceremony. " 'Hello, Mr. Volk,' said he, with a slightly embarrassed air, but very humorous countenance, 'I forgot to put my shirt on and thought I had better come back and do it before going into the street.' Looking at him I noticed that the said shirtsleeves, which he had tied together, were dangling below his coat skirt. By our joint and united efforts he was again dressed up properly (this time) about as quickly as any person ever was in the world. Yours very sincerely, "LEONARD W. VOLK." "Chicago, July 15, 1876." CHAPTER XXIII. DENNIS HANKS' VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT AND WHAT CAME OF IT THE weather continued hot and oppressive, the sky was like molten brass, the air filled with dust, the grass dry and crackling. The setting sun, red and hot, was sinking below the western horizon. A breeze sprang up. The low and distant rumbling of thunder was heard, clouds were scurrying across the sky, a tiny drop of water fell on my upturned face, then another, till finally the floodgates of Heaven were loosed and the grateful deluge descended. Now was my opportunity; the roads would be free from dust and the morning would come to us sweet and cool. Mr. Hall had not offered to keep his promise in regard to our call upon old Uncle Dennis Hanks, and I had felt rather delicate in urging the matter; but the change of weather and the receipt of a bulky package which came from CJhicago the day before was my incentive. Therefore I determined to inveigle Mr. Hall into another excursion. With considerable anxiety I broached the subject, asking that the following day should be given to the trip. Imagine my surprise and delight; Uncle John was not only willing, but appeared delighted and began to arrange for a longer drive than I had planned. THE PROMISE FULFILLED It was decided that we should again drive over to Charleston and from that point take the train to Paris, where old Dennis Hanks was now living. The anticipated enjoyment of the coming day actually drove away nature^s sweet restorer, and after a night of restless toss- ing I arose with the meadow lark and sang outright My impatience and uneasiness aroused the entire household, and "Sis," with her usual good will and helpful nature, soon had breakfast ready. After par- taking of a hurried meal, we said our good-byes to the inmates of the 153 154 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. little cottage and departed, leaving behind us a dejected household. Promising to return as soon as possible, we drove rapidly away. A glance backward revealed a pleasant sight; the entire company were waving their hands and shouting their adieus. My impetuous nature asserted itself, and answering with a call equally as loud, I cried out, '*Watch for the surprise." The startling statement brought out a vol- ley of questions from the little group at the gate, while the boys leaped the fence and insisted upon an explanation. At my suggestion Mr. Hall urged our patient and homely steeds into an ambling trot, and we soon outdistanced the male trio, who, realizing our advantage, gave up the chase. The morning was cool and delightful, and the very beasts seemed to understand my impatience and nervousness, for we bowled along right merrily, and even Mr. Hall's reminiscences were of a pleasant and humorous nature. We arrived at Charleston just as the little village was putting on her morning dress. Upon inquiry we found that we could not leave Charleston for Paris until the noon hour. Driving down the main street a little distance, we came to the "best" hotel, and after ordering an early dinner Mr. Hall suggested that "we'd better take in the town ag'in, fur I recljon we'll run across somebody that knowed Uncle Abe." I had already decided to not only "take in" something at Charles- ton, but also to take out something, and that something was the surprise that I had imprudently charged the family to watch for. Little did I imagine that fate had ordered otherwise, and that Mr. Hall and I would not return home that night. A TRANSFORMATION The "leading" dry goods store in Charleston was visited, and I in- sisted that Mr. Hall should be fitted out with a suit of clothes, hat and a pair of boots thrown in. The garments that Mr. Hall wore were no doubt agreeable to the weather, for his attire was exceedingly simple, and consisted of a pair of baggy blue jean pants, a checked shirt, a pair of low shoes, and a broad-brim straw hat, with a cotton string for a band. Anticipating a refusal upon the grounds that only city chaps DENNIS HANKS' VISIT. 15C wore store clothes, his reply fairly staggered me. Uncle John Hall looked at me searchingly; his eyes were full of meaning, and to my utter astonishment and bewilderment he said: "I low'd ye'd be ashamed of me, but I can't pay for these yer clothes, nohow." After being cominced that the outfit was a present from the Lincoln Log Cabin Association, he retired into a closet and shortly reappeared. The vision bewildered me. It was a transformation scene; coat, trousers, vest, white shirt, collar, necktie, derby hat and polished boots. What a metamorphosis. The grub had become a butterfly. "Mr. Hall, Esquire," was introduced, but what had become of Uncle John? A turn about across the street and I insisted upon going into a car- riage shop. Before Mr. Hall could collect his scattered wits I had selected a good, substantial, two-seated, family buggy, paid down a gen- erous instalment, and promised that Mr. Hall would be able to meet future payments. Our business finished, the proprietor politely bowed us out and promised to have the buggy fastened to our "democrat," which we informed him was at the "livery bam." FULFILLMENT OF THE VOW Poor "Sis" had for many long years been the comfort and joy of the household, a mother to her young brothers and sisters, patiently and uncomplainingly had she toiled for them, and with no hope of re- ward. Her work had been a labt)r of love; she had none of the com- forts of life, nor even the conveniences. Was there no one to speak for her? Yes, I had determined to lessen and alleviate her home duties, to lighten her drudgery, to reward her patient, heavy soul, to furnish some respite from labor and bring pleasure into her dull and monoton- ous life. The thought that was uppermost in my mind I voiced. Mr. HaU looked unutterable things, but before he could speak he was whirled into the "most reliable" hardware store in the town, and the clerk was showing us the latest and most improved gasoline stove. Mr. Hall ap- peared to be paralyzed, for no sound escaped his lips, and a dozen ex- pressions chased one another over his weather-stained face. Finally he opened his mouth as if to speak, but a warning gesture from me 156 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. bade him hold his peace. The stove was purchased and Mr. Hall said very meekly, "Send it to the 'accommodation barn,' whar I left the 'democrat.' " Immediately upon the conclusion of our noonday meal we walked rapidly to the depot and were soon steaming away, with Paris as our objective point. Some difficulty was experienced in finding the resi- dence of Mrs. Nancy Schoaff, Uncle Dennis Hanks' eldest daughter, and with whom he lived. The meeting of the cousins was quite affect- ing. A number of years had passed since they had seen each other, and many changes had come to both families. A UNIQUE INTRODUCTION Mr. Hall introduced me by saying "this yur woman hes come all the way from Chicago to see Uncle Dennis and hear some of his stories about Uncle Abe." Mrs. Schoaff received me cordially, but informed me that her father was very aged, being now ninety-two years old, and somewhat infirm, owing to the fact that he had fallen during the early part of the summer and injured his hip so severely that he was confined to his bed. Without further delay, however, Mrs. Schoaff con- ducted us to the old gentleman's apartments. To be sure we found Mr. Hanks in bed, but in nowise sick or in- firm in intellect. Mr. Hall's greeting to his aged uncle was indeed touching, while tears glistened in the old man's eyes. Dennis Hanks received me graciously, and before long was spinning his yams con- cerning "Abe" and the old folks. However, he first informed me that if I was a reporter, a newspaper woman, or a collector of Lincoln stories, he'd have nothing to say to me, for the "hull posse of them kind had never paid him a cent for all the information he had given 'em." I succeeded in pacifying the old gentleman, and adroitly obtained a series of anecdotes concerning Mr. Lincoln and his family, among them the famous story of "How Dennis Hanks got in to see the President." "In the first place," said Mr. Hanks, "I think I ought ter hev some credit and lots of money, tu, cause if it hadn't been for me thar'd hev been nothin' for folks ter make sich fools of theirselves." After im-. pressi^ig me with his importance, h-e proceeded to relate the story of ^r^isz:^'4 PAMOTJS BEDSTEAD. The above picture shows the west room of the Lincoln Log Cabin and the bedstead upon which Abraham Lincoln's father and mother died. In the lower left-hand corner Abraham Lincoln slept on a bunk. SPINNING "WHEEL. Interior of east room of the Lincoln Log Cabin, showing Grandmother Lincoln's Spinning- wheel and cooking utensils. DENNIS HANKS' VISIT. 157 "Little Abe's" rescue from a watery grave, which had already been told to me by Mr. Hall during the first days of my visit at the "old log cabin." THE FAMOUS TALE Time was precious, the hours were slipping away, and I was getting anxious lest we should be obliged to leave before I had heard the famous tale. Without waiting for Mr. Hanks to bring up further incidents that might interfere with my desire, I undertook to force the subject by saying: "Mr. Hanks, I believe you had the honor of visiting Mr. Lin- coln at the Executive Mansion in Washington, did you not?" He looked at me a moment, and laughing heartily, said: "So that's the yam ye're after, is it?" Chuckling to himself for a moment, he winked his eye at Mr. Hall and then his tongue became as nimble as a school girl's. "Ye've heerd how some fellers down at Charleston got into trouble and wus sent to the Dry Tortagus, ain't ye?" said Mr. Hanks. I informed him that I knew all about that, and begged him to proceed with his own part in the drama. He proceeded, saying: "Wall, some of 'em smart lawyers down to Charleston tried to get Abe to let the boys come home, but they didn't fetch 'em worth a cent. So I ses to my- self, Dennis y'ur the boy to du it, and I jest told the citizens of Charles- ton so, and they said, 'Hanks, we will give you twelve hundred dol- lars if you will get the prisoners released.' Ye better believe that I took that offer up and waded right in, got my ticket, rode down to Wash- ington and went right up to Uncle Abe's house and asked to see Presi- dent Lincoln. The feller what stood at the door told me there wus jest a certain way to get in, but anyhow, the President wus crowded now. Says he, 'There's lots of fellers in talking with him and more that want to get in that come before you did.' Then I said to him, ses I, if you'll jest show me the hole where the President goes in and out I'll get to see him. The feller at the door then said to me, 'Who are you?' I ses my name is Hanks, I'm an American citizen, and I want to see Abe Lincoln. Then another feller says, 'Where are you from?* I ses, ses I, wall, I am from Charleston, Coles County, Illinois. Then some other feller said, 'That man talks like the President, his voice sounds like his, and maybe he is a relation.' 158 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. ABE KNOWED MY VOICE "I waited a minute and nobody done nothing, so I jest speaks up ag'in and ses I, 'Ef you'll take me up to his bedroom I'll have no trouble in gettin' in.' A feller took me up to a door to where Seward wus a settin', and I looked through a bunch of men and saw Uncle Abe by a stove playin' with his little boy, and handin' him some lemonade or somethin' like that and laughin' and talkin' with him. I looked at him a little bit and spoke out in a loud voice, *Abe, what you doin' thur?' Abe knowed my voice, straightened up, and said, 'Dennis, is that you?' He then invited me in and asked Mr. Seward and the other fellers to jest step out a few minutes, 'fur,' said he, 'I want to see this man private- ly.' So they all went out but me and Uncle Abe. He then askt me, 'How is mother gettin' along and all the balance of the family?' "I jest open'd up and told Abe my business, and let him know what I hed come fur. Abe then told me that Colonel Ficklin hed ben thar twice on the same business, but he hed not then thought the men hed ben punished long enough, so he ses, ses he, 'Now I guess they can go home and take care of their families and try to be good men.' He wrote out a piece of writin' and told me to hand that to Stanton. Wall, I took it to him, but he flew into a passion and ses he, 'They did too bad a deed to be pardoned.' He talked a little bit with me and then said, 'I will go and see Mr. Lincoln,' and took me with him. Abe talked with me a little and then he turned around and siioke to Mr. Stanton, and said, 'These men all have families and they want to go back and take care of them and behave themselves, and now whose business is it?' Stanton jest shet up and never said no more, nohow. "Abe told me to look around the city and enjoy myself. 'Twould be all right,' he said, so I did, and shore nuff when I got back to Charles- ton I found the fellers hed got thar afore me and everybody was re- joicing," After having related the above he rambled off and began to talk about other things entirely irrelevant to my desires. I was determined to hold him to his subject, and thus remarked: "Was there not some romance or daring adventure in your family?" DENNIS HANKS' VISIT. 159 NOT ROMANCE, BUT POVERTY He looked at me askance and muttered a reply: "Romance, did ye say? No! no! it wus nothin' but poverty and toil and labor and hard- ships. We hed our noses to the grindstone year in and year out." At this point in our conrersation I made a remark that angered Dennis Hanks and was anxious lest I had forfeited his confidence. In speaking of Mr. Lincoln's tragic death I alluded to the fact that the nation was plunged into the deepest grief, for which there was no re- lief: The old man glanced at me and remarked: "I onct met a fool of a preacher who said the same thing to me, and then he began to snivel." The old man ceased speaking. I held my breath and hoped he had ex- hausted that subject, but breaking out again, he said: "Abe wasn't nobody nor nothin'. The people made him and he wasn't worth cryin' over." Mr. Hall shook his head gravely and gave me a significant look, which I interpreted as a warning, and therefore quickly changed my tactics by leading the old man into a dilferent vein of conversation. After a moment's silence the old man spoke aloud, saying: "Every- body round here is allers telling how shiftless and good-for-nothing Uncle Tommy Lincoln wus, but Abe wus jest as shiftless as his father wus and now I am goin' to tell you what a lazy trick he cut up when he wus postmaster. You hev heerd that Abe wus postmaster, haven't ye?" Before I could reply he proceeded: "Wall, he wus, and carried the mail in his hat, tu. He use to go fishin' sometimes and whenever he got started he didn't like to be disturbed and so he jest thought he'd take the letters along in his hat and when the folks called for 'em he left a piece of writing on the door which said, 'It's just as easy for you to come to me as it is for me to go to you.' That's the way he sarved his country." The conversation was again taking a turn that was decidedly un- pleasant. In order to escape the old man's further tirade, I thanked him for the information he had given me and bade him a hearty good- bye. Though I thanked Dennis Hanks for his attention and interesting anecdotes, I could not forget the spirit that he displayed, a spirit which 160 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. differed so materially from his illustrious relative who died as he had lived, "with malice toward none — ^with charity for all." Mr. Hall and I descended the stairs and passed into the dining-room, where a delicious lunch had been prepared for us by Mrs. S'choaff. She insisted and we remained to partake of the hospitable fare, thus failing to catch the first train for Charleston. CHAPTER XXIV. RECOVERY OF THE LINCOLN FOLK-LORE STORIES THE next "flyer" was belated. This delay was most annoying. At last the iron horse steamed into the station and we boarded the train, arriving in Charleston some twenty minutes past twelve o'clock midnight. Mr. Hall and I proceeded immediately to the livery bam but we failed to find the regular attendant. Our purchases had not been properly cared for, although we had left explicit orders to have everything in readiness upon our arrival. After considerable parley, a man, apparently connected with the establishment, came from a concealed corner and in a sleepy tone offered to assist us. Upon investigation one of the barn hands told us that he was neither proprietor nor employee, but only "a stranger around here." Mr. Hall now undertook to find some one who would assist him in fastening the buggy to the "democrat," "hoist" the stove into the "wagin" and harness the mules. During his absence the stranger accosted me and fired at me a volley of questions concerning myself, my business, my companion, until at last his manner not only became obnoxious, but disgusting; and before Mr. Hall returned another would-be proprietor joined the questioner. To all appearances the second stranger was utterly intoxicated and immediately began to also ask me similar questions. THE THEFT I was becoming alarmed, but Mr. Hall's appearance reassured me. He was accompanied by the bam hands, who deliberately set about assisting him in packing his purchases. After some considerable delay it was decided that "everything was ready," and I proceeded to take my seat in the "democrat," but before so doing I missed a parcel that I had placed in the buggy, which was fastened behind the democrat. The 161 163 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. bundle contained several valuable articles, among them my notes that had been recorded that afternoon at Paris — Mr. Hanks' conversation, and I was greatly annoyed. Taxing the barn hands vpith the theft I threat- ened to send for an officer of the law. The stranger and his companion had disappeared, and the two young men again denied the accusation. After some further talk back and forth, the younger man called me aside and, whispering to me, said: "That stranger has been hanging around the bam ever since you and Mr. Hall came here and said that you were going down to Paris and wanted the team ready to go out home to-night, and he wanted me to either sell or lend him a pistol." The situation was really becoming serious and I insisted that an officer should be summoned at once. The young man who had given me the information left the barn and soon returned with the sheriff, who tried to convince me that I had left my package "back in Paris, on the train, or somewhere else." I stuck to my first statement and in- sisted that the parcel must be found. The intoxicated specimen of humanity was discovered, aroused and threatened. In a short time the package was restored, and the story of the pistol was told to the oflftcer, who now began to take some interest in the affair, and after advising us not to undertake to go home at that late hour accompanied us to the "best hotel." BREAKFAST AT THE HOTEL Morning came and when Mr. Hall and I went in to breakfast we were the lions of the hour. Exaggerated accounts had gone out and been so multiplied that the citizens were surprised to see murdered people "climb" into a buggy and drive about the streets of the little town "as natural as life." What I had been sighing for had come to me, an adventure, a real live one, too. Leaving Charleston at an early hour, Mr. Hall urged the mules into a lively canter as we wished to reach home at the earliest opportunity, realizing that the entire family were doubtless alarmed at our absence. Our conviction was confirmed, for as we came out into the main road LINCOLN FOLK-LORE STORIES. 163 and "hove" into sight "Little Joe" spied us, and communicated tlie news to the remainder of the family, who dashed pell mell out of the house and gave us a noisy welcome. MORE SURPRISES Before a word was exchanged, however, the buggy and its contents caught the attention of the young people, who were too surprised and astonished to ask questions. They were fairly dazed. The buggy was unfastened and when Mr. Hall told the boys that it was all their own they simply gathered about it and seemed content to merely look at it. There was no noisy demonstration. The surprise and the unthought of pleasure had robbed them of speech. The gasoline stove was taken out, carried into the kitchen, filled, lighted and its merits explained. "Sis" seemed fairly dazed while we were explaining and demonstrating. When I had finished and had told her that she was mistress of this "wonderful household invention," she quietly remarked: "Wall, I'd think." This event was indeed an epoch in tne history of the family and the entire day wi .s spent in answering questions and rehearsing the tragic events of the l>revious night. When the custodian of the cabin came up for his noonda^v meal, young Abe Hall asked me to tell the story how "Dad and ye jest missed being killed stun dead." LAST NIGHT'S JOB HAS DONE WIE UP At an unusually and ridiculously early hour Mr. Hall begau prepara- tions for retirement, and insisted that all the members of the house- hold should go to bed and sleep too, for as he said, "last night's job hes done me up." The night was excessively sultry and the air unusually humid. The idea of going into a hot and stifling house, when life was hardly endurable out of doors, was not to be thought of. The entire family groaned, and with one accord insisted that they'd rather suffer almost any punishment than be obliged to enter the little domicile under the present distressing circumstances. We coaxed and tried to persuade the master of the house that we would preserve the utmost silence. 164 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. We also agreed to enter into no conversation whatever, and promised faithfully that when we came in we would use the utmost caution that we should not awaken him. But the events of the previous night had indeed made Mr. Hall unusually i)eculiar, and he still refused to permit us to remain in the open air. After I had concluded that further attempt would be in vain, and considering his refusal final, I followed the example of my host and went into the cottage quite disconsolate and indeed really unhappy. THE WELCOME VISITOR My unhappiness was of short duration, however, and that unpleasant state of mind was changed into delight and expectancy, for no sooner had we entered the house than an unrecognized voice called from the gate, and hasty steps, on the graveled walk, betokened the approach of a late caller. As usual the entire family rushed to the door, for evening visitors were so rare that such occasions always created surprise and pleasure. A cheery "Hello" and "How are ye, brother John?" revealed the identity of the late visitor. The boys surrounded Uncle Bill, and Mr. Hall called out: "What brings ye over here?" Without waiting for his brother's reply the older man said: "It's the woman from Chicago and her yarns about Uncle Abe, I 'low." Mr. William Hall did not deny the accusation, and was formally introduced to me and my young friend. The conversation soon drifted into the ordinary channel in which all our conversations had run during my sojourn at the famous old log cabin, and in response to a question put by myself Mr. William Hall said: "Uncle Abe wus much older than any of our family, yit he never seemed to feel above any of us. He'd set around and tell us the curousest stories ye ever heerd." Then addressing his brother, who had fallen asleep in his chair, he roused him by asking him if he remembered what Uncle Abe "hed told them about the sun?" The reply was rather obscure, and the brothers began to discuss more personal affairs. 'LINCOLN FOLK-LORE STORIES. 165 Uncle John Hall and his younger brother indulged in many reminiscences of their early life, and I waited patiently an opportunity to interrogate the new comer in regard to the sun story. THE SUN STANDS STILL The following incident was related to me, and is here reproduced in William Hall's own vernacular: "I wus visiting brother John," said he, "and we wus all a laying out on the grass under the big locust tree at the west end of the cabin, and the sun wus jest a sinking behind the clouds, when some of us spoke up and said, 'the sun is going down and we'd better be doin' the chores.' Uncle Abe wus visitin' there then," and with a decided movement that startled me faced about quickly and addressed himself to me, fairly thundering out his question: "Wall, what do ye suppose Uncle Abe told us that night?" I could not imagine, nor did I try to, but politely insisted that the new comer should unfold the wonderful tale without further delay. Again reverting to the afternoon scene, Mr. Hall proceeded to tell the story in the same quaint manner that had distinguished all the conversations of his elder brother. "As I was a saying, the sun wus sinking, and when I mentioned the fact to Uncle Abe he jest stood right up and in sech a funny way said, 'No, the sun isn't a sinking, but we are sinking.' We all thought Uncle Abe had taken a crazy fit, and when he went on to tell us the world wus round and a turning around, too, we didn't know what to think of him. So as soon as we got into the house we jest told Grandmarm Lincoln, and she said, 'Abe knowed what he wus talking about, if it did sound crazy.' " Mr. Hall paused in his recital, the intermission taking on the com- plexion of a question, and I preserved silence, feeling sure that instinc- tively I had sized up my man, who, when once wound up, would "go on forever." Breaking out with this remark, Mr. Hall said: "Grandpap Lincoln's house wus as full of folks as it could stick, and all of us, both big and .little, begun to poke fun at Uncle Abe, who said, 'Just wait until after 166 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. supper and I'll show you how we sink, while the sun is standing still/ "We all laughed fit to kill, and I remember how Daniel D. Johnston asked Uncle Abe ef he wus'ent 'cracked?' " Mr. Hall again paused, but after a moment's silence said: "After supper Uncle Abe got a 'tater and put a pin through a button and stuck it on the 'tater, saying, 'That's us right here.' Then he turned the 'tater round and round, and sometimes the button would be on the top and then again it would be on tother side. When the button wus on the top Uncle Abe said 'it wus daytime' and when it wus on the bottom he said 'it wus night.' Then we all hollered and lafed, and some of us asked Uncle Abe what kept the folks from falling off when the 'tater wus bottom side up. A NEW KIND OF GLUE "Uncle Abe jest looked at us in a curous way and told us that there wus 'a kind of glue called gravity that made jveople stick.' " Again Mr. Hall paused, with the expectancy that I would question him further, but getting no audible suggestion from me, he proceeded by saying: "What do ye reckon Uncle Abe meant?" I answered by propounding a question: "Did you never find out what Mr. Lincoln meant?" said I. "Not exactly," answered Mr. Hall, "but I know that Uncle Abe was'ent fur from right when he said the world wus round and the sun stood still, fur my folks has been to school and the teacher says that's true." At this juncture in the conversation Mr. William Hall announced his intention of spending the night with his brother, and fearing that a postponement of the stories till morning might seriously affect them, I determined to gather more information that very night. After having settled the important fact that the younger man could share the bed with his elder brother, and that little Joe would sleep on the floor, we drifted into further conversation. As a preface I suggested that Mr. Lincoln might have been told or perhaps had read of the aforesaid facts concerning the sun, but both brothers insisted that Uncle Abe did more thinking than reading and LINCOLN FOLK-LORE STORIES. 167 they both declared that their illustrious relative "hed thought the hull thing out." 'LL JUST LAY AROUND AND THINK Immediately, Uncle John Hall, in order to illustrate the habit "fur thinking" that Mr, Lincoln possessed, told the following little incident: "'Twas during the summer of 1846 or '47," said Mr. Hall, "that Uncle Abe come up to the old log cabin and stayed almost a month, 'twas two weeks anyhow, and the reason that he stayed so long wus because he wanted to study something out about the law. Uncle Abe hed walked all the way from Springfield, about a hundred miles, and seemed kinder tired fur the first two or three days, and so he said. Til just lay around and think.' "Wall the days went along and Uncle Abe kept doin' jest the same kind of studying, a laying and a thinking, till after a while he said, 'I've done enough studying and I reckon I'd better go back to Mary.' " Uncle John Hall now addressed his brother and said to him: "Don't ye remember we hev talked with Uncle Dennis Hanks sence Uncle Abe's death about his doin' his studyin' in sech a curous way, and Uncle Dennis allers said 'it wus more laziness than studyin' or thinkin' either.' " THE HANKS AMBITION Wondering why Dennis Hanks should speak so disparagingly of Mr. Lincoln I asked for the reason. It was a mystery to both of the brothers, who declared that Uncle Abe had always been extremely kind and cordial to his cousin, but agreed that there was one thing that Uncle Abe had not done for his relative, and that was, he had failed to bestow upon Uncle Dennis Hanks an of&cial position. We fell into a speculative turn of thought, and tried to make up our minds what position Dennis Hanks would have asked for. Uncle John Hall settled the matter by saying that "Uncle Dennis and Uncle Abe both hed the Hanks ambition, and that nothin' would hev suited either of them but the Presidency of the United States." Therefore we all concluded that it was genuine jealousy and envy that possessed the soul of Uncle Dennis Hanks. 168 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. I reverted to my recent visit at Uncle Dennis Hanks' and remem- bered that he bad, upon several occasions, spoken very unpleasantly of Mr. Lincoln; consequently I addressed the following question to the brothers: "Did not Dennis Hanks ever speak kindly or admiringly of Mr. Lincoln?" Both brothers hastened to reply, but Uncle John Hall interrupted his brother's speech by saying: "Don't ye mind, Bill, how Uncle Dennis often bragged up Uncle Abe, and sed he allers knowed he was a nateral lawyer, and expected he wus goin' to git to the top^ of the ladder? THE RABBIT STORY "It WUS right after Uncle Abe wus elected to be the President of the United States that Uncle Dennis told how Uncle Abe ust to try cases when he wus a young feller, and said 'Abe could try 'em jest as good as a reglar lawyer.' "I remember a rabbit story that Uncle Dennis told me about. It wus when they all lived in Indiany, and Uncle Abe was jest a real young feller. He ketched some boys chasing a poor rabbit about until it was scared to death. Then Uncle Abe got up what they call a mock trial, and when he sentenced the feller that hunted the rabbit to death Uncle Abe said he wus too mean to be hung by the neck, and he ordered him hung by the heels." Uncle John Hall continued to quote from Uncle Dennis, who had further informed him that Mr. Lincoln was constantly going here and there to hear great men speak, and upon one occasion, when the family also lived in Indiana, Abraham Lincoln had walked a good many miles to hear a famous lawyer plead at a murder trial, and when he returned home — to us«i Mr. Half's own words — "He got all the folks together and went o\eT the hull performance, and it wus so good that everybody clapped their hands and hollered, while Grandmarm Lincoln said, Td 'low Abe 'ull be a lawyer hisself.' " A FAMOUS LAWYER No doubt this famous lawyer that Uncle Dennis Hanks referred to LINCOLN FOLK-LORE STORIES. 169 was the Hon. John A. Breckenridge, for several of Mr. Lincoln's biographers quote him as saying to Mr. Breckenridge in later years, when that gentleman called upon the President at the White House and suggested that he did not recognize him: "Yes, I do; you are John A. Breckenridge. I used to walk thirty -four miles a day to hear you plead law in Boonville, and listening to your speeches at the bar first inspired me with the determination to be a lawyer." We continued our conversation until a late hour, and the two brothers exchanged so many kindly sentiments concerning Mr. Lincoln that I could not doubt that their avowed admiration for their illustrious relative was as sincere as it was outspoken. HE WAS PROUD OF HIMSELF A pause in the conversation led me to fear that story-telling for that evening at least was over, but again Uncle John Hall broke out with his favorite remark: "Ye mind how proud Uncle Abe wus, don't ye, Bill?" This remark of Uncle John's and another diametrically opposed amused me greatly, for he had repeatedly said to me, "Uncle Abe wus orful proud," and in the next breath had affirmed that "Uncle Abe never did nohow seem any different from the rest of us." Criticising the discrepancy in these two statements, I called Uncle John's attention to the fact. Immediately he undertook to explain the difference, and in homely fashion determined the discrimination by simply saying, "Wall, Uncle Abe wus jest proud of hisself." Again we referred to great men, and when I asked the brothers if they had ever heard Mr. Lincoln mention his acquaintance with Henry Olay they had no difficulty in remembering the fact that Mr. Lincoln himself had said that his admiration for the famous orator and pro- found statesman was unbounded as a young man and before he had met him, but after a personal interview his idol was shattered. LINCOLN VISITS HENRY OLAY Again referring to Mr. Lincoln's biographers, it is universally con- 170 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. ceded by many of them that Mr. Lincoln was disappointed in Mr. Oay as a speaker. Hoping to find, however, in a personal interview the realization of that wonderful personality which he had hitherto bestowed upon his favorite, Abraham Lincoln sought and obtained an introduction to Mr. Clay. Again the man was disappointed, but upon receiving an invita- tion to call upon the statesman at his own beautiful home, Ashland, Mr. Lincoln thankfully accepted the courtesy. Again Mr. Lincoln was bitterly disappointed, the humble and ad- miring man had met the profound and eloquent orator at the threshold of his own castle; upon "common ground" each had touched the per- sonality of the other. So much in common between them, but yet so widely apart; and how was it thus? Both were self-made men; one of obscure parentage, the other of humble birth. Both of limited education; both reaching the acme of fame by the self -same road, daily and persistent exercise in reading and thinking aloud; both talking in the cornfields, both talking in the forest; one with only the silence of nature and "dumb brutes" to hear; the other receiving the hearty applause of a rude and lowly but appreciative gathering. One eloquent and magnetic, holding the interest and appreciation of cultured and distinguished audiences; the other forceful, simple and singular; swaying the common populace to almost uncontrollable en- thusiasm. Both expressing themselves with an equal fervor upon the slavery question; both believing and emphasizing the fact that slavery was wrong, and both condemning any effort looking to a sudden and violent termination of the institution. One dying before the awful insurrection had begun that led up to the final climax; the other living to be the instrument of retribution and annihilation. BOTH WERE LEADERS Both leaders; both controlled by amazing wills; both equally daunt- less and courageous; both coming in contact with men of all ranks and LtNCbLli FOLH-LORB STORIES. m professions; the one proud and dignified, the other humble and gentle, yet neither one felt that he was in the presence of a man superior to himself. Both were men of whom the country was never in doubt as to their opinions or purposes. Both were men of whom their fellow-countrymen pronounced soul-inspiring eulogies. Mr. Breckenridge, a life-long friend of Mr. Clay, said of him: "If I were to write his epitaph I would inscribe on the stone which shall mark his last resting place, 'Here lies a man who was in the public service for fifty years and never attempted to deceive his countrymen.' " Mr. J. G. Holland, one of America's famous authors, wrote of the dead President: "In Mr. Lincoln's life and character the American people have re- ceived a benefaction not less in permanent importance and value than in the revolution in opinion and policy by which he introduced them to a new national life. He has given them a statesman without a states- man's craftiness, a politician without a politician's meannesses, a great man without a great man's vices, a philanthropist without a philan- thropist's impracticable dreams, a Christian without pretensions, a ruler without the pride of place and power, an ambitious man without selfishness, and a successful man without vanity. On the basis of such manhood as this, all the coming generations of the nation will not fail to build high and beautiful ideals of human excellence, whose attractive power shall raise to a nobler level the moral sense and moral character of the nation. This true manhood — simple, unpretending, sympathetic with all humanity, and reverent toward God — is among the noblest of the nation's treasures; and through it God has breathed, and will con- tinue to breathe, into the nation, the elevating and purifying power of His own divine life." Why was it that these two great and good men, not dissimilar in many respects, the one in the habit of graciously receiving homage, the other in the habit of graciously bestowing homage, were not attracted to one another? This repulsion, or rather unattraction, was a curious circumstance, m THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. and will no doubt be a subject of speculation for a long time to come among those who read and study the character of these two great men. I KNOW WHAT MADE UNCLE ABE SAD [A-fter the above slight digression, returning to the brothers, we find them still recounting incidents and reminding one another of many simple and unforgotten events which took place at the different occa- sions upon which Mr. Lincoln came up to the old homestead. In a very decided manner Uncle John Hall made the following very startling proposition: "I believe," he said, "that I know what made Uncle Abe so sad like and allers thinkin' of somethin' away off." Naturally I was alert and asked him to give us his judgment con- cerning the cause of Mr. Lincoln's sadness. Nearly every one of Mr. Lincoln's biographers in referring to those frequent spells of extreme melancholy which overcame him attributed the cause to an early love affair, and I was fully prepared to hear Mr. Hall rehearse the same statement Upon this occasion I listened rather impatiently to his usually peculiar way of telling a story, and was not particularly interested in the first details, although I carefully heeded the preface. Tipping back in his chair and putting on an air of importance and mystery, he described the time and place. It was twilight and "Uncle Abe" and himself were strolling through the woods, when Mr. Lincoln suddenly became abstracted and remained silent so long that the abstraction and silence could no longer be endured, and Uncle John Hall broke in upon his relative's reverie by saying: "What's up. Uncle Abe? Are ye sad 'cause Ann Rutledge died?" "Uncle Abe shook his head and said, 'It isn't that, John; it isn't that.' Then he got orful still again, and I ast him ef I could help him out of his trouble. He said, 'I wish to God you could, John.* "After waiting a few minutes longer he kinder looked around, and then in a low tone, almost a whisper, said, 'I can't bear to think I don't LINCOLN FOLK-LORE STORIES. 173 know who my grandfather was.' Wall, I vow, I really thought he hed gone crazy, and I said tu him rather peart like, 'Why, what's the matter with ye. Uncle Abe? I hev heerd you and grandmarm many a time talking about yere grandfather what was killed by the Injuns.' Uncle Abe looked at me solemn like and said, 'I don't mean him; I mean my mother's father.' HAWKS, NOT HANKS "I thought that was rather a queer thing to feel bad about, so I jest said to Uncle Abe, 'Why don't you ask Uncle Dennis about it? He ort to know.' "Uncle Abe said he hed and that Uncle Dennis hed told him that his mother's name was Hawks and not Hanks, and that the name got changed after they came to Kantucky.* "Uncle Abe couldent stop talking about his grandfather that he dident know, and looking at me kinder sad like he said, 'I hope you won't feel bad, John, but I can't think that I am jest exactly like the rest of the relatives, and I firmly believe that my grandfather was a cultured gentleman from Virginia.' "Wall, Uncle Abe wus allers so curous like that I amost laffed right in his face, but he appeared so distressed about what he dident know I hedent the heart tu. "Many a time I hev thought over and wondered what difference it made to Uncle Abe whether he knowed or dident know who his grand- father wus." WHAT'S IN A NAME The members of the family were now requested by Mr. Hall to retire, and as the hour was. exceedingly late no opposition was made to his request. I could not sleep, and for hours speculated upon what I had heard. Was not Mr. Lincoln correct in his surmise? Would not his ex- planation account for his natural genius, his strong characteristics, his *This statement was corroborated by Dennis Hanks, upon whom I made a «econd brief call. IH THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINC0LI4. love for education, his ambition for elevation, and his success in reach- ing the pinnacle of fame? The Bible tells us that the iniquities of the fathers and mothers shall descend to the third and fourth generations. Then why may not likewise the talents and good traits manifest themselves in the succeeding generations, even to the fourth descent? If Mr. Lincoln's hypothesis is true then much in his character that heretofore seemed miraculous and unaccountable, is justified, and his peculiarities and characteristics were the outcome of natural laws. CHAPTER XXV. MEETING THE LITTLE GIANT IN DEBATE ONE of the most remarkable events in Abraham Lincoln's life was his contest with Senator Douglas, in 1858, for the seat in the United States Senate, which was soon to be vacated by the expiration of the term for which the latter had been elected. Mr. Lincoln often remarked that he had watched the career of Mr. Douglas with great interest. That his admiration for his tact was un- bounded and the power that Douglas had over the people called forth his respect. The more modest man had seen the powerful and influential man winning the highest honors, and if he did not envy him it was not because he was not ambitious, but because envy had no place in the heart of the humble man. From the original manuscript the following is clipped, and in Mr. Lincoln's own words: "Twenty-two years ago Judge Douglas and I became acquainted. We were both young then — he a trifle younger than I. Even then we were both ambitious — I, perhaps, quite as much as he. With me the race of ambition has been a failure — a flat failure; with him, it has been one of splendid success. His name fills the nation, and is not unknown even in foreign lands. "I affect no contempt for the high eminence he has reached. To reach that the oppressed of my species might have shared with me the elevation. I would rather stand on that eminence than wear the richest crown that ever pressed a monarch's brow." DOUGLAS RENOMINATED FOR SENATOR On the 21st of April, 1858, the Democratic convention of Illinois assembled and endorsed Mr. Douglas for Senatorial honors, and on the 16th of June, nearly two months later, the Eepublican convention con- vened, and the following resolution was unanimously adopted: 175 176 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. "That Hon. Abraham Lincoln is our first and only choice for United States Senator, to fill the vacancy about to be created by the expiration of Mr. Douglas' term of office." Mr. Lincoln did not plead ignorance concerning the intention of the convention, but, anticipating a favorable result, had prepared a speech with unusual care, and in the subject matter of that speech he had incorporated the issues of the campaign, and had laid out the ground upon which he proposed to stand. Before going to the State House to deliver his speech, Mr. Lincoln read the opening paragraph to his law partner, who advised him not to give utterance to the sentiments that it contained. Although true, he did not consider it wise to voice them at that time. The particular sentence to which his partner objected is the follow- ing: "I believe this Government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free." Mr. Lincoln replied: "The proposition is true, and I will deliver it as it is written." The entire speech was read, and its earnestness and patriotism con- vinced the convention that he had chosen wisely. The two stalwart partisans retired to prepare for the oncoming battle of words. And now the grand senatorial campaign of 1858 was begun, and Mr. Lincoln either followed close at the heels of Mr. Douglas or Mr. Douglas came in just after Mr. Lincoln's round. In this fashion the campaign went on, until Mr. Lincoln concluded to arrange for closer work, and to that end in view he sent to Mr. Douglas the following communication: DOUGLAS ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE Hon. S. A. Douglas. My dear Sir: Will it be agreeable to you to make an arrangement for you and myself to divide time and address the same audiences the present canvass? Mr. Judd, who will hand you this, is authorized to receive your answer, and, if agreeable to you, to enter into the terms of such agreement. Your obedient servant, A. LINCOLN. MEETING THE LITTLE GIANT IN DEBATE. 177 To this communication Mr. Douglas replied that recent events had arisen that would exclude such an arrangement. Yet, while he declined the general invitation, he said he was willing to make an arrangement for seven joint debates which should take place in districts where they had not already spoken. Some further correspondence passed between them until a satis- factory agreement was reached and equally satisfactory terms accepted. When the final arrangements had been completed, there yet remained three weeks before the joint debate should take place. In the interim, both of the gentlemen kept on with their independent work. At last the day arrived, and the first meeting of the series agreed upon was held at Ottawa, 111., according to appointment. A gathering of citizens, estimated at twelve thousand, had gathered to witness the wonderful struggle, a struggle between two giants — one who believed he was doing his duty, and the other who certainly could not believe that his own propositions were just and honest. And thus the two great men were pitted against each other, the one a college-bred man, cultured, brilliant, eloquent, the associate and com- panion of distinguished men and accomplished women; the other a plain man, self-made, awkward, homely, uncultured, lonely, and sad, the early associate of untutored men and women, but always, then as now, a great soul, honest, faithful, kind — the defender of the weak and the downtrodden, the protector of the innocent and helpless — his great personality filled with the inspiration of love and righteousness. BATTLE OF INTELLECTS Crowds of men and women flocked to witness the battle of the intel- lectual giants. The enthusiasm was intense. Men and women grew dizzy with excitement, and as the debate lengthened and proceeded the interest did not flag, but, if possible, increased and grew more intense. "Never was an audience more completely electrified by human elo- quence." Mr. Lincoln's logical reasoning and humorous attacks were so well directed and his exposures of the iniquities and untruths of Mr. Doug- 178 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. las' legislative action were so convincing and overwhelming that the "little giant" knew that he was worsted, was beaten by the power of honest thought, made into honest words and delivered by an honest man. Thus the little giant was defeated and thus he retired, promising to speak no more during that campaign. Mr. Lincoln was beaten in his contest for the seat of Mr. Douglas in the Senate, but how it happened was quite a mystery to the ordinary person, for Mr. Lincoln's plurality was four thousand one hundred and forty-four votes over Mr. Douglas. Had the people been permitted to decide the question, he would have secured the Senatorial honors; but the State Legislature was the tribunal that was to pass finally upon it, and its decision was against Mr. Lincoln's election. There were four- teen Democratic members in the State Senate and forty in the House, thus it was that Mr. Douglas was reseated. Abraham Lincoln was defeated after having passed through a pow- erful and persistent contest, a contest that had been fought by him, fairly, good-naturedly, magnanimously, and with a skill rarely if ever surpassed. TOO BIG TO CRY No doubt Mr. Lincoln felt disappointed at his defeat, for he was human, and to be human is to be ambitious; however, he made no further allusion to the matter than to give one of his characteristically quaint and humorous replies when he was asked how he felt, as the returns came in announcing his defeat. "Too badly to laugh," he said, and "too big to cry." Though defeated in the senatorial contest he did not retire to the privacy of a "done-up politician." The admiration of the people for Abraham Lincoln was greater than ever, and the masses in the West cherished profound respect for the man, whose purpose had always been to serve the highest and best His masterly effort in handling the great and oncoming issue of the country; his significant and solemn words concerning the result if unwise or careless action should be employed, and his promises and vows MEETING THE LITTLE GIANT IN DEBATE. 179 to stand by the people in their hour of perplexity and doubt, built up for him a reputation that could never be overthrown and a love that could never be repudiated. The year 1858 and the following one found Mr. Lincoln in compara- tive leisure, although he had all of the professional business that he could attend to. His enemies and many of his friends and acquaintances said, "Lincoln appears to be pretty quiet now-a-days," and many wise- acres shook their heads gravely, and solemnly declared that the contest through which he had recently passed and the defeat he had suffered bad "completely used up Abe Lincoln." It was not so, for the man towards whom these thoughts were directed and of whom these words were spoken was quietly biding his time, preparing for the struggle that he knew was coming to the nation. After this period of rest and apparent lack of interest in national affairs, the silent man bestirred himself, and again appeared in the political arena. THE WESTERN TRIP His attention was turned to the people of that territory which was embraced in Mr. Douglas' proposed bill, and to that district he directed his course of action. Westward, ho! he went, and the people of that land received him and made of him an elder brother; aye, even more than that, they wel- comed him as the champion of justice and the hero who had fought their battles with such masterly ability and skill. On entering the principal towns he was met by large processions of people and escorted by them to the places of assembly. Dense crowds gathered upon the sidewalks that lined the passage, while windows, doors and porches were filled with women and children anxious to catch a glimpse of the man whose cry of warning had gone out and reached the people of this Western world. The time arrived for his speechmaking. The halls were crowded to suffocation, and the audiences were wild with enthusiasm. When his Western tour was ended, he had gained the affections and secured the 180 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. trust of nearly every man and woman in Kansas and its adjacent territory. Mr, Lincoln was now aroused to such a strong conviction of the com- ing struggle that he laid aside personal comfort, and went into the fight with all the determination and vigor of a soul that realizes the danger ahead and is preparing to meet the onslaught. WHO SHOULD SAY HiM NAY Mr. Lincoln may have had ambition for greater political honor than he had yet received. Be that so, the service that he was rendering his country was grand, powerful, honest and well-directed, and if he desired to hold the reins of Government who had the right to say to him nay? Who could decry his works? Who could defame his honor? Who could assail his intent? And who could question his purpose? What other man in the broad land could equal him in word or deed? What other man could stand side by side with him and deal as forceful blows for right and justice? What other man had so clearly outlined the perils that threatened the country? What other man had so boldly proclaimed the result that surely would come to a divided nation? What other man had the courage to antagonize a large and prosperous section because he believed that the wrong should be righted and the oppressed delivered? No one. Then why should not this man use his strength and exercise his power? Abraham Lincoln had made a tremendous impression upon all who had heard him. His strange and peculiar influence was quietly leaven- ing the whole mass, and many were watching his future with intense interest. He was now a central figure, an unique figure, that stood out boldly and defied the opinions of men. WHO IS ABRAHAM LINCOLN He was a representative man, and already was regarded, by the masses of the new party, at the West, as the best man for the next Presi- dential campaign. His masterly debates with Mr. Douglas had been talked about and MEETING THE LITTLE GIANT IN DEE A TE. 181 had been read; but still he was not much known among the people of the East His field of labor and speech was so distant and so peculiarly simple and plainly honest that the cultured politicians and their followers knew but little of the great Western giant. Had they been told that in so short a space of time, less than two years, that Abraham Lincoln would be elected President of the United States many, very many, would have said, "Who is Abraham Lincoln?" But at the West every- body knew "Old Abe." He was the friend of the people, "the cham- pion of freedom and free labor." To look upon him was to look upon a lion. To shake hands with him was such a privilege that the favored one was boastful in the extreme. CHAPTER XXVI. THE HONEST LAWYER THOUGH Mr. Lincoln had been intensely absorbed in and devoted to the political issues of the times, yet he had established an ex- tensive law practice, although not a particularly lucrative one. Many of his clients were poor and unfortunate, and the "good man" had defended them without fees, for his generous heart could never refuse an appeal for help. Mr. Lincoln's career as a lawyer covered a period of a quarter of a century, beginning in 1835. When he began his professional life, he was an obscure and un- promising youth, with but little learning. Step by step, with patient industry and unflinching determination, he climbed the ladder of pro- fessional advancement, until he stood among the foremost lawyers of the West. For the benefit of young men contemplating a legal profession, would it not be interesting to go over the ground covering Mr. Lincofn's life as a student at law and a practitioner? No doubt an account of the hard and severe lines drawn around his earliest attempts and subsequent years of endeavor and effort will reconcile many a discouraged man to the lesser hardships of the present time. The history of his legal battles, the successes of his later years and the reputation that he established for honesty, fairness and achieve- ment will urge the aspiring student to renewed effort and direct his thoughts into healthful channels. The study of law with Mr. Lincoln had been long and tedious. He had picked it up at odd times, as he could secure, now and then, a few spare moments from duties that were often disagreeable and of seem- ingly no importance. After having waited upon a customer in the little country store, he would turn to his book and snatch a sentence here and there. Then 1?2 THE HONEST LAWYER. I83 again he would rise early in the morning or sit by the flickering light of a tallow dip late into the night striving to read and ponder over the words, and sentences, and phrases that made up the only law book that he possessed. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES How different from now-a-days, when the young student has all the advantages of a complete law library. He finds all of the books that he desires or needs in the offices of the lawyers with whom he is study- ing. Or, if combining the study of law with his means of a livelihood, he goes to the public libraries, which are always open, and spends his evenings and any other time that he may command as his own in the quiet and comfortable rooms, set apart for reference and reading. The poor boy has the same privilege to study and use the lore that his rich neighbor has, and thus he is denied neither books, warmth nor light. Mr. Lincoln's struggle for an education, and especially a legal edu- cation, went on into the years of his manhood until at last he had acquired sufficient learning to admit him to the bar, but the unyielding struggle for a livelihood still kept up. All the first years of his legal experience were hard and severe, and his lack of a thorough legal education was hard to overcome, but the man did not give up, though he may have lost heart oftentimes. There were then, as now, great lawyers, scholarly men, deep and able, and these men Mr. Lincoln came in contact with. They did not dishearten or abash him, but gave him the incentive to strive more and struggle harder for the mastery. This he could not fail to accomplish, for industry, energy and per- severance always succeed, and all those qualities he possessed, Mr. Lincoln took whatever came to him, and put his best efforts into his work. It was soon discovered by his legal friends or opponents and his clients that his great common sense led him into a just and fair conception of a man's legal rights, and upon this principle all his suits were tried. This truth never went back on him, and thus from year to year his experience ripened and his education went right on. Mr. Lincoln's legal career was remarkable because of the extreme 184 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. disadvantages under which he secured the right to practice law. It is an example that every boy should profit by, and see in it the possibility of accomplishing any result, no matter how difficult and thorny the path may be that leads up to it. A POWERFUL ADVOCATE This wonderful man had so won the esteem and admiration of the people of his own town and State that he was alluded to as the first lawyer in the State. Although not regarded by his legal friends and associates as a learned counselor, he was considered a powerful advocate. Into all the years of his professional life he carried his principles of fairness, and never resorted to trickery or chicanery. He was shrewd to be sure, but never cunning; he was clever, but never dishonest. He always made it a point not to take a case in which he did not believe that he was on the side of justice. But before deciding in his own mind he employed every possible means to get at the truth, and if he then de- termined to reject the case he charged no fee for the work that had been done, no matter how laborious, nor how much time had been engaged. Upon the other hand, however, a cause once espoused he entered into the legal arena with all the force and vigor of an ancient Sj)artan. Mr. Lincoln used none of the legal tactics entertained by the ordinary modern lawyer. He did not attempt to confuse or badger a witness. His questions were plain and practical, and ever had a direct bearing upon the point at issue, and never otherwise. RIGHT MUST PREVAIL Then the fairness that he was wont to represent was real and nft mistake about it. Coming from the people, and having passed all the years of his life among them, he understood all their methods, manners and ideas, and it was this knowledge of their daily life and his sym> pathy in their affairs that made him so successful and popular. Mr. Lincoln devoted himself to the real issue of the question to the rights of his clients, irrespective of himself or his distinction; therefor? ^ THE HONEST LAWYER. 1S5 he did nothing to dazzle the jury or to captivate the audience, the simple eloquence of justice and the divine power of equity were his armaments. So sure was he that right would prevail and that dis- honesty and fraud would be their own executioners, that he merely led the unwary victim quietly and surely along the fatal plank which carried him to his just doom. Mr. Lincoln's legal fees were regarded by the brethren of the "law craft" as ridiculously small, and more than once he was chided by lawyer associates, who taxed him with robbing the profession of its just dues. To these remarks it is said Mr. Lincoln replied, "The law permits no man to be robbed, and neither does it rob any man." ARBITRATION VERSUS CONTESTS He was the poor man's friend, the widow's adviser and the orphan's counselor. Their appeals and claims were never rejected. Unselfish attention was only given to their complaints, and such counsel admin- istered as lawyers generally indulge in. Arbitration rather than contest was his motto, and upon this healthful and wise method were his decisions based. It is the universal testimony of many of his old associates that more cases, by his advice, were settled without trial than were ever carried by Lincoln into the courts, and oftentimes without charge to his clients. A biographer of Mr. Lincoln testifies to the use of his time and talent, and the fact that he was a poor man, in the following statement, "That with greater love of money and less sympathy for his fellows, he might have easily acquired a fortune." Perhaps it would be rather strong language to say that Mr. Lincoln never tried a case for the money that was in it, but he was known to have conducted many cases without finding any money in them. The poor and weak never applied to him in vain. He was ever ready to defend them, and often instead of receiving a fee for his services, paid out money to carry on the case. In one instance, if not in more, he did not wait to be called upon, but offered his services without money and without price. 186 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. THE FAMOUS MURDER TRIAL The son of a woman who had been kind and helpful to Mr. Lincoln, when a poor young man, had been held to trial for an alleged murder. The scene of the murder was some distance from Springfield, and Mr. Lincoln knew nothing of the merits of the case, but he knew that his old friend was in sore trouble. He wrote immediately to the distressed mother and offered his services, and they were thankfully accepted. The excitement attending the circumstance of the murder was so great that Mr. Lincoln felt that justice could not be secured at any price, therefore a postponement of the trial was secured, and then Mr. Lincoln took time to inquire thoroughly into the particulars of the case. He became convinced that the man was innocent, and in his own way he set to work to clear him of the foul charge. A change of trial was obtained and the case came up at the appointed time. To all but Mr. Lincoln it seemed a hopeless affair, and everyone, without a single dissenting voice, declared that the man would be found guilty. Mr. Lincoln's destruction of the evidence against the prisoner was wonderful, and his plea for the freedom of the accused was powerful. So completely overthrown was the damaging evidence and so convinc- ing was the plea of innocence that the jury returned with a verdict of "Not guilty" in less than an hour. The thankful mother and grateful son could not express their grati- tude in adequate words. Mr. Lincoln relieved their embarrassment and anxiety by simply saying, "I have now discharged an old debt." Abraham Lincoln never forgot a kindness, no matter how small or insignificant. He treasured the deed and ever kept it in grateful re- membrance, hoping and longing for the day when he should be able to not only return the favor but add to it the interest of love and faithfulness. VISITS CHICAGO Though Mr. Lincoln's practice was, as heretofore stated, largely a country clientele, yet he now and then came to Chicago for the purpose THE HONEST LAWYER. m of attending such cases as he might have in the United States Distriet Court. Unlike most men who, having been brought up in the country, usually seek the ordinary street sights and evening pleasures of city life, Mr. Lincoln rather avoided them and rambled along the quiet shores of the great lake. His various homes had all been located in inland territory, and the vast expanse of water which greeted his vision at Chicago delighted him. Spending an evening with a friend who resided on Michigan d, venue, and from whose house an uninterrupted view of the lake was obtained, Mr. Lincoln remarked to his hostess, "I am sure there can be no more beautiful sight than this before us." The moon was at its greatest brilliancy, and not a cloud obscured its splendor. A gentle breeze stirred the bosom of the lake, and the moonbeams played hide and seek with the "frolicsome ripples. They lapped the shore in sportive play and their musical monotone fell on listening ears. The man so unacquainted with other than plain and undiversifled country was deeply affected, and said to his friends, "I hope some day to visit the beautiful and picturesque countries of foreign lands and view their wonderful scenery." Pausing a moment, then rising to his full height, he bent forward and scrutinized the scene. His face was aglow with delight. Turning to the little group of people he said with unusual enthusiasm, "I have always wanted to see the Bay of Naples, but can there be anything more splendid than this magnificent sheet of water?" Mr. Lincoln possessed even at this period in his career a number of admirers among the then prominent citizens of Chicago, who recognized the man's sterling worth long before the outside world talked of him, and prophesied his future greatness, AN ARRAY OF LEGAL TALENT Though Mr. Lincoln was modest in the extreme, so far as his merits, worth or ability were concerned, yet when his self-esteem was touched 188 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. or his ideas of riglit and propriety attacked, he was as quick to resent such affronts as any other man. An important suit, McCormick versus Manney, was pending in Cin- cinnati, and Mr. Lincoln had been engaged by the defense to make a speech, the fee for the same being one thousand dollars and paid in advance. The day arrived and Mr. Lincoln set out for Cincinnati, where he arrived in a most deplorable condition. His tall, gaunt figure w?^ en- cased in a long linen duster, soiled with the grime and dust of a long journey and streaked with perspiration. A high hat perched upon his head added to his unusual stature, and he did indeed present a ludicrous picture. The verdict was given by the citizens of Cincinnati that the Western lawyer might, perhaps, be something of a speaker, but versed in legal lore — oh, no! never. The array of legal talent upon either side was most brilliant: Hon. Eeverdy Johnson, for the McCormicks; and the Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, with several other lawyers equally as great, and Abraham Lincoln, for the defense. THE WESTERN LAWYER Mr. Lincoln's attire and Western manners attracted even more com- ment in the court room than they had upon the streets, and when he entered the halls of justice and took his seat with the other legal gen- tlemen his droll appearance created considerable amusement. Mr. Stanton refused to speak if Mr. Lincoln did, giving for his excuse that he did not care to publicly associate himself with the uncouth Western lawyer. Abraham Lincoln was apprised of the statement that Mr. Stanton nad made, and though surprised and offended simply acquiesced. When it came Mr. Lincoln's turn to make the speech which he had prepared, and, without exposing Mr. Stanton, he quietly and dispassionately remarked, "I have nothing to say." It was contrary to Mr. Lincoln's sense of right to accept remunera- EARLY PHOTOGRAPH OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. (By courtesy of H. W. Fay, DeKalb, 111.) The above photograph was taken at the time of Lincoln's famous Cooper Institute speech, N. Y. City. THE HONEST LAWYER. 189 tion for unperformed service, and the man's reputation for honesty was so thoroughly established that his friends were not in the least surprised when they learned that he had returned the fee. At this time Mr. Lincoln was a poor man, a very poor man, and to many another man, in the same situation, the temptation would have been great indeed, so great that no doubt the money would have been retained, claiming that it was no fault of his that he did not perform the service. ABOVE RESENTMENT Mr. Lincoln never forgot the slight, but did not allow the matter to interfere with an after conclusion that Mr. Stanton was the proper man to serve in his cabinet as Secretary of War. With Mr. Lincoln's modest estimate of his own services and his friendly feeling to all of his clients it is not to be wondered at that he made no money, that he was not able to indulge in luxuries, and oftentimes lacked the modest comforts of daily life. But what is wealth compared to his matchless character, to his manly deeds, to his kind and considerate thought, to his honesty and integrity, to his sympathy and tenderness, to his unflinching purpose and his glorious death? The boy is father to the man. His childhood was pregnant with the possibilities of his wonderful future, his youth was prophetic of his manly character, his manhood was the realization of all loveliness, and his translation was the birth of an archangel. CHAPTER XXVII. THE FAMOUS EASTERN TRIP THE latter part of 1859 and the first months of 1860 Mr. Lincoln had visited various portions of the United States and delivered a number of masterful speeches. His fame as a political speaker was growing, and now the Eastern cities were calling him. It would be foolish to think that Abraham Lincoln was not flattered with the honor thus conferred upon him; that he should really be de- sired by the learned and cultured citizens of the older and more advanced section of the United States. He was delighted at the prospect of so extended a trip, and also pleased that he had won the right to address such audiences as he would meet in the large and wealthy cities of the East. He hoped also that he might have the opportunity of meeting in debate his old antag- onist, Judge Douglas. The opportunity came at last through the press of New York, and an invitation was extended to him to speak in Brooklyn at Henry Ward Beecher's church. On Saturday, the 25th day of February, 1860, Mr. Lincoln arrived in New York city, and learned that instead of speaking at Mr. Beecher's church, as heretofore announced, it had been arranged to have him give his address at the Cooper Institute in New York city. On learning that he was expected to speak in New York instead of Brooklyn, he went immediately to his hotel and spent the entire day in modifying and changing his manuscript thus making it the most elaborate speech of his life. AGITATED POLITICIANS On Siunday, Mr. Lincoln attended Mr. Beecher's church, and after- wards expressed himself as being highly pleased with the sermon and the church service in general. 190 THE FAMOUS EASTERN TRIP. ' 191 When waited upon on Monday by representative members of the Republican Club, under whose auspices he was to appear, he surprised and rather mortified the elegant and prominent citizens of the great Eastern metropolis, for they found him attired in a new, cheap, un- fashionable and badly wrinkled suit of black clothes. The Western orator seemed to this committee of polished gentlemen an exceedingly curious, homely man, and when Mr. Lincoln, sensing their criticisms, talked freely of his unbecoming and common attire, and furthermore expressed, like a schoolboy, his delight at finding himself in a large city, the gentlemen felt great misgivings and feared the committee had made a grave blunder in inviting a man apparently so uncultured and uncouth to speak before so distinguished an assem- blage as they knew would gather to listen to one who it was reported had so ably combated the little giant in the West. Mr. Lincoln had prepared no copies of his speech, and this extreme ignorance of the methods of Eastern speakers, and his remark that he doubted very much whether any of the daily papers of so great a city would care to publish it entire, was fresh cause for alarm, and a number of the members were agitated and fearful of the outcome. LINCOLN'S ESTIMATE OF WEALTH Being at leisure all that day, he accepted an invitation to ride about the city. Some of the more important streets were passed through, and a number of large establishments visited. Mr. Lincoln was delighted with all that he saw, and expressed his pleasure in plain language, language which did not conceal his ignorance of city affairs, nor cover up the fact that he was a traveler of very small pretensions. At one place he met an old acquaintance from Illinois. Mr. Lincoln addressed him after the manner of Western greeting by inquiring how he had fared since leaving the West. His acquaintance replied: "I have made a hundred thousand dollars since I came to New York, but have lost it all." Then questioning Mr. Lincoln, he said: "How is it with you?" The reply was characteristic of the man, but its sentiment surprised and amazed a wealthy New York banker, who was a member 192 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. of the committee and accompanied Mr. Lincoln on his tour of inspection: "Oh, very well," said Mr. Lincoln; "I have the home at Springfield and about eight thousand dollars in money. If they make me Vice-Presi- dent V7ith Seward, as some say they will, I hope I shall be able to increase it to twenty thousand, and that is as much as any man ought to want" In a photographer's studio on Broadway, Mr. Lincoln was introduced to Mr. George Bancroft, the historian. The contrast which he presented to this cultured and polite gentleman was certainly not to his advant- age, but there was an indefinable natural grace and kindness of heart, though rather brusk of manner and untutored in the ways of the polite world, that secured the respect and involuntary good will of all who knew or ever met him. FEAR OF STAGE FRIGHT Mr. Lincoln was now becoming oppressed with the unusual scenes about him. The studied politeness of the committee annoyed and fretted him. His own insignificance, which was the verdict of the people as he then supposed, and his anxiety over his important work for the evening, were beginning to tell upon him. Excusing himself, he went to his hotel and gave way to reflection and meditation. It was acknowledged by Mr. Lincoln's associates that he afterward told them of his misgivings and almost sheer despair, and in referring to the state of mind he was in at that time he said, "I suppose I was suffering from that unpleasant and disagreeable disease, 'stage fright.' " It was a strange fact but it was quite true, that Mr. Lincoln was very apt to be oppressed with a sense of his own insignificance, and equally as true that while he had exalted aspirations and ambitions, and was ready to undertake high and difficult tasks, yet he always bore about with him a sense of his imperfections and experienced a sort of surprise at every success. Indeed, his triumphs became the subjects of his study. They really puzzled him, and in frequent conversations with others he betrayed his desire to find the secrets of his own oower. THE FAMOUS EASTERN TRIP. 193 THE SECOND FAMOUS SPEECH The evening arrived, and when Mr. Lincoln entered the hall he found the room fiUed; there had arisen a great and widespread curiosity to see him. That subtle and mysterious means of communication from mind to mind had sounded the tocsin and a multitude had gathered. Mr. Lincoln had not entirely recovered from his depression and anxiety, and when he mounted the platform and passed to the front the cynosure of all those elegant men and accomplished women seated thereon he made no visible sign, but his fine intuition and mental alert- ness told him that his unusual height, his gaunt form, his awkward manner and his ordinary clothes were the subjects of much criticism. He was somewhat relieved of his embarrassment and annoyance by the graceful manner in which the venerable William CuUen Bryant introduced him. Mr. Lincoln began his speech in a low and somewhat monotonous tone, but as his embarrassment wore off and also discovering that his audience were giving him most respectful attention, he warmed up to his subject in his own way, and, as though addressing an open-air audi- ence, his voice took on the familiar tones and rose loud and clear, until every one in the vast gathering caught every word. His speech contained words of profoundest wisdom, and as he broke down the statements of falsehood and upset illogical reasoning, the crowd broke into "sudden and hearty" applause, not so boisterous or demonstrative as the applause of his Western audiences, but fully as enthusiastic and genuine. THE DYING INJUNCTION FULFILLED Here the backwoods orator found one of his most appreciative audi- ences, one which gave abundant testimony that it was listening to a masterly effort. In this gathering of cultured and distinguished citizens of New York city "Honest Abe" had struck a responsive note, the chord of harmony vibrated, and set up an answering sweetness of melody that returned to the great soul, in the future years, over and over again. 194 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Nancy Hanks Lincoln's boy had become a great man. Her dying injunction to the child, "Be kind to your little sister, to your father and grow up a good and great man," had all come true. This was a moment of triumph. Why should not the mother descend from the shining court and bend in loving tenderness and holy benediction over her obedient son? Mr. Lincoln had finished his wonderful speech, so wonderful and so full of facts and statements concerning unexplored fields that the gentlemen who prepared his speech for an after campaign document were surprised by the amount of research that it required to be able to make the speech, and the time that it took for the purpose of verifying the statements contained in the address. THE FIRST CLUB DINNER At the conclusion of the meeting Mr. Lincoln was invited to supper by some of the most distinguished gentlemen in New York. The party adjourned to the Atheneum Club, and among these friends Mr. Lincoln opened his heart and talked like a boy. He had been successful and he knew it. He was full of humor, and entertained the company with peculiar jokes and quaint stories till a late hour, and when Mr. Lincoln parted with his new friends they were as much charmed with his natural and inborn grace of character as they had been instructed by his won- derful speech. The city papers were filled with his speech, and favorable comments upon it. The Western rail-splitter was a lion. "Critics read the speech and marveled at its pure and compact English, its felicity of statement and its faultless logic." The boy born and reared in a cabin, with almost absolutely no advantages, had become a peer. His days of manual labor, hardships and privations were over, but days of greater suffering and toil were before him. The intellectual giant stood before the world, the gentle and tender man was in their presence, but the great emancipator, the struggling gladiator and the dying martyr appeared in the hazy dis- tance and was fast approaching. THE FAMOUS EASTERN TRIP. 193 A VISIT TO THE MISSION SUNDAY SCHOOL Mr, Lincoln spent several days in New York city viewing the won- ders, most of his explorations being made alone and unattended, and he was thus free to seek what interested him most. In relating afterwards his experience to a personal friend, he re- marked that his visit to the Sunday school at Five Points Mission was exceedingly interesting. Mr. Lincoln's peculiar and unusual appearance always attracted attention wherever he went, and as soon as he entered the Sunday school the teachers and pupils noticed the stranger. His interest in the boys, who had been gathered from the streets, was so noticeable that the superintendent invited him to speak to the children. As usual, his audience was so greatly pleased that when he stopped the boys insisted that he tell more stories. He did not announce his identity until he was leaving the building, and then, in answer to the sui)erintendent's inquiry as to whom the boys were in- debted for the kind and pleasant address, he merely said, "I am Abraham Lincoln of Illinois." Invitations were now sent to Mr. Lincoln from all parts of the New England States, and he always spoke to immense audiences. A VISIT TO SON ROBERT Mr. Lincoln was heard to remark, after his return home, that his trip had been exceedingly pleasant and beneficial, for he had combined pleasure and duty. During his engagements in Massachusetts he had taken the oppor- tunity of visiting his son Eobert, who was then a student at Harvard, and here Mr. Lincoln had the pleasure of meeting many distinguished professors. In alluding to his son's standing in college, he said, 'If reports are true, the boy already knows much more than his father." Mr. Lincoln had always impressed it upon his friends and acquaint- ances that they should give to their children aU the educational advant- ages that were possible, for, as he said, "My own lack of schooling has been a source of mortification to me and the hard labor of older years 196 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. to secure what little education I have, I would not impose upon a dumb brute." Carrying into his home life the same advice that he gave his friends, he bestowed upon his children a thorough educational training. No doubt the young readers of this book will be interested to know that the young Harvard student, Robert Lincoln, whom Mr. Lincoln referred to as knowing more than his father, is now a prominent and distinguished attorney in the city of Chicago. "A MAN'S A IWAN FOR A' THAT" Mr. Lincoln returned to his Western home exceedingly gratified by the kindness and attention that had been extended to him in the East, by the expressions of good will and by the praise and adulation be- stowed upon him. He did not receive all this extraordinary approval and commendation with a spirit of pride and arrogance, but appeared more full of humility than ever, and declared that he was quite unworthy such tribute. Mr. Lincoln was still a simple-hearted, ingenuous man, and his tri- umphs were an enigma to himself. All this seemed wonderful to Mr. Lincoln, for he really had no anticipation of such extravagant success among the learned and literary men of the Eastern States. He had learned, however, that the people of the United States judge a man by the same unfailing rule, "What he is, and what he can do. Not by the clothes that he wears, nor the wealth that he possesses, nor the Wood that flows in his veins." CHAPTER XXVlll. PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION ANOTHEE year of a Presidential campaign, with its excitement and election, had been reached, and the people recognized that the issues were tremendous; that the course of action involved serious thought, that the leader must be wise, strong, faithful, brave, heroic and trustworthy. The Eastern world advanced its claims as to age and superiority, and presented its strongest and ablest candidates. The people of the Western section rent the air with cries for a "man of the people," and presented their claims. Vigor and strength belonged to the new country, and the populace clamored for its honest and faithful candi- date, a son of the soil who possessed courage, firmness and wisdom. A KANGAROO PARTY This adulation for the "uncouth Westerner" was embarrassing to the political leaders, who felt that it would be suicide to put up such a candidate, and yet were convinced that some kind of political honor would be demanded for this man, Abraham Lincoln. Accordingly, a Cameron and Lincoln club was organized in Chicago and a committee appointed to wait upon Mr. Lincoln and ask him to run on the Kepub- lican ticket as Vice-President with the Hon. Simon Cameron, of Penn- sylvania, as the Presidential candidate. The chairman of the committee found Mr. Lincoln a vastly different man than he had expected to meet, just the reverse of a coarse, unpol- ished, rude backwoodsman. A quiet, dignified gentleman received him. Mr. Lincoln listened to the gentleman from Chicago with perfect com- posure and unconcern, and to the surprise of the gentleman from the Windy City Mr. Lincoln did not appear to feel honored by the compli- ment that the politician flattered himself he was paying him. The committee waited in surprised silence at Mr. Lincoln's delayed reply. The gre^t man pi^itated, then looking directly into the faces 197 198 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. of the committee, displayed in his brief reply the shrewdness of the most astute and diplomatic politician by saying: "Gentlemen, wouldn't that be a sort of kangaroo ticket, with the heavies-t part on the tail end?" The distinguished, gentlemen from Chicago quietly withdrew, "sadder but wiser men," Shortly after this the movement towards making Mr. Lincoln the Republican candidate for the Presidency took form. Many "wise heads" looked unutterable things, but the enthusiasm and love of the common people created a sentiment that could not be overlooked. THE RAILSPLITTER The State Bepublican Convention was held at Decatur, 111., on tne 10th of May, 1860, and though Mr. Lincoln was present only as a spec- tator, yet when he entered the hall he was greeted with such enthusi- asm as few men are favored with. He had hardly taken his seat when it was announced "that an old Democrat from Macon desired to make the convention a present." The offer was accepted, and two old rails were borne into the convention, gaily decorated and bearing the inscrip- tion, "Abraham Lincoln, the rail-splitter, candidate for the Presidency in 1860." The effect upon the audience was instantaneous, and prolonged cheers made the very roof vibrate. Mr. Lincoln was called upon to ex- plain the matter of the rails. This he did, telling of his first work in Illinois, which was felling trees, splitting them into rails and fencing his father's little farm. Mr, Lincoln said : "I have no doubt but that splitting rails is a commendable and necessary occupation, but still I cannot see how rail-splitting is in any way allied to the duties of the Presidency," The West clamored for the national convention, and the East sup- posed that there was no other place on the continent than the territory lying between the Atlantic ocean and the Alleghanies. The shuflBe was lively and interesting. Were there ever such claims presented? Now one district was considered for its accommodations and conveniences, now the other for its access and freedom, and so the shuttle flew back and forth until, weary of its struggles, it stopped and PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION. 199 rested upon the destined place. The inter-ocean city had harbored the toiler; the chosen place of convention passed into history, and Chicago took on a new and more important attire. CHICAGO AND THE WIGWAM The city, young and ambitious, lay along the western shore of Lake Michigan. It felt its honors and was in gala day attire; every house and building was decorated with bunting and flags. The delicious breezes, laden with the aroma of wild flowers, and filled with the strength and energy of freedom and space, came rushing along over the Western prairies and caught the nation's insignia, swirling and whirl- ing and tossing it till the air was a sea of colored harmony. Bed, white and blue flaunted their brilliant colors against the somber gray of the buildings, and mingled with the pale green and sapphire tints of the great lake, stretching out against the distant horizon. The railroad trains were constantly discharging their loads of human freight and the city was filled with eager spectators. Many were in some way connected with the convention; more had merely come out of curiosity. New delegations were arriving, banners were flying, and bands were playing. The hotels were filled with distinguished men and the streets were full of sightseers. Women and children were out in large numbers, and they made a gay appearance with their bright- colored dresses and gay decorations. THE MOWIENTOUS OCCASION The Republican convention assembled at Chicago on the sixteenth day of June, 1860. Everybody knew that a severe political storm was ahead, and consequently there was an unusual excitement attending the Presidential nomination. An immense crowd had gathered in Chicago, and a huge building called "The Wigwam" had been erected for the sessions of the convention. From the first it became evident that the contest for Presidential honors lay between the Hon. William H. Seward, of New York, and Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois. The morning of the seventeenth arrived, and the air was full of greater and more intense excitement than on the preceding day. The 300 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. hotels and private houses were crowded to suffocation, and "The Wig- wam" was taxed to its uttermost. The streets were literally jammed with men and women from the outlying districts, who came in on the early morning trains and left on the late afternoon trains — men and women "Who represented humble homes, evidently "hewers of wood, drawers of "water and tillers of the soil." These were the populace, and the people's choice was bravely and fearlessly defended by the faithful champions. The chiefs of the Eastern delegations looked on with contempt and derision, and were more than self-confident that a candidate, backed by such a motley crowd, could never secure the vote of the convention. The sights and sounds of the streets beggar description, so says an eye- witness. "ABE LINCOLN IS NOWIINATED" The proceedings of the convention were carried on under unusual excitement and interest, and when the final ballot was announced and the people realized that their favorite had been chosen, for a moment a deathlike stillness prevailed, then a storm of wild and uncontrollable enthusiasm rent the air. The news was communicated to the guard stationed on the roof, who sang out to the surging crowds in the streets below, "Abe Lincoln is nominated." When the cheering inside the wigwam died away the roar on the outside began again and the enthu- siasm reached such a tumult of excitement that the thundering salute of the cannon was unheard by many in the convention hall. The entire city of Chicago was wild with delight, guns were fired and decorated and illuminated rails were carried about the streets. The news spread over the country like wild fire. Brazen tongues and iron throats added their praise to the multitude of human voices that echoed and re-echoed the glad tidings. THE TELEGRAIVI AND WHAT BECAME OF IT In the little city of Springfield, two hundred miles away from the scene of the boisterous tumult exhibited in the city of Chicago, Abra- ham Lincoln sat quietly awaiting the news. It was an awful moment PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION. 201 He would soon be the commanding figure of a great nation, or a cast- off politician, with his hopes and ambitions forever blighted. Sudden- ly, in the midst of a silent and anxious waiting, the telegraph messenger entered and excitedly announced the wonderful news. One of the gen- tlemen present who had been keeping Mr. Lincoln company, jumped upon a table and shouted, "Three cheers for Abraham Lincoln, the next President of the United States." The message was then handed to Mr. Lincoln, who read its contents silently, then aloud. After the excite- ment had in a measure subsided he rose from his sitting posture, pock- eted the telegram, calmly remarked that there was a "little woman living on Eighth street who had some interest in the matter," and im- mediately went to his home. THE RED-LETTER DAY This was a red-letter day for Springfield, the citizens thronged his house and expressed their joy in enthusiastic congratulations. On the following day, which was Saturday, the President of the Ee- publican convention, at the head of a committee, visited Springfield to apprise Mr. Lincoln officially of his nomination. His friends in Spring- field had presented him with hampers of wines and liquors in order that he might extend to the committee the usually expected hospitality. This matter troubled Mr. Lincoln sorely, but true to his convictions of right and wrong he returned the gift, and made ready for the reception according to his own ideas of hospitality. If the gentlemen wondered at the total absence of stimulants no one heard any remarks concern- ing this unusual proceeding. The chairman of the committee presented to Mr. Lincoln the official announcement of his nomination. Mr. Lincoln's reply to the chair- man of the committee was saturated with a sad gravity. There was no pride in his manner, no exultation in his speech. The pressure of a new and great responsibility weighted his spirits and was clearly noticeable in his reply to the gentleman who had announced his nomina- tion. 203 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. ACCEPTING THE NOMINATION On the twenty-third day of June Mr. Lincoln penned his letter of formal acceptance and sent it to the committee. Abraham Lincoln was now placed before the nation a candidate for the highest honor that it is possible to bestow upon man. Born in the humblest of dwellings, of obscure parentage, and living for fully thirty years in an environment of severe and homely conditions, he had raised himself by his own exertion and force of manly charac- ter into national recognition. A popular and unique personage, he com- manded the affectionate solicitude and curious interest of thirty mil- lions of people in his own country and a host of nations throughout the civilized world. CHAPTER XXIX. THE CAMPAIGN ANEW and entirely unknown life was now begun, and could not be stayed. Its import and greatness oppressed Mr. Lincoln, not because he feared to stem tlie criticism of his new associates in regard to his manners and habits; not because he dreaded the cere- monies and fashionable life at the capital; not because he feared defeat, but because he had measured the length and breadth of the tortuous and dangerous way that lay before him if he should be the people's choice. The summer and fall months of this eventful year rolled by. The campaign had no parallel — the enthusiasm of the people was like a great conflagration, like a prairie fire before a tornado; it was a crusade against oppression. In every city in the Northland wigwams were built, eloquent addresses were delivered by the great men of the land. Every hamlet and every burg had their rousing stump speeches from ambitious and loyal aspirants, wide-awake processions were formed, and men, women, boys and girls turned out and joined the noisy and enthusiastic processions. It was universally conceded that Mr. Lincoln would be elected and he was treated as one already having the reins of government in his hands, yet he remained the same kind-hearted and simple-minded man as heretofore; in fact, he was more humble and sympathetic than ever. He extended the same kind and helpful consideration to all and maintained the same friendly intercourse with those who had shared his poverty and obscurity. He took pains to prove to them that no change of circumstances could make him cease to love them or cause him to neglect them. None of his old heartiness or simplicity left him. The old and the new friends who entered his home expecting to find him changed or conscious of the great honor conferred upon him, were sur- prised to find him the same honest, affectionate, true-hearted and gentle- minded man that he had always been. 203 304 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. TOO MUCH COMPANY The Lincolns did not engage help, and Mr. Lincoln answered the bell and accompanied the visitors to the door when they left. As the domestic duties increased, and Mrs. Lincoln could not attend to them all, a relative of Mr. Lincoln's was sent for, and the young woman as- sisted in the household duties. As one family they worked together for several weeks, and until necessity demanded experienced help. As has previously been said, the Lincoln establishment was still, as well as at all future times, run upon the same unpretentious and simple methods. Mr. Lincoln continued to personally attend to certain domestic affairs^ and Mrs. Lincoln did not hesitate to call him from the parlor and away from distinguished callers whenever she saw fit. To the "young relative," who had, in response to Uncle Abe's request, come to Springfield to assist in the housework, I am indebted for the following humorous and homely incident: Before beginning the recital of the story proper. Cousin Sarah told me that she had visited her distinguished relative a few years previous, and had enjoyed her sojourn exceedingly; but with such honors con- ferred upon Uncle Abe she feared that she might find him changed; therefore accepted the invitation with considerable reluctance. Her fear was unfounded when the same unostentatious relative greeted her. It seems that the particular time to which Cousin Sarah referred was an occasion when Mr. Lincoln had invited an unusual number of callers to stay for supper, and the decided increase of guests taxed the household larder beyond its capacity. Mrs. Lincoln called her husband into the kitchen and made the fact known to him. Without saying a word, Mr. Lincoln put his hat on and went to the S'tore for an additional supply of food, soon returning with his arms full of parcels. His wife undid the packages and was quite displeased with the but- ter, which she declared was frowsy, and again called Mr. Lincoln out into the kitchen and told him to change the butter for something "fit to eat" < i-i MS "Id OS SI op a* as hi" 1^ V ■^ /:^^^ /s^t^ - * ?C.a-«,-Cr^•■-««T^-■; •■^ ,,,_ .^,^^««*«^ -TifB^ , ^yj^plija.cc.^r'l^'- ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S IDEA OP DEMOCKACY. A facsimile of the original written in his early Political Career. This document was presented to an intimate friend of the author by Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. BUST OF ABEAHAM LINCOLN. ■sfrom life by Leonard Volk, the well-known sculptor of Chicago, The dW is now among the collection of relics belong- ing to jhe Lincoln Log Cabin Association. STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS. Lincoln's greatest political opponent. NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. (By courtesy of H. W. Fay, Historical Portrait Collector, DeEalb, 111 ) This statue, which was unveiled Oct. 15, 1874, at Springfield, 111., rep resents Lincoln as holding with his left hand the Eman- cipation Proclamation and in his right hand the pen with which it had just been written. 'CONTINUATION OF THE WAR. 245 He had left the Executive Mansion and was just emerging from the grounds when he met Sojourner Truth, the black prophetess. The unusually tall and gaunt figure of the giant Ethiopian towered above the stalwart form of Frederick Douglass, and their greeting over, Doug- lass said to Sojourner, "Mr. Lincoln is not inclined to heed the cries of the children in bondage." The uneducated black woman looked at her talented colored brother and quietly remarked, "Why, Frederick, honey! God isent dead." SOJOURNER TRUTH AND THE PRESIDENT A short pause, and then the aged negress passed on and entered the President's house. Telling the custodian that she wished to speak to "Uncle Abe," she seated herself and prepared to wait her turn. The usher recognized that she was no ordinary colored woman, and so told the President, who said, "Send her in; these everyday fellows," meaning the constant stream of office-seekers that persistently sought him, "can wait." The dignified and uncommon appearing black woman entered and approached the President. He recognized her rare character and saluted her with an air that conveyed the truth of the fact that he was meeting a superior woman. In response to his graceful salutation. Sojourner Truth said, "May God bless you, Abraham Lincoln, and help you to do His holy will." Mr. Lincoln was so impressed with this extraordinary black woman that he continued their conversation for some time. As she was departing he took from her hands a small Testament, which she was carrying, and wrote his name in it. This graceful and unasked courtesy was greatly appreciated by Sojourner Truth, who always exhibited to her many callers the President's signature, each time repeating the story of her interview with Mr. Lincoln, as she did to me when I saw her in 1880. She was then one hundred and six years old. THE DELEGATION OF MINISTERS The pressure concerning the slavery question was getting to be 246 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. almost unbearable, but Mr. Lincoln was holding on to his convictions, and was more determined than ever to do nothing that could precipitate further trouble or bring about more disastrous results. The clamor and insistence became tedious and obnoxious, dele- gates from different parts of the country called upon him. Bodies! of august men came to urge him to do that which his judgment told him was not best. A delegation of ministers called upon and almost de- manded that he should act according to their dictates. After listening to their complaints and commands, he told them that he was extremely honored by a call from this delegation representing Almighty God, and he wished them well, but he would have to decline their advice. And so the pressure was put upon the heart-sore man, who was more anxious than any other. In the meantime he warned the Southern leaders, he besought them, and advised them to get out of the way of an event that was sure to come. Personally and through his generals he assured the people of the South that he meant them no ill. No father ever dealt more considerately and carefully with erring children than he did with those who were determined to break up the Government. Mr. Lincoln had tried faithfully, in accordance with his oath of office and his repeated professions, to save the Union without disturb- ing a single institution which lived under it. Emancipation was a measure of ineffable moment It was a mea sure which upon his knees he had presented to his Maker. It was in mid-summer, 1862, without consulting his cabinet, or giving them any knowledge of what he was doing, he prepared the original draft of the Proclamation. THE PROCLAMATION OF EMANCIPATION The Proclamation was written, and it was quite a month— the first part of August — ^before he called a cabinet meeting. None of the members knew the occasion of the meeting, and for some time they were unable to ascertain, for there was a delay. Here was an august body of men, and Mr. Lincoln had before him a document which he knew was to perpetuate his name to all futurity; a document which changed the policy of the Government and the course 'CONTINUATION OF THE WAR. 347 and character of the war — which revolutionized the social institutions, of more than a third of the nation, and which involved Mr. Lincoln's recognition of the will of the Divine Euler of the universe. It is reported by Mr. Lincoln's biographers that instead of making known at once the cause of calling his cabinet together, Mr. Lincoln took from a shelf a volume entitled "Artemus Ward — His Book," and, reading an entire chapter of the humorous pages, gave himself up to hearty laughter, until some of the dignified personages were far more pained than amused. This was Mr. Lincoln's way of getting up steam; getting ready for the occasion — and this was a momentous occasion. A writer of Mr. Lincoln's life says, "On closing the trifling volume, the whole tone and manner of the President changed; and, rising to a grandeur of demeanor, he announced to them the object of the meeting. He had written a proclamation of emancipation, and had determined to issue it." Mr. Lincoln had not called his cabinet together to ask their advice on the general question, because he had settled that himself. He merely wished "to inform them of his purpose and to counsel with them upon minor points." The document was received with very little criticism, and was heartily endorsed, but, upon the suggestion of Mr. Seward, Secretary of State, the date of this measure was postponed until a somewhat later date than Mr. Lincoln had anticipated? On the twentieth of September, Mr. Lincoln held another cabinet meeting, at which he declared that the time for the enunciation of his policy could no longer be delayed, and on Monday, September 22, the proclamation was issued. Though the real issue of slavery involved in the emancipation proclamation was voiced by Abraham Lincoln on this September day, 1862, yet from this sweeping measure he had left an opportunity of escape. It was only a preliminary proclamation, for it declared free only the slaves of such states as should be in rebellion on the 1st of Janu- ary, 1863. It was Mr. Lincoln's idea only to save the Union, and in this prelim- 248 THE STORY Op ABRAHAM LINCOLN. inary manifesto he hoped that the southern states would become loyal in the endeavor to save their pet institution. The mistaken people of the South were not inclined to profit by the warning, and on the 1st of January, 1863, the final proclamation of emancipation was issued, and the great act was complete. THE NORTH AND SOUTH Both sides were feeling the exhaustion of war, for the large armies that had been put into the field were being rapidly decimated by death and disease, and the people at home were speechless with agony and despair. Brave men and gallant officers were cut down by the sword, the bayonet and the cannon, while others equally brave and with willing hearts, though sure of certain death, stepped into the gap and faced the enemy. McOulloch, Mcintosh, Gladden, Ashley, Griffith, Williams, Bohlen, Taylor, Kearney, Stearns, Reno, Mansfield, Hackleman, Jackson, Terrill, Bayard and Sill, with their hosts of faithful followers, had passed on into pleasant paths and joined the silent and peaceful army of which their former comrades were now sanctified volunteers. With all this weight of sorrow upon him, the President was well nigh distracted. He could see no immediate release; there was no way of retreating; the war must go on; the Union must be restored. The President received the anathemas of those who disbelieved that his methods were wise; of those who were urging him to acts that were unwise; of those whose dear ones were dead, dying and wounded, and thus they heaped upon him censure, vilification, and reproach. Mr. Lincoln had now no hours of leisure. His work and his anxiety were pressing, crowding and racking the man. Consultations with the wise men of his cabinet were held daily, plans were formulated, new methods were tried, armies were increased, better and wiser service was demanded, personal inspection of the army was made, and the best and truest thought of the now wearied and troubled man was given to all conditions of complaint, and yet the aspect was not very materially changed. M' CHAPTER XXXIV. THE PRESIDENT'S KINDNESS R. LINCOLN'S habits at the White house were as simple as they were in his old Illinois kome. He never alluded to himself as the President or as occupying the Presidency, and he requested his associates to call him simply "Lincoln." "Mr. President," he said, "has become very tiresome to me." He would walk the streets, even at night, unprotected, talk with the newsboys, and in his old way enjoy his West- ern friends, and when with them always fell into his old habits of homely talk. The great burdens that he was bearing, the terrible anxieties and perplexities that were overwhelming him, seemed to vanish at these times and the peaceful scenes of his Western home would sweep across his memory, bringing back all his childlike tenderness, and then he would tell them of his longing to return to the old life and old labor. To an old associate whO' once said to him, "When this cruel war is over, the Union restored and yourself vindicated, you will be glad as long as you live," it is reported that the President bowed his head, and, with a look of unutterable sadness, exclaimed, "I shall never be glad any more." Mr. Lincoln had been so accessible and so generally a father of his people that they came to him with their troubles. Every man seemed to think that Mr. Lincoln could settle his difficulty, or provide for his little wants, whatever they might be. It was the story of his younger life re-enacted. He had always been a reconciler of difficulties between men; and, while in the Presidential chair, he remarked, "that it seemed to him as if he was regarded as a police justice, before whom all the petty troubles of men were brought for adjustment." A TRIVIAL REQUEST Some of the matters that were brought to him for consideration were so trivial, when compared with the momentous affairs that he handled, that they seem really ludicrous; for instance, an old woman applied 249 350 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. to him to have a sum of money reserved from the wages of a clerk in one of the departments, that he might pay her his bill for board. To this class of complaints he always had a funny story to relate, and if he did not settle their affairs for them he certainly could send themi away feeling happy. Though Mr. Lincoln continued to tell stories, they were always told for a purpose. The natural trait and the fixed habit could not be eradi- cated. When he was in the deepest trouble and anxiety; when he had been subjected to humiliation, he found relief in this peculiar practice. He could tell a quaint or humorous story in one breath, and in the next melt into tender and sympathetic words for the distressed. INTERVIEWS WITH THE PUBLIC The thousand and one incidents that transpired at the White House during the years of Mr. Lincoln's administrations would fill books and books simply devoted to this subject. The President's meetings with distinguished diplomats; his intro- ductions to aristocratic and accomplished men and women; his inter- views with men of learning — poets, scientists, authors, clergymen, physicians and great generals have been the topics of hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles; they have been the groundwork of nearly all the histories and biographies of Mr. Lincoln and his adminis- tration. Foreign journals made vile and senseless caricatures of Mr. Lin- coln's long, thin face, and its anxious and oftentimes pained and wearied expressions, and to these disgusting pictures add further insult to injury by incorporating foolish and false sayings. Every fop and fool and aspiring journalist in Washington felt at liberty to make a jest at the expense of his "want of dignity and per- sonal awkwardness," as they pleased to call it. He was sneered and scoffed at by the aristocracy, both at home and abroad, who rated him beneath their recognition because he did not employ their particular code of etiquette. "His methods of thought, expressions and action," they said, "had not the stamp of any old THE PRESIDENT'S KINDNESS. 351 aristocratic tradition," and thus they labeled him a plebeian and put upon him the stamp of their disapprobation. He was criticised and censured and reviled by the army of men who called themselves the arbiters of the nation's honor and destiny, and these, too, put upon him the stamp of their dissatisfaction, and the leaders reported their interviews as consisting of funny stories, which in their opinion proved him weak and incompetent. Military men dubbed him ignorant and incapable of understanding or planning a war campaign, because he sometimes compared their suggestions and actions with the small operations of the Black Hawk War. His cabinet did not altogether understand his peculiar and wonder- ful nature, and some of the members had the weakness to accuse the President of levity. To all of this class of incidents and anecdotes I have no contem- plation of going into detail. It is of Mr. Lincoln's everyday life with his family and his intercourse with the common people that we have to do; the private soldier, sick and wounded and discouraged, that came to him for comfort and succor and pardon; the agonized wife and mother who besought him to end the carnage and slaughter of the unholy war. To the distressed and disturbed men and women of the land, who sought him in their hours of disquiet and unrest and begged him to give them some sort of comforting assurance, these are the incidents and pathetic interviews that should interest every man and woman, every boy and girl, and inspire a desire to read and reread them; that should enlist sympathy and love for Abraham Lincoln, the man who for four long weary years bore censure and criticism and yet repined not. EVERYDAY FOLKS It was the constant intimacy, from his infancy till the day of his death, with the world of "everyday folks" that developed in Mr. Lincoln a strong sympathy for their individual rights and a knowledge of their recognition of general truth. m The story op Abraham Lincoln. He recognized their unfailing sense of justice, and during his entire occupancy of the presidential chair he relied upon the popular feeling and expression of the common people, to a great extent, for his guid- ance. He was a sign upon the earth — the sign and the leader of a new order of events, in which the power and prestige should be in the hands of the plain, simple, common people, and not in those of the privileged order. Mr. Lincoln believed, as all other wise people do, that the common people — ^the masses — are the brawn and brain of a great common- wealth, and when this class of humanity let go of the rudder or indiffer- ently steer public affairs, then the country must look for a general decline. Lower the moral standard of the common people and the nation will die and rot, and its eternal cesspool is forever sending out its in- fection to other weak and degenerate communities. But keep up the moral standard of the common people and the nation will rise to sublimest heights, sending forth healing rays of divine goodness and glorious power; a beacon light inviting all other nations to batlie in its healthful effulgence. THE PARDON His sympathy for the young soldier's peccadillos was marked in the extreme, and these or even graver acts he could forgive and forget. It is related that a friend from Illinois called to plead for the life of a soldier boy, a soldier who was on his way with his regiment through Washington, and, falling out of the ranks, entered a drinking saloon, was overcome with liquor, and failed to join his regiment before it left the city. He was arrested for desertion, and sentenced to be shot. The President heard the explanation of the case, and remarked, "Well, I think the boy can do us more good above ground than under the ground," and without further speech wrote the pardon. THE PRESIDENT'S PHOTOGRAPH Mr. Lincoln could not endure to employ the rigor of the law in regard WILLIAM H. SEWAKD. Secretary of State to Lincoln. The above is a reproduction of the Seward's last photograph. SALMON P. CHASE. Secretary of the treasury in Lincoln's cabinet. THE PRESIDENT'S KINDNESS. 253 to desertion. He always tried to find some excuse for the accused, and if there were any extenuating circumstances he took advantage of them. There are seyeral stories related in regard to this peculiar action of Mr. Lincoln that, though hackneyed, are good enough to be rehearsed again. Mr. Lincoln had just written a pardon for a young man who had been sentenced to be shot for sleeping at his post, while on guard, and when questioned why he pardoned him, he said, "It was not to be wondered at that the lad went to sleep, for he was raised on a farm, and was probably in the habit of going to bed at dark. I cannot consent to shoot him for such an act. I could not think of going into eternity with the blood of the poor young man on my head." It is further related that the dead body of this same young lad was found among the slain on the field of Fredericksburg, wearing next to his heart a photograph of Mr. Lincoln, beneath which was written "God bless President Lincoln." I WON'T DO IT An army oflBlcer also relates the following, which is also told to show how loth the President was to inflict punishment or pain. He says, "The first week of my command, there were twenty-four deserters sentenced by court-martial to be shot, and the warrants for their executions were sent to the President to be signed. He refused. I went to Washington and had an interview. I said, 'Mr. President, unless these men are made an example of, the army itself is in danger. Mercy to the few is cruelty to the many.' He replied, 'Mr. General, there are already too many weeping widows in the United States. For God's sake, don't ask me to add to the number, for I won't do it.' " TOO BUSY TO SEE BOYS A little drummer boy came to the White House one day and asked to see the President, but was told by the usher that Mr. Lincoln was "too busy to see boys." Whereupon the lad went out and sat down at the gate, not knowing what to do. The President some time later passed out of the grounds about the 254 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Executive Mansion at the same gate, and there found the boy looking very pale and appearing to be faint and feeble. Suspecting that he might have called to see him and had been refused admittance, for the purpose of learning the truth a question was propounded, and the little fellow in response said, "Yes, sir; I wanted to see you, but the man at the door said you were too busy." The President questioned the boy still further and discovered that the colonel of his regiment had become angry with him and turned him off; also that the boy had been quite sick and that the surgeon at the hospital had discharged him before he was able to go about, much less do any work. The President told the little drummer boy to go home to his parents, but this advice brought out the facts that the boy, who was so very small and frail that he seemed a mere child, had no home, no parents, and in fact no one that he could go to for succor. Mr. Lincoln took from his pocket a card and wrote upon it. It was directed to a high official, and contained the following message, "In- terest yourself in the bearer and find a place for him." Then putting some money into the boy's hand he bade him go at once. Immediate assistance was rendered, and later, work was given to the fully recovered boy. To-day he is an efficient and valuable clerk in the government employ — a position he has held since the year eighteen hundred and sixty-eight. A BABY'S INFLUENCE The soldier and his sorrows were ever Mr. Lincoln's care and solici- tude. He could not refuse a request or demand that came from them in any way, and to the mothers of the "boys in blue" he could not withstand their pleadings. If they were seeking their boy's release he must grant it. A very pathetic story was told me of a woman who came to the White House to ask for her young son's release, on the grounds that she needed his personal care and support, the father having been killed in battle some months previous, while she herself was ill and had a young babe which was born after her husband's death. THE PRESIDENT'S KINDNESS. 355 The woman had called at the White House three days in succession, and was still unable to see the President. Crowds of people, who un- doubtedly were bent on similar errands, thronged the outer rooms. The hot, sultry afternoon was drawing to a close, and the usher had told her that in all probability she would have to come again the next day. This information completely unnerved her, the tears coursed down her cheeks, and when she attempted to walk she staggered like a drunken woman. The baby, who had been fretful for some time, set up a pitiful wail, thus adding to her further discomfort. The child's moans caught Mr. Lincoln's attention, and he sent a messenger to inquire into the matter. The servant investigated, re- turned to the office and reported. He was immediately dispatched again with an order requesting the woman to come in at once. Faint and trembling she went intO' the President's office. Mr. Lincoln, upon witnessing the distress of the mother and child, arose, gently assisted the woman to an easy chair, and took the child in his strong arms. He gave his entire attention to the baby, and under his soothing influence the child soon fell asleep. Still holding the infant, Mr. Lin- coln turned to the mother and said, "My good woman, what can I do for you?" Her story was hastily and tearfully told. Having gathered all neces- sary information, a letter was written to the young man's commanding officer, demanding the soldier's release, and then turning to the woman Mr. Lincoln said, "I will forward this immediately." The woman had become so intensely excited that now her nervous- ness caused her to anticipate all sorts of delays, and she begged to be allowed to carry the message herself. As usual Mr. Lincoln could not say nay to woman's pleading, and he gave orders to have her properly equipped with the needed documents. Thus the mother be- came the bearer of her son's release. The woman took her baby from the President and attempted to thank him, but he stopped her, and pointing to the infant said, "The little one did it." 266 THE STORY. OP ABRAHAM LINCOLN. TAD AND HIS FATHER During the campaign of the Army of the Potomac in the vicinity of Washington, Mr. Lincoln made frequent visits to the front. One of these occasions was after a desperate fight on the Peninsula, and the dead and dying were being carried from the battlefield. As stretcher after stretcher was passed the moans of the dying were dis- tinctly heard. The wounded were crying out in their agony. Lips, parched and dry, could scarcely utter the single word water. Hands were clasped in prayer; eyes were strained for a last farewell, and whispered sounds came floating along on the evening breeze. Mother, sister, wife and sweetheart were called in vain. Mr. Lincoln bore it as long as he could. His face was ashy white, and he staggered with the weight of horror that was upon him. A friend who accompanied the President told me that he leaned upon him heavily. Then bursting into tears, exclaimed, "My God, how much longer must this slaughter go on? I cannot endure it. I cannot endure it. My heart is breaking." The President was completely overcome, and immediately left the battlefield. Not a word was spoken by either until they parted an hour later, when he said, "I can never be glad again." Washington became one great hospital of wounded soldiers, and these places, so full of human agony, were daily inspected by the Presi- dent. He visited them all. The sanitary conditions were most carefully looked into, and the sick and wounded were greeted, each one separ- ately, with some personal message. He shook hands with those who were well enough, and to those who were desperately ill he smoothed the fevered brow, brushed aside the damp locks or tenderly pressed the limp hand, bidding each one to take courage and try to live. Those whom he knew could not recover he bade be brave, thanked them for their service, and told them that to die for one's country was the greatest privilege that could come to man. In these visits to the camps and hospitals Tad invariably accom^ panied the President. He was his father's comrade and companion, and his presence among the homesick and wounded soldiers was aa THE PRESIDENT'S KINDNESS. 357 welcome as that of his father's. The boy was also a great favorite with the inmates and visitors at the White House, and it is said by those who had daily access to the grounds and the house that Tad was the only bright figure in the otherwise tragic picture. He possessed something of his father's wit and humor, and this, coupled with a vivacious spirit, made him an unusually bright and interesting child. Both young and old, men and women, soldier and civilian, paid homage to Tad Lincoln. Those who witnessed the boy's grief at the time of his father's death describe it as actually uncontrollable, and it is said that the few after years of his life were tinged with the horror of that tragic death. Tad Lincoln joined his father some years later, and thus the love and companionship established on earth were renewed and will con- tinue throughout eternity. HALLO ABE^ HOW ARE YE? It was the custom of Mr. Lincoln during the years 1862, '63 and '64 to open once a week the doors of his office and let each caller approach him in turn. Mr. Lincoln said, "These brief interviews, stripped of even the sem- blance of ceremony, give me a better insight into the real character of the person and his true reason for seeking one." On these occasions the most curious, amusing and strange things happened. Upon one of these eventful days an old friend from Illinois stood in line for almost an hour. At last he was so near to the Presi- dent that his voice could reach him, and calling out to his old associate, he startled every one by exclaiming, "Hallo Abe; how are ye? I'm in line and hev come for an orfice too." Mr. Lincoln singled out the man who possessed the stentorian voice, and recognizing a particularly old friend and one whose wife had be- friended him in a peculiarly trying time, the President responded to his greeting in a cordial manner, and told him "to hang onto himself and not to kick the traces. Keep in line and you'll soon get here." They met and shook hands with the old fervor and renewed their friendship. 258 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. His "New Salem" friend began at once to state his desire, but Mr. Lincoln quieted him by sending him away with a friend, who should look after him until he was at liberty to give him more attention. The informal reception over, Mr. Lincoln sent for his old friend, and after a more personal greeting the man began to urge his claims. After having given him some good advice, Mr. Lincoln kindly told his old associate that he was incapable of holding any such position as he had asked for. The disappointment that the Illinois friend felt was plainly shown, and with a perceptible tremor in his voice he said, "Martha's dead, the gal is married, and I've guv Jim the forty." Then looking at Mr. Lincoln he came a little nearer and almost whispered, "I knowed I wasent eddicated enough to git the place, but I kinder want to stay where I ken see Abe Lincoln." Mr. Lincoln was much affected by this homely display of affection. The friend was invited to stay at the White House for a few days, when he was assigned to some easy and unimportant work in the capitol grounds. A book could be filled with Mr. Lincoln's acts of kindness. He made no show of doing. What he did and what he said was just the thing to do or just the thing to say. There were no high-sounding words in his advice or sympathy; there was no ostentation in his proffered aid or unrequited service, and there was no announcement of his gifts to charity. It was as easy for Abraham Lincoln to give and to do and to make happy the hearts of the afflicted and oppressed as it is for the sun to shine, and make warm and beautiful the earth. Charity, pity, mercy, sympathy, these were virtues that reigned at the White House during Mr. Lincoln's occupancy of it. CHAPTER XXXV. THE WAR CONTINUES THE war still continued, the horrors grew apace and another sad New Year was ushered in. It was a wretched beginning, re- verses were again demanding more men, another call for troops was made, and the flower of the country responded. There was no abating of patriotic desire; there was no delay; the swift-winged mes- sengers answered the bugle's call; platoon after platoon filed by and the dissolving panorama of blue faded away toward the gray mist of the distant horizon. The national and military affairs of 1863 were momentous; nine hun- dred millions of dollars had been borrowed, and the United States issued four hundred millions in treasury notes bearing interest and a hundred and fifty millions without interest; and now, in addition to the calamity of war, the nation was burdened with debt, — a debt so great that it seemed weU nigh impossible to ever lift it. MAGNITUDE OF REBELLION When Congress adjourned, it left the President strong in power and with unquestioned means necessary for the successful prosecution of the war. He had financial support, power to arrest and hold suspicious persons, and the authority to call out the State militia. The military events of the year were stupendous, and the i)eople had come to realize that the heretofore prosperous and peaceful nation was steeped in blood and carnage. The list of dead was long and it was terrible. All other wars sank into insignificance. The magnitude of the rebellion was almost beyond belief; the area of territory covered by the armies was tremendous, and the loss of human life incomparable with that of any other nation while engaged in warfare. EHghteen hundred and sixty-three was the year yjf battles. The 259 260 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. heavens reverberated with the roar of cannon and the discharge of musketry. The air was filled with the lament of the sick, the wail of the wounded, and the moan of the dying. The very foundations of the earth trembled with the heavy and irregular tread of the tired and exhausted campaigners, the double-quick of the excited and eager battlemen, and the slow and measured step of the funeral march. It was the tramp, tramp of the soldier host. BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG The battle of Gettysburg had been fought, — ^that fearful battle, that raged with terrific energy for three days. That battle will pass into history as the most horrible massacre and slaughter that human souls have ever endured and that human eyes have ever looked upon. More than sixteen thousand were killed and wounded on the Union side, while the loss to the Confederate forces was much greater. The battle of Gettysburg will live forever. The blood that mois- tened that earth enriches and brings to perfection the beautiful flowers that grow thereon; the mists that hang over it pulsate with an agony yet untold; the skies that bend over it are bluer than elsewhere; the clouds that float softly across it discharge their pure waters in pitying showers, and the sun sheds upon it his warm and gentle rays in tender benediction. On the nineteenth day of November of the same year, the battlefield was dedicated to the memory of the slain. The camp of the dead was put in order, and above the silent bivouac, where the blue and the gray had gone down in mortal affray, Abraham Lincoln dedicated the sacred spot with his immortal words: LINCOLN'S IMMORTAL WORDS "Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the propo- sition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final THE WAR CONTINUES. 261 resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here; but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedi- cated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that the government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth." RIGHT VERSUS WRONG Upon the Fourth of July, the day after the battle of Gettysburg, the President sent the news flashing over the country, that the Union army had "covered itself with glory," and in the victory at Gettysburg there was a "promise of great success to the cause of the Union." Other news of great importance also on that day went rushing across the country, carried by the electric messenger into every city and every hamlet. The capture of Vicksburg, the stronghold of the Mississippi River, by General Grant, was announced, and now the hearts of the loyal people took on hope and expectancy. The Confed- eracy was cut in twain, and from this hour its cause was doomed. Poor, unhappy South, with its load of sorrow and agony, with its beautiful homes destroyed, with its multitudes of weeping mothers and wailing children; with its brave hearts still struggling cour- ageously, but knowing, full well, that further death and complete disaster were before them. This terrible year was drawing to its close, and the national Thanks- giving day was approaching. Mr. Lincoln's proclamation for the 263 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. observance of the day breathed a tender pity for those bereft and a sad gladness for those who rejoiced. THE ROLL CALL The year and its terrible record had passed and the brave and gallant dead re-formed into silent ranks and answered the roll-call : Berry, Whipple, Eeynolds, Weed, Zook, Farnsworth, Gamett, Blakesdale, Semmes, Lyttle, Preston, Smith, Deshler, Helm and Malone. For nearly four years the most unholy war had been waged; men were drawn up in battle array, while cannon thundered their awful deadly missiles; the blue and the gray went down in slaughtered heaps; the ranks were thinned, and still the awful holocaust went on. "Uncle Abe" continued to call for more "defenders of the true faith," and his call was answered by the tramp, tramp of grim warriors shouting their battle-song, "We are coming. Father Abraham, six hundred thousand more." Mothers sent their precious sons, wives their devoted husbands, and children gave up their loving fathers. But the struggle went on, the nation wept, and the tender pity and unbounded love of the President's great heart went out and fell like a sweet benediction upon his sorrow- ing people. CHAPTER XXXVI. SECOND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AFTER four years of mighty events and wonderful changes, the year of the Presidential election had come again. During the four years of administration, Mr. Lincoln had made many enemies among those who had supported him originally. Some thought he had been too slow, some said he was too severe, others that he had not been slow enough, while many criticised or denounced the President for is- suing the Elmancipation Proclamation. Mr. Lincoln himself said in alluding to it, "What I did, I did after a very full deliberation, and under a heavy and solemn responsibility. I can only trust in God, I have made no mistake." The country was feeling the terrible distress of the war. Call after call had been made for more men, taxation was burdening every man, and still no end appeared. There were many leaders who either believed or made themselves believe that a change of administration was necessary to the wellbeing of the nation and so announced them- selves, but the masses of the people were in favor of Mr. Lincoln. His modest character and honest purpose had won their confidence. Though the future looked dark, the people were satisfied that Mr. Lincoln's war policy was right and if continued would bring ultimate success. A WISE CONCLUSION It had never seemed to be Mr. Lincoln's aim during his Presidential life to look far ahead, and if he did or planned in his own mind a re- election, he was as silent as the Sphinx, and gave no intimation of further desire than the present moment. He had done his best, and was entitled to the full approval of his countrymen; then why should he not receive their appreciation, and why should they not still trust him? It is a pleasant thought to harbor, that one shall receive the plaudits of a great commonwealth, and 'Abraham Lincoln was human. 263 264 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. When he was approached by the leaders of the party in regard to his inclination concerning a second term it is true that he said, "If nominated and elected I shall be grateful to my friends; but the in- terests of the country must always be first considered." Then with characteristic frankness and humor he suddenly wheeled about and faced the committee with an apparently new and unthought of conclu- sion. The gentlemen were struck with the evident wisdom of his state- ment, and Mr. Lincoln's manner was so irresistibly quaint when he said, "It is not best to swap horses while crossing a stream," that they quickly withdrew and began operations upon Mr. Lincoln's suggestions. UNJUST CENSURE The more thoughtful and conscientious men were reluctant to change leaders and rulers, and so the verdict of the wise men prevailed and Mr. Lincoln was again chosen the Presidential candidate. For some unaccountable reason, however, though the campaign was opened with perfect confidence concerning the results, yet a feeling, of uncer- tainty and distrust came over many of Mr. Lincoln's former stanch admirers — even the press attacked him. Attacks from either personal enemies or the public press did not affect Mr. Lincoln. It is said by many of Mr. Lincoln's biographers "that he did not read the newspaper attacks and therefore many failed in their object in abusing and vilify- ing the President by hia refusal to read the scurrilous attacks." It is related by an intimate friend of Mr. Lincoln, that after a par- ticularly abusive and offensive attack had been made upon the Presi- dent, this friend alluded to it, expressing his indignation over the affair. The President said to his friend, "That matter troubles me very little. Indeed I feel a good deal about it as the old man did about his cheese, when his very smart boy found, by the aid of a microscope, that it was full of maggots. 'Oh, father,' exclaimed the boy, 'how can you eat that stuff? Just look in here, and see 'em wriggle!' The old man took another mouthful, and, putting his teeth into it, replied grimly: 'Let 'em wriggle!'" To the criticism directed against him relating to his disregard of peace propositions, and when leading men wrote to him that "a bleed- SECOND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. 265 ing, bankrupt, almost dying country, was shuddering at the prospect of further wholesale devastations and of new rivers of blood and that he and his supporters did not improve opportunities to secure peace," Mr. Lincoln replied: "I should be false to my oath and to the American people who have poured out life and treasure to save the nation, faith- less to an oppressed race to whom emancipation has been pledged, if I entertain any proposition not based upon sectional unity and freedom to the blacks." To all communications sent to him, charging him with lack of action or disregard of opportunity, he invariably replied: "If any person can be found, anywhere, professing to have any proposition of Jefferson Davis, in writing, embracing the restoration of the Union and abandon- ment of slavery, whatever else it embraces, say to him that he may come to me." There were so many unpleasant incidents connected with the Presi- dential canvass that Mr. Lincoln's friends urged him not to issue another call for men until after the election had taken place, but his call for six hundred thousand men went out just the same, and to his cowardly advisers he said, "The men are needed, it is my duty to call for them, and I shall call them, whatever the effect may be upon my election." VOICE OF THE PEOPLE The important and significant day arrived, and Abraham Lincoln was again the people's choice by an overwhelming majority. It was an election that demonstrated the abiding confidence in Mr. Lincoln and his administration. Every state but three — New Jersey, Delaware and Kentucky — gave him its electoral vote. It was in fact almost an election by acclamation. "While the votes were being counted in New York city late at night," says Harriet Beecher Stowe, "and this great victory became apparent, the vast surging assembly, at the motion of one individual, uncovered their heads and sang a solemn Doxology — an affecting incident, which goes far to show what sort of feelings lay at the bottom of this vast movement, and how pro- 266 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. foundly the people felt that this re-election of Lincoln was a vital step in their onward progress." Mr. Lincoln would have been more than mortal not to have been gratified with the result. To a company of gentlemen who called upon him on the night of the election to tender him their congratulations, he said: "I am thankful to God for this approval of the people; but, while I am deeply grateful for this mark of their confidence in me, if I know my heart, my gratitude is free from any taint of personal triumph. • • * I give thanks to the Almighty for this evidence of the people's resolution to stand by free government and the rights of humanity." CLOSE OF THE WAR The military affairs of 1864 were of tremendous import and the war was hastening to a momentous crisis. With the advent of the next year the beginning of the end was seen. General Sherman was marching to the sea, the rebel hordes were fleeing before his advancing army, fleeing northward, where they must inevitably meet Grant's hosts who were pressing toward the Confederate capitol. The grand but awful campaign was drawing to a close. Early in April, Lee, with his shattered ranks, had evacuated the Confederate capitol and Kichmond had fallen. The rebellion was overthrown. President Lincoln had gone to the front, the North was in a frenzy of excitement. From the Atlantic to the Pacific men, women and children shouted the loud hosannas. The cruel war was over, and the sun of peace had fairly risen. The sorrow and agony of the four long, weary years were lifted and anthems of rejoicing were heard. They reverberated from mountain height to mountain height; the valleys caught up the descending praise and sent it aloft. Messengers of love gathered the hallelujahs and flung them again earthward, while the angels sang "Peace on earth, good will to men." Mr. Lincoln, casting aside all fears of personal danger, took with him his boy "Tad" and left on a man of war for Eichmond. He entered the city in a humble and modest manner, no brilliant escort accom- panied him, but on foot and with no guard he and his young son entered SECOND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. 367 the fallen city. His presence, howeyer, soon became known and the liberated people followed him, shouting in their ecstasy of joy, "Glory! Glory to God! May dear Jesus bress President Lincoln!" LIBERTY IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT The streets seemed to be suddenly alive with the colored race. They came from every direction, and surrounded Mr. Lincoln so that there was no escape. It was suggested that if he would make a short speech to these people they would no doubt be satisfied and allow him to pass on. Quoting from a history of Mr, Lincoln's life, the remarks made by President Lincoln that day to the colored people were as follows: "My poor friends, you are free, as free as air. Liberty is your birth- right. God gave it to you as he gave it to others. You must try to deserve the priceless boon. Let the world see that you merit it, and are able to maintain it by your good works. Learn the laws and obey them, obey God's commandments and thank Him for giving you liberty, for to Him you owe all things." Then the President passed slowly along with a hurrahing crowd at his heels. The windows of nearby houses flew open, and all conditions of men and women gazed upon the strange sight. On Sunday, April 9, Mr. Lincoln returned to Washington, and there he heard the thrilling news that Lee, with his whole army, had sur- rendered to General Grant. Mr. Lincoln was happy; the war was terminated and the Union restored. He gave himself up to the luxury of joy, and took part in the demonstration that the city of Washington had prepared. The greatest excitement and enthusiasm prevailed; flags were flying every- where, cannons were booming, bands were playing and the i)eople suspended business and gave themselves up to the pleasure of the joyful occasion. Crowds surrounded the White House and called for the President. He addressed the populace twice that day, in the afternoon and even- ing. 268 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. In this man's administration tlie world had seen and wondered at the great sign and marvel of our day — a plain workingman of the people, with no more culture, instruction or education than any man may obtain for himself, called on to conduct the passage of a great nation through a crisis involving the destinies of the whole world. HON. BOBEKT T. LINCOLN". The above is a recent photograph of the Hon. Robert Lincoln, eldest son of President Lincoln, and the only surviving member of the family- CHAPTER XXXVII. LINCOLN'S ASSASSINATION THE great rebellion was ended, General Grant reached Washing- ton on the thirteenth of April, 1865, and held an interview with the President. The people were glad and happy. Washington was illuminated, and Mr. Lincoln was the one man who now received the adulation of a thankful people. His motives were vindicated and his name had been given to the safe keeping of a grateful people. He was the savior of his country and the liberator of an enslaved race. Mr. Lincoln had now reached the pinnacle of human fame. From the humble frontier home to the Executive Mansion, he had climbed the ladder of renown and success by his own indomitable purpose and honest intent. WARNINGS The President had, from the time of his departure from Springfield, in 1861, up to the present time, periodically received threatening letters. They did not, however, trouble him, although they did his associates, and so much so that his absolute indifference to his personal safety alarmed his friends. They begged him to be watchful, lest he be attacked in an unguarded moment. Still he treated their anxiety with perfect calmness and composure and refused any official protec- tion, going about the city and its environments alone and unattended. The morning of the eventful fourteenth of April dawned. The people were jubilant, and the places of amusement were again thronged. It was announced by the Washington papers that the Presi- dent and General Grant would occupy the State box at Ford's Theater that evening. The result of such an announcement packed the building from dome to pit. General Grant did not desire to go and Mr. Lincoln was also disinclined, but when such announcement had been made and his presence promised he was loth to disappoint the audience, and in his characteristically good natured way he concluded to attend the per- formance. 269 370 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. THE TRAGEDY As the hour approached for leaving for the theater the President was engaged in talking with some unexpected arrivals, and he seemed loth to leave them. His delay caused some surprise, and Mrs. Lincoln came into the room and said to her husband, "We shall be late, it is now nine o'clock." The President arose, asked his friends to accompany them to the theater, and upon their refusal Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln immediately en- tered the carriage alone and ordered the coachman to drive them to the house of Senator Harris, where they were to take in some invited friends, who were quite surprised to have had the President delay his appointment, Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln were accompanied by two young friends, Major Rathburn and Miss Harris. When the party passed into the private box the entire assembly cheered the President with unusual enthusiasm, and Mr. Lincoln acknowledged the outburst with a more than usual warmth of manner. Order was restored and the play proceeded. An excited stranger entered the passage to the President's box, presented his card to the servant in waiting, and said, "The President has sent for me." Forcing his way into the box and before anyone could understand or prevent his terrible purpose, the madman, J. Wilkes Booth, fired at the President. The awful messenger accomplished its deadly work, the bullet had penetrated the President's brain. The great man was desper- ately wounded. He made no outcry, he did not move, but now, how was the assassin to escape? His entrance was blocked by the surging and maddened crowd. Major Eathburn sprang upon him, the audience was in a tumult of terror and excitement, women shrieked and fainted, men with awful threats of vengeance added to the noise and confusion. The murderer, parting the starry flag that had draped the front of the President's box, sprang, with a desperate leap, upon the stage; his voice rising loud and clear above the babble and horror, rang out: "Sic semper tyrannis." In frenzied desperation the assassin paused for a moment in his LINCOLN'S ASSASSINATION. 271 mad career, and again his voice pierced the din of distraction. "The South is avenged," he shouted, and dashed from the theater. Mounting his waiting steed the assassin fled into the darkness and the night. Miss Laura Keen, the actress, begged the audience to be calm, and entering the President's box tried to administer water and cordials, but the physicians who had already gathered about saw there was no hope and ordered the helpless form carried from the theater building. Directly across the street from the theater Mr. Lincoln was tenderly borne and at seven o'clock the next morning his gentle spirit took its heavenward flight, and death was Lincoln's summons to promotion. The chapter closed, the bullet came, and fixed him in the niche of fame. The long, sad morning was filled with the clang of tolling bells, and by common impulse every iron tongue in the broad land echoed the solemn requiem. THE FUNERAL TRAIN The nation was wrapped in the gloom of profoundest grief. Mil- lions felt the loss a personal one, and the recently liberated black race expressed intense sorrow for their savior. The rich and the poor, the white and the black throughout the Northland were given the oppor- tunity of viewing their beloved dead. The funeral train left Washing- ton on the twenty-first of April, and the body of the martyred chieftain was borne westward to the Prairie State, from whence he had gone to serve his country and his people. Bells rang out their mournful song and solemn dirges filled the sweet spring air. The funeral pageant swept on through crowds of weeping humanity to Philadelphia, the cradle of American liberty, to New York, the proud city of the Atlantic coast, where the discharge of artillery, choirs of sweet singers, mourning trappings, solemn requiems and drooping flags all bore testimony to the universal grief. From the great metrop- olis, on the afternoon of the twenty-fourth, the solemn procession de- parted. The funeral train was piloted by the same engine tliat bore Abraham Lincoln, four years before, on his triumphal journey to the nation's capitol. Albany was reached, then other less important towns 273 THE STORY OP ABRAHAM LINCOLN. of central New York — onward to Buffalo. From the Empire State to the Buckeye State, Cleveland, Columbus, through to Indianapolis and thence to the welcome of the Prairie State, and to Chicago, the home of his adoption and the birthplace of his immortal renown. AT THE CITY OF HIS ADOPTION The funeral cortege arrived in Chicago at a late hour, and the casket containing the remains of the President was immediately taken to the city hall. At twelve o'clock a company of distinguished men and women gathered about the bier. The midnight bell tolled out its sad message, the corridors reverberated with the melody of chanted requiem, the prayer of supplication ascended and a holy hush was over all. The scene was solemn and impressive, and one that can never be erased from the memory of those that witnessed it. The following day the general public was permitted to look upon the calm and marble features of the dead man. Thousands and thou- sands of men, women and children filed by the casket, paying silent and tearful homage to the nation's illustrious son. On the morning of the third of May the funeral train reached Spring- field, passing through a continuous line of weeping spectators. At the State House for a day and a night the steady procession passed the casket and would not cease its incessant tramp until the coffin lid was closed. In Oak Eidge Cemetery, about two miles from the city of Spring- field, all that was mortal of Abraham Lincoln was consigned to mother earth. "There, surrounded by the sweetest scenes of nature, his tomb a shrine, his name the watchword of liberty," his mem 017 hallowed by every American citizen, "the weary patriot was laid to rest." CHAPTER XXXVIII. INDEPENDENCE DAY AT THE OLD LOG CABIN ANOTHER day of torrid weather was upon us and so oppressive was the excessive heat and sultry air that I spent the day in reading, retrospection and quiet meditation. My life for the past two weeks had been filled with the memories and incidents of the early life of the martyred President. So filled indeed it seemed to me that, rehabilitated, he had assumed again his earthly fashion, and so real was his presence that I lived with him the life of adversity, hardships, toil and severe penury. His struggles became mine, his success and re- nown my pride, and his tragic death my personal grief. Night was upon us and again I besought Mr. Hall to favor me with further anecdotes of the illustrious dead. The boys gathered about and to my entreaties added their supplication, but their father still refused and declared that the boys must retire, "for there wus the crops to be cut to-morrer, and they must get up with the chickens." I interposed and informed my host that to-morrow was the nation's holiday, the glorious Fourth. But he turned a deaf ear to my appeals and still insisted that the boys must "up and to work" early in the morning. THE PATRIOTIC STRANGER At peep of day the family arose, but the hot weather and continued labor had made such inroads upon the general health and good spirits of our solicitous handmaiden that breakfast dragged, and it was quite six o'clock before we were called to partake of the morning meal. Every member of the family seemed to be possessed by the spirit of procrasti- nation and we lingered at the table discussing the proposed events of the day, when Abe came leisurely sauntering in and calmly informed us that "paw was wanted at the gate by a man in a buggy, who had come all the way from Greenup to see him." The master of the house arose and went out to see the stranger. The remainder of the family precipitately left the table and peered through the door and the window. 273 274 THE STORY. OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. The stranger seemed excited and his speech was loud and rapid. Mr. Hall's manner as he retraced his steps gave us no idea as to what the stranger wanted. We gathered about Uncle John and impatiently demanded "the news." After keeping us in suspense for a few min- utes, in slow, drawling tones, he related the stranger's conversation. It was as follows: A company of loyal friends and neighbors had come all the way from Greenup to celebrate "Independence Day" at the old log cabin. Mr. Hall, his family and his guests were cordially invited to join the party and dinner awaited their pleasure. Wonderful events were crowding thick and fast, and the homely cabin was becoming an object of interest. Carriages were sent for us and we were driven by the main road around to the now famous old family homestead. Gathered in the yard was an enthusiastic and happy band of more than thirty souls, all bent on making the most of the day. First in order came the dinner. A sumptuous repast was placed upon improvised tables put up in the west room. The intention had been to spread the feast out of doors, beneath the old locust trees which Grand- father Lincoln had planted, but swarms of minute and stinging, insects drove the good people within. For several days the air had been filled with the little tormentors, and upon this occasion they appeared to be more than usually offensive and pugnacious. One of the party, a female preacher, a circuit rider, too, gave her opinion that the annoying pests were no doubt one of the same plagues that God had visited upon Pharaoh. AN EXPERIENCE MEETING At the conclusion of the bountiful meal an enthusiastic admirer pro- posed that the exercises should take the form of an experience meeting. The suggestion was cheerfully accepted and when the honest country folks, both old and young, paid their simple and loving tribute to the sterling qualities of Abraham Lincoln and his parents methought the angels for very joy paused to listen, and the "radiant witnesses" carried the offering up into the high and shining courts. It was quite well known to the little company that the secretary of INDEPENDENCE DAY AT THE OLD LOG CABIN. 275 the Abraham Lincoln Log Cabin Association was present and she was urged to give an outline of the society's work, which she did in a brief way. The object lesson which the association hoped to give the young peo- ple of the country, by removing the log cabin to Chicago and reconstruct- ing it, was for the purpose of familiarizing boys and young men with the extreme homeliness and poverty and disadvantages of Mr. Lincoln's home and early life. To demonstrate to the youth of America that a man can rise superior to his surroundings, circumstances and condi- tions of his childhood, youth and even young manhood. To show the possibilities that may be achieved through honesty of purpose, perse- verance and self-culture. To trace the life of Abraham Lincoln from the log cabin to the Executive Mansion, from a poor, illiterate boy, to a profound statesman, from obscurity to national honor, from common toil and hardship to national service, from humble birth to martyr death and glorious resurrection. AN AWIATEUR'S SPEECH Without further explanation I paused and beckoning to Mr. Hall presented him to the interested group, by saying: This is the man that can tell you more about the President and his people than any other living person. The welcome extended to Abraham Lincoln's cousin was cordial in the extreme and the late owner of the "cabin" stepped upon the rude platform. Looking at the uptujned faces of the little gather- ing, he said: "I hain't used to speakin' no how, but 111 jest tell yer all how grand- marm used to stand and look down the road out of that air winder (pointing to the south side of the west room) and watch and watch fur Uncle Abe, and when she'd see him comin' she'd put her hands together and drop down on her knees and say, 'Thare comes my boy, my boy.' Grandmarm wus allers the first to see him comin' down the road or across the medder and she'd jest stand still and cry and cry and say, 'Thare comes my boy, Abe.' Oh it wus joyful to see those two meet Wall, he never did stop comin' no how, and after he got to be a big man and wore a high hat he come jest the same, and it wus never men- tioned between Uncle Abe and grandmarm that it wus strange or won- 276 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. derful that he should be so great and honored a man for she never thought that nothin', no how, wus tu great for him, and often said, 'There's no stoppin' for Abe,' and one time when she said so to Uncle Dennis Hanks he ses, ses he, 'Why, I larned Abe to write with a feather pen made from a buzzard's wing and that's what made him so smart' But gxandmarm 'ud jest smile, quiet like and say, * 'Twas in the boy else it 'ud never come out in the man.' " At this point in Mr. Hall's reminiscences Sis moved close to me, and in a whisper said, "Ask paw to tell about Uncle Abe when he come to the cabin after he got to be a President." I now believed that a most favorable opportunity had arrived, and, taking advantage of the occasion, I called out to Mr. Hall in a rather excited manner and asked him to relate to the little gathering the story of the President's visit at the old log cabin. My words electrified the little audience, and the gathering insisted until Uncle John mounted the platform. Mr. Hall, in his own peculiar way, related the following circumstance : THE PRESIDENT AT THE LOG CABIN "Jest the day afore Uncle Abe come up, the chimney fell down, and I hed to take grandmarm over to my mother^s house. She wus married ag'in and livin' down to Farmington then. Wall, that momin' when I wus fixin' up the chimney who should drive into the yard and holler out but Uncle Abe, the President of the United States. He got out of the buggy jest as nateral and shook hands and asked after all the relations, but when he found grandmarm gone he said, ses he, 'Come boys, let's all get into the buggy and go over there,' which we did; but before we started Uncle Abe looked the house all over and said, 'It looks jest as it always did,' and then he called me to one side and whispered in my ear, and pointing up with his right hand he said, 'Oh, my God! John, once the old cabin, now the White House.' After a bit he went out into the yard and Uncle Abe picked up a piece of scantlin' and ast me for a axe. Then he chopped it in two and took out his pen knife and cut two large letters, 'T. L.,' and said, 'I'm going to drive these down at father's head and feet.' Then we went over to the graveyard about two miles INDEPENDENCE DAY AT THE OLD LOG CABIN. 377 away where Grandpap Lincoln was buried and Uncle Abe placed them, one at the head, t'other at the foot. From there we dniv over to Farm- ington where Grandmarm Lincoln wus and took dinner with the folks. When we went into the house and grandmarm seed him she begun to cry, and said, 'They'll murder you, Abe, and I'll never get to see you no more,' He brought grandmarm a present of a black woolen dress, alapacy I think it wus, and a pattern to make it by. I believe she kept it until she died, and wus buried in it. When the people heerd he hed come home, the neighbors and the old settlers all wanted to see him and the school wus dismissed. Uncle Abe talked with all of the folks and hed a laugh with every one. He talked to them in the house and I recklect one thing he told the women. Ses he, 'I will tell you what would cause a great deal of mourning all over the United States if it were to happen.' Some of them wanted to know what it wus. 'Well,' Bes he, *if the matches should all fail to go off some morning when you got up, there would be a great deal of stir about a fire because none of you know how to make a fire like we used to in the old times. And now I'll tell you how we made fire when I was a boy. If father got up on a cold morning and the fire was out in the fireplace, he would get a bunch of tow and put it down on a piece of plank, then he would take the powder horn and pour the powder on the tow and take the flint out of the gun or hunt a piece of flint out of doors and take his knife and shut it up and strike it against the flint, and then if any of the sparks hap- pened to fall on the powder the tow would take fire and blaze up. Then there was no more trouble after that. So if all kinds of matches fail, don't forget the tow and fiint.' GRANDMARM'S ESTIMATE OF A BOY "Ye can jest believe that wus a big day for us, but nobody would have knowed he wus any more than he used to be. Why, grandmarm allers said he wus the best boy that wus livin' and that he wus allers gentle and kind and good and patient, and I knowed he never would no how hurt nothin'. He'd never shoot a bird nor rob a bird's nest, nor step on a worm; and allers at hog killin' time he'd go away." After thanking the speakers, the little company reformed into line 278 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. and departed. The band wagon headed the procession. The Stars and Stripes floated in the evening breeze, and, as Old Glory rose and fell in undulating waves of tricolored harmony, the little company responded, and three cheers were given for the restored Union and Uncle Abe. Beaching the four comers the procession turned into the opposite direction from whence it came, a circumstance which aroused our curiosity. Dispatching one of the boys "cross lots" we bade him inter- cept the retinue and learn the cause of so strange a proceeding. Abe Hall returned and told us that "the folks wus goin' over to the grave- yard to put some posies on the graves of Grandpap and Grandmarm Lincoln." We uncovered our heads and remained silent, while tears coursed down Uncle John Hall's cheeks. Presently he said, "How I wish Uncle Abe knowed them strangers did so good a deed." CHAPTER XXXIX. FAREWELL TO THE LINCOLN HOMESTEAD THE day was done, and when the excitement of the eventful occa- sion had worn off we found ourselves too weary for further con- versation. Morning dawned. It was the Sabbath day. The very air was filled with a solemn stillness. The beasts of the field and the fowls of the air took upon themselves the restful ness of the holy day. All nature was hushed, and the ennui of languidness o'ercame us. During the forenoon again we visited the cabin and passed hours in talking of the departed inmates. Still I continued to call upon my host for more information, and after gazing about in a thoughtful mood. Uncle John Hall shook his head and slowly replied: "I hain't any heart fur telling yams when I think of how they killed Uncle Abe. I never could make out what fur they killed him. He never did no man no harm, and if he hadn't freed the black folks somebody 'ud come along purty soon and done the deed anyway, 'cause it hed to be. When grand- marm heerd how that Uncle Abe wus killed she jest put her apern over her face and cried out, *0h, my boy Abe! they've killed him, I knowed they would, I knowed they would.' She never hed no heart after that to be chirp and peart like she used to be." Again the voice of mourning rent the air. Eachael weeping for her children and will not be com- forted because they are not. A mother's heart stricken with bitter, poignant grief for which there was no present balm. THE LEAVE-TAKING The eventful sojourn at the old log cabin had been one of peculiar interest and unusual pleasure. To-morrow would be full of leave-tak- ings, parting words, and the final gathering of tangled pen pictures and family relics. In order to encompass the day's duties and pleasures, my companion and I retired early that we might secure a restful night, but the joyful expectation of again seeing home and friends filled our hearts 279 380 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. with nervous anticipation, and we tossed restlessly about until the dawn of morning. At an early hour we heard the tramping of hoofs and the roll of wheels. My young companion and myself exchanged nervous, excited glances and rushed, pell mell, out into the morning air. We were not mistaken, for our friends, who had come down with us from Chicago some three weeks before, had arrived bringing with them other friends. There were several carriages filled with interested people, photog- raphers, architects and contractors. Among the newcomers was Mr. J. W. Root, the well known photographer of Chicago, who accompanied the party in order to superintend the series of photographs which should include every possible view, both as to exterior and interior of the old Lincoln homestead. Arriving at the cabin we found a motley crowd assembled — neigh- bors, friends and relatives. 'Twas a gala day for the inhabitants. They had come from far and near. Every one was in the best of spirits and this Monday, July 6, 1891, will long be remembered by the people of Coles County, Illinois. We stayed at the cabin till quite the hour for departure. Measure- ments were taken, groups of the old neighbors and relatives were pho- tographed, reminiscences, stories, and sayings of Uncle Abe and the old folks were related by the more intimate acquaintances. Each and every spot in the cabin or on the grounds about, where Uncle Abe had stood or sat or lain or worked, was pointed out and rails and rafters and beams were reverently touched, while the good people paid tribute to the sacred dead in a thousand tender ways. At three o'clock in the afternoon we bade the family farewell, prom- ising to come again before long, and left the cabin securely and safely guarded until it should be removed to Chicago. Our departure was a genuine source of unhappiness to the little family group. GOOD RESULTS My young companion had been an inspiration to Sis, and my ac- counts of the outside world had awakened a new train of thought in the minds of the boys. They had actually been traveling in wonderland. FAREWELL TO THE Lli^COLN HOMEsTEAD. 28l and my commonplace descriptions of city doings were marvelous fairy tales to them. These country folks had lived all of their years so near ■ (just across the Prairie State) to the great throbbing center of human life and its activities and yet so far from its influences and a knowledge of its wonderful intensities that primitive simplicity had marked their daily existence and rural joys had filled their "cup of happiness." Our return trip to the railroad station at Mattoon would have been quite monotonous and uneventful save for one little episode. At the country graveyard we halted and here we found the withered flowers that had been placed upon the graves of Mr. Thomas Lincoln and his wife by the company that had spent Independence Day at the old cabin. The modest and unpretentious shaft erected to the memory of Thomas Lincoln was photographed, and naturally the question arose, Did Abraham Lincoln erect the monument? If not, who did? A neighbor living across the way from God's acre had seen the carriages stop at the cemetery, and watched the inmates alight and pass into the graveyard; but as the gathering did not constitute a funeral proces- sion the farmer could not restrain his curiosity and he had come over to see what "the doings was." When he heard the question propounded concerning the Lincoln monument he told the story of its placement after the following fashion: "While Mr. Lincoln was President he gave money to a friend and asked him to erect a suitable tablet to the memory of his father; but the war coming on and so much care and trouble and anxiety crowding in upon him he had neglected to attend to the matter personally. His supposed friend proved false and failed to perform the commission. Some year's after Mr. Lincoln's tragic death, friends of the family raised a sufficient amount to buy the shaft which now marks the last resting place of Grandfather and Grandmother Lincoln." THE RETURN TO CHICAGO As darkness closed in about us our party again entered the town of Mattoon and at midnight left for Chicago, where we arrived in time for an early breakfast. The great city was astir and its noisy strife was 382 THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. indeed grateful, after the monotonous quiet of my late simple, rural life. The street cars whirled me through the crowded thoroughfares and out of the down-town traffic. A vision of loveliness burst upon me — Lincoln Park in all its wealth of beauty and fragrance and verdure was revealed, and at the entrance, guarding the lovely scene, stood the mag- nificent statue of the martyred President, Abraham Lincoln. Again my mind reverted to the old log cabin and I saw the pano- ramic career of the great soul as a living picture burned upon my very brain. "Born as lowly as the Son of God in a hovel, of what real parentage we know not; reared in, penury, squalor, with no gleam of light, nor fair surrounding; a young manhood vexed by weird dreams and visions, bordering at times on madness; without grace, natural or acquired; singularly awkward, ungainly, even among the uncouth about him; grotesque in his aspects and ways; it was reserved for this strange being late in life, without name or fame or preparation, to be snatched from obscurity, raised to supreme command at a supreme mo- ment, intrusted with the destiny of a people. "Glorious Martyr! Now he belongs to the ages. Blessed Martyr! Pass on ! Pass on through the everlasting kingdom of peace and joy, but the world is lonesome without thee." When time has blotted out the pyramids, when it has obliterated the monuments of the world, a solitary shaft bearing the name of I^ncoln will still be standing on the Appian way of history. A FEW OF LINCOLN'S GREAT SAYINGS This is a world of compensations; and he who would be no slave must consent to have no slave. Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, cannot retain it If the union of these States and the liberties of this peo- ple shall be lost, it is but little to any one man of fifty-two years of age, but a great deal to the thirty millions of people who inhabit these United States and to their posterity in all coming time. I believe that this Government cannot endure perma- nently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved; I do not ex- pect the house to fall ; but I do expect it will cease to be divided. We sihall not fail — ^if we stand firm — ^we shall not fail. Even though much provoked, let us do nothing through passion and ill-temper. Let us have faith that right makes might; and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we under- stand it. In stating a single condition of peace, I mean simply to say that the war will cease on the part of the Govern- ment whenever it shall have ceased on the part of those who began it. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the 283 ^84 LINCOLN'S GREAT SAYINGS. sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. I intend to point immigration tO' the gold and silver that wait for them in the West. We shall prove in a very few years that we are indeed the treasury of the world. With malice towards none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him whO' shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphans, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and a lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. I am struggling to maintain the Government, not to overthrow it. God bless the soldiers and seamen, with all their brave commanders. Gold is good in its place; but living, brave and patriotic men are better than gold. So long as I have been here I have not willingly planted a thorn in any man's bosom. Thoughtful men must feel that the fate of civilization upon this continent is involved in the issue of our contest. The world has never had a good definition of the word liberty, and the American people, just now, are much in want of one. War has caused mourning among us until the heavena may almost be said tO' be hung in black. The man who stands by and says nothing when the peril of Government is discussed, cannot be misunderstood. PALL-BEAKER'S BADGE. The g,bove picture is a photograph of the badge worn by Mr. Fernando Jones, one of the honorary pall-bearers at President Lincoln'? funeral ceremonies in Chicago, May 2, 1865. ABRAHAM LINCOLN IN 1860. Prom an ambrotype taken in Springfield, 111. W. P. Brown of Phila- delphia, who formerly owned It, writes of the portrait: "This picture, along with another one, was presented by President Lincoln to my father, after he had finished painting Lincoln's picture on ivory, at Springfield, 111. The commission was given my father by Judge Read immediately after Lincoln's nomination for the Presidency. One of the ambrotypes I sold to the Historical Society of Boston, and it is now in their possession." The miniature referred to is now owned by Mr. Rob- ert T. Lincoln. It was circulated widely before the inauguration. LINCOLN'S GREAT SAYINGS 285 I shall do nothing in malice. I have never studied the art of pajdng compliments to women ; but I must say, that if all that has been said by- orators and poets since the creation of the world in praise of women were applied to the women of America, it would not do them' justice for their conduct during this war. God bless the women of America. My paramount object is to save the Union, and not either to save or to destroy slavery. Whatever shall appear to be God's will I do. What I did, I did after a very full deliberation, and under a very heavy and solemn responsibility. I can only trust in God I have made no mistake. The fiery trial through which we shall pass will light us down in honor or dishonor to the latest generation. In a storm at sea no one can wish the ship to sink; and yet not unfrequently all go down together, because too many will direct, and no single mind can be allowed to control. Labor is prior and independent of capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existence if labor had not first existed. No men living are more worthy to oe trusted than those who toil up from poverty — none less inclined to take or touch aught which they have not earnestly earned. I hold that, in contemplation of universal law, and of the Constitution, the Union of these States is perpetual. A husband and wife may be divorced, and go out of the presence and beyond the reach of each other ; but the differ- ent parts of our country cannot do this. 286 LINCOLN'S GREAT SAYINGS. The mystic cord of memory, stretcMng from every battle- field and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our natura Would an exchange be an exchange of rights upon principle? I turn, then, and look to the great American people, and to that God who has never forsaken them. The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. May my right hand forget its cunning, and my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I ever prove false to the teachings of the Constitution of the United States and to the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Indepen- dence. So reached that the oppressed of my species might have shared with me in the elevation, I would rather stand on that eminence than wear the richest crown that ever pressed a monarch's brow. Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty, as we under- stand it. P^J^^F^TT II JOKES AND ANECDOTES PREFACE. HAVING concluded to add a series of jokes, stories and popular anecdotes to the "Life of Lincoln," which entered so largely into the daily life of Mr. Lincoln, I first wish to define and illustrate the purpose which actuated this habit or propensity. His purposes, in "story telling," were many and manifold. One of his modes of getting rid of troublesome friends, as well as troublesome enemies was by telling a story. If a man broached a subject which he did not wish to discuss, he told a story which changed the complexion of the conversation. If he was called upon to answer a question, he answered it by telling a story. He had a story for everything. Mr. Lincoln's habit in employing homely and humorous language, woven into constructive, convincing and illustrative anecdotal fabric, was not a cultivated habit. It was a natural gift and so natural that it was no effort for his brain to conjure up similes consisting of facts or fiction as the case might be. His faculty of finding or inventing a story to every event to which he bore any relation was indeed marvel- ous. It is not for a moment to be considered that he spent any time in elaborating them, but by some law of association every event that oc- curred suggested some story, and by an involuntary process his mind harmonized and marshaled into line the word picture. His mind was full of stories; and even the great and momentous facts of his life seemed to take up their abode in these peculiarly classified realms, and if the garment did not fit them it was so modified and changed that it did. Many writers accuse him of being witty, but this is a mistake, for wit is always an exaggeration of the truth, and the world knows that Mr, Lincoln never exaggerated. He possessed a mind that always perceived the exact truth, and in illustrating, his humor was never exaggerated. It is said that Mr. Lincoln's stories did not produce 389 390 PREFACE hilarious laughter. Many of them afforded pleasure, and all of them always amused, though often-times expressing reproof, rebuke and satire. He was in no sense a funny man and no act or speech of his life ever conveyed such impression. He was not a buffoon nor a boor, but a quiet humor pervaded his sayings^ even when his features wore a melancholy expression. He never ridiculed, but often exposed conceit and pretense by an apt and faithful illustration — by a story which uncovered and revealed the true character which had been so subtlely veneered, that the ordi- nary mortal had not discovered the sham and alloy. Some writers take delight in publishing an untrue statement that Mr. Lincoln indulged in stories which would not bear the daylight of polite or even decent society, and they conjure up a selection of "smutty yarns" in order to tickle the palate of the morally diseased. If this were true would it be wise or well to send them broadcast among the youth? No; better to suppress them. If a great soul, such as Lincoln's, possessed so sad a frailty would it not be kind and bene- ficial to obliterate and trample out of existence every unclean word? But such is not the fact. I am told by a personal friend of Mr. Lincoln that many of his stories may have been vulgar and coarse, but never obscene or lewd. There was no taint upon his moral character and no profanity or obscenity defiled the man. The anecdotes, jokes and unique illustrations which make up the addenda to this book have been culled with great care, the most of them having been related to me by relatives and personal friends of Mr. Lincoln. JOKES AND ANECDOTES. A MUTUAL AGREEMENT A gunboat contractor was endeavoring to impress upon Mr. Lincoln the superiority of his boats and made the statement that they would run quite rapidly in very shallow water. The President replied in his peculiar way, and with a solemn mien declared he had no doubt but that these wonderfully constructed boats would "run anywhere, where the ground was a little moist." HOMINY AN ANCIENT FOOD While discussing the army rations with Secretary Seward and after some considerable talk upon the subject, the conversation between the President and the Secretary of State drifted into other channels and the study of Latin was thoroughly canvassed. During a pause in the conversation Mr. Lincoln remarked: "I studied Latin once." "Were you interested in it?" asked Mr. Seward. "Well, yes; I noted some very curious things; for instance, the word hominy." Mr. Seward! looked at the President and questioning his hearing said: "Did I understand you, Mr. Lincoln? Is it hominy the food that we were recently talking about?" The President very gravely replied, in the affirmative, and when asked to explain gave the following declension of the Latin noun homo: "Homo — a man. "Hominis — of man. "Homini — for man. "So, you see, Mr. Seward, hominy being 'for man' comes from the Latin." 293 JOKES AND ANECDOTES. PRACTICAL HUMANITY When Abraham Lincoln was but fifteen years of age he displayed great fortitude of character and a practical sympathy that ever after characterized his life. One evening, while returning from "a raising" in his neighborhood, accompanied by a number of boys and young men, he discovered, stray- ing about riderless, a horse with saddle and bridle upon him. Abraham Lincoln recognized the horse as belonging to a neighbor who indulged in strong drink. Suspecting that the owner was not far away, he began to search for him and soon discovered the hapless man all in a heap, dead drunk. Abraham's companions urged the cowardly policy of leaving the wretched man to his fate, although it was a miserably cold and wet day. Young Lincoln would not listen to such an unkind proposition, but re- quested his companions to assist him in shouldering the sot. The drunken man was lifted to the young Samaritan's shoulders and he actually carried him quite eighty rods to the nearest neighbor. KeaJiz- ing that the man was in a serious condition, Lincoln sent word to his father that he should not be at home that night, and the reason for his absence. He remained the entire night by the drunken man's bedside and administered to the sufferer. THE INTERRUPTED CLUCK At one time during his boyhood Abraham Lincoln was obliged to take his grist upon the back of his father's horse, and ride fifty miles to get it ground. The mill was very rude in construction, being pro- pelled by horse-power; while the customers had to wait their turn, with- out reference to their distance from home, and then use their own horses to work the machinery. On this occasion Abraham, having ar- rived at his turn, fastened his horse to the lever, and was following closely at its heels and at the same time urging the nag with a switch and clucking to her in a merry manner. He administered a rather vigorous blow which caused the heretofore patient animal to elevate its heels, and Abraham received a kick from her which prostrated him JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 393 and rendered him insensible. With the first instant of returning con- sciousness he finished the cluck and remarked in his quaint way, though only a boy, "Oh, my! all the stars in heaven came my way." NEITHER WAS DESIRABLE During the wonderful oratorical contest between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, the latter insulted Mr. Lincoln by suggesting that he might like a negro woman for his wife. Mr. Lincoln's usually pale face flushed and in a subdued, but percep- tibly indignant voice he replied: "I do not wish to have a negro for my wife; neither do I desire a negro for my slave." A MISCALCULATION On one occasion when Abraham Lincoln was a clerk in a country store, at New Salem, 111., he made a slight mistake in adding up a bill of goods. The amount of the bill according to his reckoning was three dollars and ten cents. He received the money and the woman went away. On adding the items of the bill of goods again, to make sure of the correctness of the sum, he discovered he had taken ten cents too much. It was night, and after closing and locking the store, he started out on foot and walked, a distance of nearly three miles, to the home of his defrauded customer where he paid over to her the sum whose pos- session had caused him so much trouble and anxiety. A MILITARY HERO The Blackhawk War was not a very remarkable affair, and Mr. Lin- coln never siKtke of it as anything more than an interesting episode in his life, except upon one occasion when he used it as a means for turning the military pretensions of his colleague into ridicule. The friends of General Lewis Cass, when that gentleman was a can- didate for the Presidency, were endeavoring to endow him with a mili- tary reputation. Mr. Lincoln at that time was a representative in Con- gress, and knowing how absurdly ridiculous it was to attempt to cover Mr. Oass with military glory delivered a speech which, in its allusions to General Cass, was keenly sarcastic and ridiculously humorous. "By the way, Mr. Speaker," said Mr. Lincoln, "do you know that I 394 JOKES AND ANECDOTES. am a military hero? Yet it is quite certain I did not break my sword, for I liad none to break, but I bent my musket pretty badly on one occasion. If General Cass went in advance of me in picking whortle- berries I guess I surpassed him in my charges upon the wild onions. If he saw any live, fighting Indians, it was more than I did, but I had a good many bloody struggles with the mosquitoes; and although I never fainted from loss of blood, I can truly say I was often very hun- gry." A SELFISH REASON FOR DOING A KIND ACT An amusing incident occurred in connection with Mr. Lincoln's "cir- cuit riding." He was passing a deep slough, where he saw a pig strug- gling, and with such little success, that it was quite evident that his pigship must perish unless rescued. Mr. Lincoln looked at the pig and the mud which enveloped it and then glanced at his new clothes, which he had but just donned, and decided against the claims of the pig. He rode on, leaving the animal to an untimely death, but the constantly recurring vision of the pig's frantic endeavor to release himself could not be gotten rid of, and after riding two miles he turned back deter- mined to rescue the poor piggy. Arriving at the spot, he tied his horse and began immediately to build, of old rails, a bridge which should afford him passage to the now discouraged pig. Walking along this rudely improvised bridge, to the place of imprisonment, he seized the pig and dragged him out. Washing his hands in the brook and wiping them on the grass he mounted his horse and rode home. In exam- ining the motive which actuated him to do this kind but disagreeable act, he remarked to a friend some years afterwards, "I believe I rescued the pig from pure selfishness, for I certainly went to the pig's relief in order to take a pain out of my own mind." A BLOODLESS DUEL A sharp, sarcastic poem appeared in the Sangamon Journal, a paper published at Vandalia, 111., and edited by Mr. Simeon Francis. The poem had evidently allusion to Mr. James Shields of Springfield, 111,, afterwards a United States Senator. General Shields, instead of JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 295 ignoring or laughing off the matter, demanded of Mr. Francis the au- thor's name, and now the editor was in a great quandary, for the author was a young lady, and how to escape from this serious plight was a question that haunted him day and night. On inquiry among the lady's friends he learned that Abraham Lincoln was one of her admirers and possibly bore a tenderer relation to her. Accordingly he went to Mr. Lincoln and confided in him by explaining the trouble. It was quite evident that somebody would be obliged to fight a duel with Mr. Shields or be branded by him as a coward; and Mr. Francis, though entirely responsible for the publication, was too cowardly to fairly and squarely meet the issue. As soon as Mr. Lincoln comprehended the situation and realized what Mr. Francis expected of him, he told the editor that if Mr. Shields should call again and demand the author's name to in- form him that he, Lincoln, held himself responsible for the poem. The result was as expected and Mr. Lincoln received a challenge from Mr. Shields. Mr. Lincoln selected broadswords as the weapons for encounter and immediately began to practice in the exercise of fencing. The place of meeting was Bloody Island, a tract of land on the Mis- sissippi Kiver between Illinois and Missouri. The meeting was accom- plished, according to arrangements, but friends interfered and suc- ceeded in securing a reconciliation between the parties. In speaking of this incident in after years Mr. Lincoln stated to a friend that he selected broadswords because his arms were so lomg and because of the length of his arms he would be able to defend himself, while he had not the slightest intention of wounding his opponent, THE VACILLATING POLITICAL OX Mr. Lincoln's steadfastness of purpose could brook no vacillation and when a member of the National Whig convention which met at Philadelphia June 18, 1848, to nominate a candidate for the Presidency, Mr. Lincoln tried his powers of opposing General Cass again. On this occasion extracts were quoted to show how General Cass had vacillated in his action on the Wilmot Proviso while Mr. 296 JOKES AND ANECDOTES. Lincoln supplemented the following: "These extracts show that in 1846 General Cass was for the Proviso at once; that in March, 1847, he was still for it; and that in December he was against it altogether. This is a true index to the whole man. When the question was raised in 1846 he was in a blustering hurry to take ground for it; but soon he began to see glimpses of the great Democratic ex-gad waving in his face and to hear distinctly a voice saying, 'back, back, sir; back a lit- tle!' He shakes his head, and bats his eyes, and blunders back to his position of March, 1847; but still the gad waves, and the voice grows more distinct and sharper still — 'back, sir; back, I say; further back/ and back he goes to the position of December, 1847, at which the gad is still and the voice soothingly says — 'so, stand still at that!' " A LIGHT WEIGHT The following is only another illustration of Mr. Lincoln's scrupu- lous conscientiousness. It was during his service as clerk in Denton Of- futt's store at New Salem, 111.: Late in the evening a woman entered the store and asked for half a pound of tea. The tea was weighed out and paid for. The next morn- ing Abraham entered to begin the duties of the day when he discovered a four-ounce weight on the scales. He saw at once that he had made a mistake and, shutting the store, took a long walk before breakfast to deliver the remainder of the tea. BORROWED CIDER In 1854, during the "High Knowing" excitement of that year, Mr. Lincoln was elected to the Legislature, and, much to the surprise of the opponents of the Democracy, they had a majority of one in the Leg- islature. Here was a chance for Mr. Lincoln to secure a seat in the United States Senate, and his friends persuaded him to decline qualify- ing, as the Illinois Constitution barred the election of a member of the Legislature to the United States Senate. Mr. Lincoln complied, and a new election was called, he being confident that an anti-Democrat could be chosen in his place. But the Democrats availed themselves of this confidence, brought out no candidate publicly, seemingly being JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 297 willing to let the election go by default. But, lo ! when the votes were counted, one McDaniel, a Democrat, was discovered to have been voted for — and, worse yet, he had a majority of the votes! This was a serious blow to Mr. Lincoln's friends, who "took on" terribly; but when Mr. Lin- coln heard the result he te-hee'd one of his peculiar laughs and, of course, told a story. He said he was reminded of one of the camp-fol- lowers of General Taylor's army, who had secured a barrel of cider, erected a tent, and commenced dealing it out to the thirsty soldiers at twenty -five cents a drink; but he had sold it but a little while before another sharp one set up another tent at his back and tapped the barrel so as to flow on his side and peddled out No. 1 cider at five cents a drink, of course getting the latter's trade entirely on borrowed capital. The Democrats said Mr. Lincoln had played "know nothing" on a cheaper scale than the real devotees of "Sam," and had raked down his pile with his own cider. This incident was taken from Raymond's Life of Lincoln. THE POOR WIDOW An old woman of seventy-five years, the widow of a Revolutionary pensioner, came tottering into Mr. Lincoln's office one day with a pitiful story. A certain pension agent had charged her the exorbitant fee of two hundred dollars for collecting her fee. Mr. Lincoln believed her story and made up his mind that she had been swindled. She was very poor and a non-resident of the town; but the distinguished lawyer gave her some money and immediately set about recovering part of her money. The suit was entirely successful and Mr. Lincoln's address to the jury before which the case was tried was peculiarly touching in its allusions to the poverty of the widoiw and the patriotism of her hus- band, who had given his life to secure the nation's independence. The result was very gratifying to Mr. Lincoln and he sent the woman home rejoicing and with a hundred dollars in her pocket. THE BAREFOOT BOY A little incident occurred that illustrated Mr. Lincoln's readiness in turning a political point. He was making a speech at Charleston, 111., 298 JOKES AND ANECDOTES. when a voice called out: "Mr. Lincoln, is it true that you entered this State barefooted, driving a yoke of oxen?" Mr. Lincoln paused for a moment, seeming to deliberate whether he should reply to the imperti- nent question, and then replied, that he could prove that fact byi at least a dozen men in the crowd, any one of whom was more respectable than his questioner. This episode seemed to inspire Jiim and he went on to show what free institutions had done for himself. THE MARVELOUS BRIDGE The Democratic convention had, after severe and bitter controversy, nominated (Stephen A. Douglas for the Presidency, but the antagonism between the Southern and Northern sections of the party was irrecon- cilable and it was impossible for the two factions to agree upon a plat- form or a man who would carry either section of the country. Over this state of affairs Mr. Lincoln had his joke and his "little story." "He once knew," he said, "a sound churchman by the name of Brown, who was the member of a very sober and pious committee having in charge the erection of a bridge over a. dangerous and rapid river. Several architects failed, and at last Brown said he had a friend, named Jones, who had built several bridges and could undoubtedly build that one. So Mr. Jones was called in. 'Can you build this bridge?' inquired the committee. 'Yes,' replied Jones, 'or any other. I could build a bridge to hell if necessary.' The committee were shocked, and Brown felt called upon to defend his friend. 'I know Jones so well,' said he, 'and he is so honest a. man, and so good an architect, that if he states soberly and positively that he can build a bridge to — to — the infernal regions, why, I believe it; but I feel bound to say that I have my doubts about the abutment on the other side.' "So," said Mr. Lin- coln, "when politicians told me that the Northern and Southern wings of Democracy could be harmonized, why, I believed them, of course, but I always had my doubts about the abutment on the other side." WHAT IS YOUR HEIGHT? Judge Kelly of Pennsylvania, one of the committee appointed to ap- prise Mr. Lincoln officially of his nomination, was a very tall man, and JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 299 while he was waiting to be introduced to Mr. Lincoln he had taken in the future President's immense height, by a scrutiny that had not es> caped Mr. Lincoln's quick eye. So when he took the hand of the judge he inquired: "What is your height?" "Six feet three," replied the judge. "What is yours, Mr. Lincoln?" "Six feet four," responded Lin- coln. "Then, sir," said the judge, "Pennsylvania bows to Illinois. My dear man," he continued, "for years my heart has been aching for a President that I could look up to ; and I hope I have found him at last in the land where we thought there were none but little giants." THE VISION IN THE MIRROR The following is from the pen of Major John Hay, one of Mr. Lin- coln's private secretaries, and is reported as nearly as possible in Mr. Lincoln's own words. "It was just after my election in 1860," said Mr. Lincoln, "when the news had been coming in thick and fast all day, and there had been a great 'hurrah, boys!' so that I was well tired out and went home to rest, throwing myself upon a lounge in my chamber. Opposite to where I lay was a bureau with a swinging glass upon it, and, looking in that glass, I saw myself reflected nearly at full length; but my face, I noticed, had two separate and distinct images, the tip of the nose of one being about three inches from the tip of the other. I was a little bothered, perhaps startled, and got up and looked in the glass, but the illusion van- ished. On lying down again I saw it a second time, plainer, if possible, than before; and then I noticed that one of the faces was a little palef — say five shades — ^than the other. I got up and the thing melted away, and I went off and, in the excitement of the hour, forgot all about it,— nearly, but not quite, for the thing would once in a while come up and give me a little pang as though something uncomfortable had hap- pened. When I went home I told my wife about it, and a few daysi after I tried the experiment again, when, sure enough, the thing came back again; but I never succeeded in bringing the ghost back after that, though I once tried very industriously to show it to my wife, who was worried about it somewhat. She thought it was 'a sign' that I was to be 300 JOKES AND 'ANECDOTES. elected to a second term of office and that the paleness of one of the faces was an omen that I should not see life through the last term." THERE ARE EIGHT IN ALL At a party in Chicago shortly before Mr. Lincoln's departure for {Washington a little girl timidly approached the great man and paused from utter embarrassment. Mr. Lincoln called her to him and asked her what she wanted. She replied that she wanted his name. Mr. Lincoln looked back into the room and said: "But here are other little girls — ^they would feel badly if I should give my name only to you." The little girl replied that there were eight of them in all. "Then," said Mr. Lincoln, "get me eight sheets of paper, and a pen and ink, and I will see what I can do for you." The paper was brought, and Mr. Lincoln sat down in the crowded drawing-room and wrote a sentence upon each sheet, appending his name, and thus every little girl cajried off her souvenir. The above was related to me by Mrs. Judge at whose home Mr. Lincoln was entertained. YOUNG MAN, COME UNDER HERE Seated one day in the executive chamber in the State House at Springfield, 111., and in conversation with a distinguished judge, Mr, Lincoln saw two raw, plainly-dressed young "Suckers" enter the room and bashfully linger near the door. As soon as he apprehended their embarrassment he rose and walked to them, saying, "How do you do, my good fellows? What could I do for you? Will you sit down?" The spokesman of the pair, the shorter of the two, declined to sit, and ex- plained the object of the call thus: He had had a talk concerning the relative height of Mr. Lincoln and his companion, and had asserted his belief that they were exactly the same height. He had come in to verify his judgment. Mr. Lincoln smiled, got his cane, and, placing the end of it upon the wall said, "Here, young man, come under this*" The young man stepped under the cane, as Mr. Lincoln held it, and when it was perfectly adjusted to his height Mr. Lincoln said: "Ifow come out and hold up the cane." This he did while Mr. Lincoln stepped THE ASSASSINATION" OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN. Ford's Theatre, Washington, D. C. night of April 14th, 1865. •PBCB ESCAPE OP THE ASSA'?SIN AND THE PANIC OF THE AUDIENCE. JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 301 under. Moving his head back and forth to be sure that it worked easily under the measurement, he stepped out, and declared to the sharp young fellow that he had guessed with remarkable accuracy — ^that he and the young man were of the same height. Then he shook hands with them and kindly dismissed them. Mr. Lincoln remarked to the astonished gentleman who had witnessed this democratic incident that he would sooner have cut oif his right hand than to have made those young fellows feel that they had committed an impropriety. PUT BRICKS IN HIS POCKETS In discussing Secretary Stanton's impulsiveness Mr. Lincoln said to a member of his Cabinet: "Well, we may have to treat him as they are sometimes obliged to treat a Methodist minister I know of out West. He gets wrought up to so high a pitch of excitement in his prayers and exhortations that they are obliged to put bricks in his pockets to keep him down. We may be obliged to serve Stanton the same way, but I guess we will let him jump awhile first." M/HAT DO YOU WANT? A paper was handed to the President, who read it over carefully and then remarked: "Yes, that is a sufficient endorsement for anybody; what do you want?" The full reply was not heard by the listener, but enough was caught to understand that the promotion of some person in the army was strongly urged, and a few minuter later the applicant said in a most sarcastic tone: "I see there are no vacancies among the Brigadiers, from the fact that so many Colonels are commanding bri- gades." At this remark the President threw himself forward in his chair in such a way as to expose to the lady, who was waiting an interview, the most curious, comical expression of features imaginable. He was look- ing the man squarely in the face, and, with one hand softly patting the other, and a funny look pervading every line of his countenance, he said: "My friend, let me tell you something about that. You are a farmer, I believe; if not, you will understand me. Suppose you had a 302 JOKES 'AND ANECDOTES. large cattle-yard, full of all sorts of cattle — cows, oxen and bulls — and you kept killing and selling and disposing of your cows and oxen, in one way and another, taking good care of your bulls. By and by you would find out that you had nothing but a yard full of old bulls, good for nothing under heaven. Now it will be just so with the army, if I don't stop making Brigadier-Generals." The man was answered, and he tried to laugh ; but the effort was a feeble one. Mr. Lincoln laughed, however, and laughed enough for both parties. HOW NORTHERN HOSPITALS WERE ESTABLISHED The following long and interesting story is taken from Holland's Life of Lincoln and is given to demonstrate how persistence will accom- plish and to show how utterly exhausted and worn out the President had become: "A lady, the widow of one who had died while serving the soldiers of the State of which he was the Governor called at the White House. After a brief delay Mrs. was received by Mr. Lincoln. He was alone and plainly clad in a suit of black that fitted him poorly. He was sitting in a folded-up sort of way in his arm chair. Nothing more unpretending could be imagined. As she entered, his head was bent forward, his chin resting on his breast, and his hand holding the letter she had sent in. He made a feint of rising; and, looking out from under his eyebrows, said inquiringly, "Mrs. ?" She replied "Yes, and I am very glad to see you, Mr. Lincoln." He took her hand and "hoped she was well," but gave no smile of welcome. She had come on business which interfered with his policy and plans. He motioned her to a chair; and while he was reading her letter she continued the perusal of his features. After he had finished he looked up, ran his fingers through his slightly silvered brown hair and with an air of almost severity said: "Madame, this matter of Northern hospitals has been talked of a great deal, and I thought it was settled; but it seems this is not the case. What have you got to say about it?" "Simply this," she replied, "that many soldiers, sick in our Western army on the Mississippi, must have JOKES ^AND 'ANECDOTES 303 Northern air or die. If you permit these men to come North you will have ten men in one year where you have but one now." Mr. Lincoln could not see the logic of this. Shrugging his shoulders and smiling in his peculiar, quizzical way, he said: "If your reasoning were correct your argument would be a good one. I don't see how sending one sick man North is going to give us ten well ones." The lady replied: "You understand me, I think." "Yes, yes," said he, "I under- stand you; but if they go North they will desert, and where is the dif- ference?" Her reply was: "Dead men cannot fight and they may not desert." "A fine way to decimate the army," exclaimed the President, We should never get a man back — not one, not one." "Pardon me," responded the lady, "but I believe that you are mistaken. They are as true and loyal to the Government as yourself. The loyalty is among the common soldiers, and they are the chief sufferers." Mr. Lincoln replied: "This is your opinion, Mrs. ," said he, earnestly. "How many men of the Army of the Potomac do you suppose the Government was pay- ing at the battle of Antietam? and how many do you suppose could be got for active service at that time?" She replied : "I know nothing of the Army of the Potomac, except that it has made some noble sacri- fices." "Well, but give a guess," persisted the President. "Indeed I cannot," was her answer. He threw himself awkwardly around in his chair, with one leg over the arm, and spoke slowly: "This war might have been finished at that time if every man had been in his place who was able to be there; but they were scattered here and there over the North — some on furloughs, and in one way and another gone, so that, out of one hundred and seventy thousand men, whom the Government was paying, only eighty-three thousand could be got for action. The consequence, you know, proved nearly disastrous." The President paused for a moment and her answer came: "It was very sad, but — but the delinquents were certainly not in Northern hospitals, nor were they deserters from Northern hospitals, for we have none; so your argu- ment is not against them." The President appreciated this logic and replied: "Well, well; you go and call on the Secretary of War and see what he says." He then 304 JOKnS 'AND ANECDOTES. took the lady's letter and wrote on the back: "Admit Mrs. at once. She is a lady of intelligence, and talks sense. A. Lincoln." "May I return to you, Mr. Lincoln?" she inquired. "Certainly," said he gently. She was told by the Secretary that he had sent the Surgeon-General to New Orleans with directions to come up the river and visit all the hospi- tals. Mrs. had no faith in these instructions, and told him so — ^told him further, that no good to the Western soldiers had ever resulted from them. She also indicated what she believed to be the reasons for the favorable reports from the Southern hospitals that had uniformly been made. "I believe," said she, "that it is because the med- ical authorities know that the heads of the departments are opposed to establishing so far from army lines, and report accordingly. Can nothing be done?" "Nothing until the Surgeon-General returns," he replied. Personally, he expressed himself in favor of hospitals in every Northern State, but he had to be guided by the medical authorities. Mrs. returned to the President and as he motioned her to a chair he inquired what the Secretary of War had said to her. She gave Mm a full account of the interview and added, "I have nowhere to go but to you." He replied, "Mr. Stanton knows there is an acting Sur- geon-General here and that Hammond will not return for two months. I will see the Secretary of War myself to-night; and you may come again in the morning." He then dismissed her in the kindest manner and with the kindest words. In the morning the lady returned, full of hope, expecting to be greeted by the same genial face and cordial manner. The President raised his eyes as she entered the room and said "good morning" and pointed to a chair. He was evidently annoyed at something which had occurred during some previous conversation of the moaning, and waited for her to speak. She waited for him. "Well," said he after a minute of delay. "Well," replied his visitor. He looked up under his eyebrows, a little startled, and inquired: "Have you nothing to say?" "Nothing," she replied, "until I hear your decision. Have you decided? You know you told me to come this morning." "No, I have not decided, and I JOKES AND "ANECDOTES. 305 believe this idea of Northern hospitals is a great humbug, and I am tired of hearing about it." The lady was surprised and grieved, but replied to this seemingly unkind remark by saying: "I regret to add a feather's weight to your already overwhelming care and responsibility. I would rather have stayed at home." With a feeble smile he responded : "I wish you had." She was earnest, and replied: "Nothing would give me greater pleas- ure, sir, but a keen sense of duty to this government; justice and mercy to its most loyal supporters and regard for your honor and position made me come. The people cannot understand why their husbands, fathers and sons are left to die when, with proper care and attention, they ought to live, and yet do some service for their country. Mr. Lincoln, I do believe you will yet be grateful for my coming." Still pleading for the sick soldiers she declared that the unfortunate ones would be benefited by Northern air and Northern scenery. DO YOU BELIEVE ME? Mr. Lincoln's countenance expressed distress, for he was convinced that she was speaking the truth. His face contracted almost painfully as he said: "You assume to know more than I do." The tears came into the lady's eyes as she replied: "Pardon me, Mr. Lincoln, I intend no disrespect, but it is because of this knowledge, and because I do know what you do not know, that I come to you. If you believe in me you will give us hospitals; if not, well." "You assume to know more than surgeons do," said Mr. Lincoln rather sharply, "Oh, no," she replied, "I could not perform an amputa- tion nearly so well as some of them do. But this is true: I do not come here for your favor; I am no aspirant for military favor or promotion. While it would be the pride of my life to command your respect and confidence, still even this I can wa.ive to gain my object. You will do me justice some time. I come to you from no casual inspection, having passed rapidly through the general hospitals vnth a, cigar in my mouth and a rattan in my hand and a,busing our generals for not knowing and performing their duty better. It is not thus that I have visited the hos- 306 JOKES AND 'ANECDOTES. pitals. For eight long months — ^from early morning until late at night — I have visited the regimental and general hospitals on the Mississippi, from Quincy to Vicksburg, and I come to you from the cots of men who have died, and who might have lived if you had permitted it. This is hard to say, hut it is true." THEY ARE NOT ALL DEAD While she was speaking the last sentence Mr. Lincoln's brow had become contracted and a pained expression had settled upon his face. He asked her how many men her State had sent to the field. She replied, "fifty thousand." "That means," he responded, "that she has about twenty thousand now. You need not look so sober," he continued, "they are not all dead." The veins filled in his face painfully, and one across his forehead was fearfully large and blue. Then, with an impa- tient gesture, he said: "I have a good mind to dismiss them all from the service and have no more trouble with them." The lady was astonished, for she knew that he was not in earnest. They sat looking at one another in silence. He had become very pale, and at last she broke the silence by saying: "They have been faithful to the government; they have been faithful to you; they will still be loyal to the government, do what you will with them. But if you will grant my petition you will be glad as long as you live." The President bowed his head and, with a look of sadness, which it is impossible for language to describe, said: "I shall never be glad any more." "Oh, do not say so," Mrs. exclaimed, "for who will have so much reason to rejoice as yourself when the government shall be restored — as it will be." "I know— I know," he said, pressing a hand on either side; "but the springs of life are wearing away, and I shall not last." Mrs. , feeling that she had occupied too much of his time, rose to leave; and, as she did so, said: "Have you decided upon your answer to me?" "No," he replied, "come to-morrow morning; stop, it is cabinet- meeting to-morrow. Yes, come at twelve o'clock; there is not much JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 307 for the cabinet to do to-morrow." Then he bade his visitor a cordial good morning and she retired. When Mrs. called the next forenoon the President sent her word that the cabinet would soon adjonm and that she must wait. For three long hours she waited, receiving occasional messages from Mr. Lincoln. The cabinet had adjourned. The President did not send for her, but came shuffling into the room, rubbing his hands, and saying: "My dear madame, I am sorry I have kept you waiting so long, but we have this moment adjourned." "My waiting is no matter," she replied, "but you must be very tired and we will not talk to-night." Bidding her to a seat, she having risen as he entered, he sat down at her side and quietly remarked: "I only wish to say to yo(u an order which is equivalent to the granting of a hospital in your State has been issued from the War Department nearly twenty-four hours." The lady could make no reply except through the tears that sprang at once. Mr. Lincoln looked on and enjoyed it. When, at last, she could command her voice, she said, "God bless you." Then, as doubts came, touching the nature of the order, she said earnestly: "Do you mean, really and truly, that we are going to have a hospital now?" With a look full of benevolence and tenderness he said: "I do most certainly hope so." Mrs. was too much affected to talk; and perceiving this he kindly changed the subject, asking her to look at a map which hung in the room, representing the great battle-grounds of Europe. "It is a very fine map," said he; "see — here is Waterloo, here are all the battle-fields about the Crimea." Then suddenly turning to the lady, he said: "Fm afraid you will not like it so well when I tell you who executed it." She replied: "It is a great work, whoever exe- cuted it. Who was it, Mr. President?" "McOellan," he answered, and added: "He certainly did do this welL He did it while he was at West Point." YOU ALMOST THINK I AM HANDSOME The next morning, sick with the excitement through which she had passed, the lady was at the White House again. She found more than 308 JOKES AND "ANECDOTES. fifty persons waiting for an audience, so she sent in her name, and said she would call again. Mr. Lincoln, however, sent word by the messen- ger that he would see her very soon. A little later afterward as she passed into the President's private office she heard these words from the waiting throng: "She has been here six days; and, what is more, she is going to win." As she entered, Mr. Lincoln smiled pleasantly, drew a chair to his side, and said : "C!ome here and sit down." As she did so he handed her a copy of the coveted order. She thanked him and after some conversation concerning the naming of the hospital the lady rose and said: "You will not wish to see me again." "I did not say that, and I shall not say it," said the President. "You have been very kind to me, and I am very grateful for it," said his visitor. He looked up at her from under his eyebrows in his peculiar way and said: "You almost think I am handsome, don't you?" His face was full of benevolence, and his countenance lighted by a cor- dial smile; it is not strange that the lady exclaimed: "You are perfectly lovely to me now, Mr. Lincoln." The President colored a little and laughed a good deal at the impulsive response, and reached out his hand to bid her farewell. She took it reverently, bowed her head upon it, prayed: "God bless you, Abraham Lincoln." Then she turned, heard his "good bye" and was gone. THE OCCASIONAL VENT During the doubts and disasters of 18G2 a member of Congress called on Mr. Lincoln for an interview concerning a serious topic, when he began to tell a trifling story. "Mr. President," said the Congressman, rising, "I did not come here this morning to hear stories. It is too serious a time." The smile fled from Mr. Lincoln's face as he replied: "D. sit down; I respect you as an earnest and sincere man. You cannot be more anxious than I am constantly, and I say to you now, that if it were not for this occasional vent I should die." CHARLES LOST HIS HEAD There was an earnest desire for peace on both sides without doubt, but Mr. Lincoln could, with truth to himself and honor to his country, JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 309 make peace only on certain essential conditions; and in negotiations for peace lie could not recognize another government instead of the one of which he alone was President. "That," said he, speaking to Mr. E. M. T. Hunter, representing the rebel confederacy, "would be what you so long asked Europe to do in vain, and we resigning the only thing the Union armies are fighting for." To this Mr. Hunter replied that the recognition of Davis' power to make a treaty was the first and indispen- sable step to peace; and to illustrate this point he referred to the correspondence between King Charles the First and his Parliament as a reliable precedent of a constitutional ruler treating with rebels. At this point Mr. Lincoln's face wore that indescribable expression which generally preceded his hardest hits, and he remarked: "Upon questions of history I must refer you to Mr. Seward, for he is posted in such things, and I don't profess toi be; my only distinct recollection of the matter is that Charles lost his head," ROOT HOG. OR DIE Mr. Lincoln was discussing the slavery question with the same Mr. Hunter when the latter gentleman remarked that the slaves, always accustomed to work upon compulsion, under an overseer, would, if suddenly freed, precipitate not only themselves but the entire society of the South into irremediable ruin. No, work would be done, but blacks and whites would starve together. The President waited for Mr. Sew- ard to answer the argument, but as that gentleman hesitated he said: "Mr. Hunter, you ought to know a great deal better about this matter than I, for you have lived under the slave system. I can only say, in reply to your statement of the case, that it reminds me of a man out in Illinois by the name of Case, who undertook a few years ago to raise a very latfge herd of hogs. It was a great trouble to feed them; and how to get around this was a puzzle to him. At length he hit upon the plan of planting an immense field of potatoes; and, when they were sufiSciently grown, he turned the whole herd into the field and let them have full swing, thus saving not only the labor of feeding the hogs, but that alsp of digging the potatoes." Charmed with his sagacity, he stood 810 JOKES AND 'ANECDOTES. one day leaning against the fence, counting his hogs, when a neighbor came along. 'Well, well,' said he, 'Mr. Case, this is all very fine. Your hogs are doing very well just now; but you know out here in Illinois the frost comes early, and the ground freezes a foot deep. Then what are you going to do?' This was a view of the matter which Mr. Case had not taken into consideration. Butchering time for hogs was away on in December or January. He scratched his head and at length stammered: 'Well, it may come pretty hard on their snouts, but I don't see but it will be root hog or die! ' " WOULD HAVE DIED LONG AGO In speaking of a prominent politician whose good character was defiled by a great personal vanity he said: "If General hiad known how great a funeral he would have had he would have died long ago." NO VICES, FEW VIRTUES A father called upon Mr. Lincoln and pressed his son's claims for promotion. Something in Mr. Lincoln made the parent fear an appoint- ment was not forthcoming, and in order to present the young man in the most favorable light he said : "My son has no vices." Mr. Lincoln looked at the man steadily for a moment and then quietly remarked: "I have always observed that a man who has no vices has blamed few virtues." "DON'T WRITE" Secretary of the Treasury remarked to Mr. Lincoln that he was sorry that he ha.d not written to Mr. B. before he left home. Mr. Lincoln promptly respomded: "Chase, never regret what you don't write; it is what you do write that you are often called upon to feel sorry for." A NEAT TURN It was a very warm day and the small court-room was crowded, and the lawyers on both sides had removed their coats and vests. At that time shirts buttoned behind were something unusual in the locality in which Mr. Lincoln lived, and as he observed his opponent's shirt was JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 311 fastened in that manner he took advantage of the fact and thought he would use it against his brother lawyer, for he began to feel confident that he was getting worsted by the city lawyer. Knowing the prejudices of the country people against anything that savored of what they called pretense or affectation, he addressed the jury as follows: "Gentlemen of the jury, having justice on my side I don't think you will be at all influenced by the gentleman's pretended knowledge of the law when you see he does not even know which side of his shirt should be in front." There was great hilarity among the country folk and Lincoln won his case. The above was related to me by Mrs. Ficklin of Charleston, 111. THE SHORT ATHLETE In the fall of 1859 Mr. Lincoln made a speech at the Wisconsin State Agricultural Fair, after which he strolled about the fair grounds with the Governor of the State. Mr. Lincoln, who had never seen such an exhibition before, was greatly interested in the jugglery of the strong man, who was holding cannon balls on his arms and tossing them about. Looking at the jug- gler and apparently wondering how so short a man could exhibit such feats of strength he accosted him and said: "Why, I could lick salt off the top of your hat." HOW BIG IS THE TRUNK? A lady who lived in Springfield when a young girl and was near neighbor to Mr. Lincoln relates the following story as illustrative of his unusual kindness: She had planned to take a trip on the cars, which was a great event in her life; but somehow the hackman had failed to call for her and her trunk and the time for departure was nearing rapidly. Beginning to fear that she would be left she stepped out of the house and peered anxiously down the street. Mr. Lincoln, coming along, noticed her perturbation and asked the cause of her alarm. She told her story, and Mr. Lincoln said: "How big is your trunk? There is still time if it isn't too big." 312 JOKES AND ANECDOTES. "■1 took him up to my room where my little old-fashioned trunk was standing," she said. "Oh, ho," he exclaimed, "wipe your eyes and come quick." He seized the trunk, lifted it to his shoulders and strode out of the house. Down the street he went, his long limbs carrying him along at a rapid rate. We reached the station in time, and Mr. Lincoln helped me on to the train, kissed me good bye and told me to have a good time. "I NEVER HAD A POLICY"' Governor John M. Palmer of Illinois called upon Mr. Lincoln in February of 1865 and was admitted at once, although the President ivas in the hands of the barber. Calling out to the Governor, he said, "Come in, you're home folks. I don't mind being shaved before you." After chatting for some time upon various subjects Governor Palmer remarked: "If anyone had told me that in a great crisis like this the people were going out to a little one-horse town and pick out a one- horse lawyer for President I wouldn't have believed it." Mr. Lincoln whirled about in his chair, his face white with lather, a towel under his chin. At first Governor Palmer thought he was angry, but brushing the barber aside he gazed into his old friend's face and said: "Neither would I. It was a time when a man with a policy would have been fatal to the country. I never had a policy. I have simply tried to do what seemed best as each day came." 1 RATHER GUESS NOT A man by the name of Thompson had been giving the government considerable trouble, and Charles A. Dana, Assistant Secretary of War, who had heard that the obnoxious party was about to escape to Liver- pool, called upon Mr. Lincoln to tell him of the anticipated departure. It was after business houi's when Mr. Dana was received by the President, who was washing his hands. Looking up from his ablutions JOKE$ AND 'ANECDOTES. 313 he called out, "Hello, Dana, what is it now?" "The Provost Marshal of Portland," said Mr. Dana, "reports that Jacob Thompson is to be in town to-night, and inquires what orders we have to give." "What does Stanton say," he asked. "Arrest him," replied Mr. Dana. "Well," drawled out the President, "I rather guess not. When you have an elephant on your hands, and he wants to run away, better let him run." WHAT NETS? BAYOU-NETS A Southern sympathizer was eating at the same hotel table with Mr. Lincoln, and recognizing him by his portrait made a remark that was intended for the President's ears, although pretending not to know him. "You can't do anything with them Southern fellows," said the old man. "If they get vi'hipped they'd retreat to them Southern swamps and bayous along with the fishes and crocodiles. You hain't got the fish nets made that'll catch 'em." "Look here, old gentleman," the President remarked, "we've got just the nets for traitors in the bayous or anywhere!" "Hey! What nets?" "Bayou-nets," and Mr. Lincoln gave a practical illustration by spear- ing his food savagely with his fork. HOW TO GET RID OF A GOVERNOR A Governor of one of the Western States went to Mr. Lincoln one day in a terrible rage, and in relating the fact to a friend some few days thereafter the friend suggested that he had of course to grant his request. "Oh, no," Mr. Lincoln replied, "I did not concede anything. You have heard how the Illinois farmer got rid of a big log that was too big to haul out, too knotty to split, and too wet and soggy to bum." "Well now," said he in response to the inquiries of his neighbors one Sunday as to how to get rid of it, "Well now, boys, if you won't divulge the secret I'll tell you how I got rid of it — I ploughed around it." Mr. Lincoln, in conclusion, then said, "Don't tell anybody, but that's 314 JOKES AND 'ANECDOTES. the way I got rid of Governor . I ploughed all round him, but it took me three mortal hours to do it, and I was afraid every minute he'd see what I was at." "HE'S GOT IT" Upon a certain occasion when Mr. Lincoln, with some members of his cabinet, was out some distance from Washington Secretary Stanton remarked that in the hurry of departure he had not had time to consult tbe President in regard to a telegram received from General Mitchell, who was in Alabama, but had taken upon himself the liberty of reply- ing. It seems that General Mitchell had asked instructions in regard to a certain emergency case that had arisen, and the Secretary of War, not understanding the exact nature of the contingency, had replied to the telegram, "all right; go ahead." After having explained the matter Mr. Stanton turned to Mr. Lin- coln and said: "Mr. President, if I have made an error in not under- standing him correctly I will have to get you to countermand the order." "Well, that is very much like the happening on the occasion of a certain horse sale I remember which took place at the cross-roads down in Kentucky when I was a boy," and proceeding further the President related the incident: "A particularly fine horse was to be sold and the people in large numbers had gathered together. They had a small boy to ride the horse up and down while the spectators examined the horse's points. "At last one man whispered to the boy as he went by: 'Look here, boy, hain't that horse got the splints?' "The boy replied: 'Mister, I don't know what the splints is, but if it's good for him he has got it; if it ain't good for him he ain't got it.' " "Now," said Mr. Lincoln, "if this was good for Mitchell it was all right, but if it was not I have got to countermand it." General Fitzpat- rick is authority for the above. JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 315 DO NOT LOSE SELF-CONTROL Mr. Lincoln's life was a wonderful and marvelous example of self- control. Despite abuse and calumny and falsehood he maintained a serene demeanor and even greeted his enemies with a kind and cordial welcome. His whole career from childhood to the day of his translation was an exemplification of his most quoted saying, "With malice toward none, with charity for all." During his administration it became his painful duty to reprimand a young army officer, who had been court- martialed for a quarrel with one of his associates^ and in the following words he addressed him: "Quarrel not at all. No man resolved to make the most of himself can spare time for personal contention. Still less can he afford to take all the consequences, including the vitiating of his temper and the loss of self-control. "Better give your path to a dog than be bitten by him in contesting for the right. Even killing the dog would not cure the bite." GIVE THE REBS A CHANCE A TJniversalist minister, the Rev. Mr. Shrigley of Philadelphia, had been nominated for hospital chaplain when a protesting committee called upon the President and asked him to withdraw the nomination. Mr. Lincoln was quite surprised and asked for the cause of this peculiar request. The answer came. "Mr. Shrigley is not sound in his theological opinions." "On what question is the gentleman unsound," Mr. Lincoln then demanded. "He does not believe in endless punishment," replied the chairman of the committee, and not only so, sir, but he believes that even the rebels themselves will be finally saved." "Is that so?" inquired the President. To which inquiry the commit- tee in chorus responded "yes, yes." "Well, gentlemen, if that be so, and there is any way under heaven 31G JOKES AND ANECDOTES. whereby the rebels can be saved, then for God's sake, and their sakes, let the man be appointed." The result of this conference really enhanced the reverend gentle- man's claims. He was appointed by the President and served until the close of the war. THEY WILL SQUEAL It is quite the fashion of many men folks to let the world know, that in doing their duty, they are having a mighty hard time, and when one of the Northern Generals, who was always complaining against the methods of raising troops, had so annoyed the Adjutant-General that he conferred with Mr. Lincoln and asked him how he should reply to Governor 's remonstrances, Mr. Lincoln passed the matter over with very little concern and said to the Adjutant-General: "Never mind, never mind, those dispatches don't mean anything. Just go right ahead. The Governor is like a boy I once saw at a launch- ing. When everything was ready they picked out a boy and sent him under the ship to knock away the trigger and let her go. "At the critical moment everything depended on the boy. He had to do the job well by a direct, vigorous blow, and then lie flat and keep still while the boat slid over him. "The boy did everything right, but he yelled as if he were being mur- dered from the time he got under the keel until he got out. I thought the hide was all scraped off his back, but he wasn't hurt at all. "The master of the yard told me that this boy was always chosen for that job; that he did his work well; that he never had been hurt, but that he always squealed in that way. "That's just the way with Governor . Make up your mind that he is not hurt, and that he is doing right, and pay no attention to his squealing. He only wants to make you understand how hard his task is, and that he is on hand performing it." RESPECT FOR THE EGGS A sleight-of-hand performer being present at a boat launching which Mr. Lincoln attended was asked to give an exhibition of his powers; and VIEWING riNCOLN'S REMAINS. City Hall, New York City. JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 3ir , when Mr. Lincoln hesitated about sending his hat up to the improvised platform on which the performer stood, as a receptacle for the cooked eggs, he explained by saying: The delay was occasioned "out of respect for the eggs, and not care for the hat." PRAISED HIS OPPONENT It was quite a common occurrence for rival candidates to tour their district together, and so during the campaign which preceded Mr. Lin- coln's election to the Legislature he and his opponent had many pleas- ant rides in company. Upon one occasion, in addressing a gathering of fai*mers, Abraham Lincoln was lavish in his praise of the opposing candidate. He said; "I am too poor to own a carriage, but my friend has generously invited me to ride with him, I want you to vote for me if you will; but if not then vote for my opponent, for he is a fine man." No doubt politicians will consider the above method a queer way of securing votes; but then Mr. Lincoln never did anything as other men did. "DON'T BE IN A HURRY, BOYS" President Lincoln failed to catch the train which was to take him and a party of friends to New York. The failure on the part of Mr. Lincoln to reach the station in time caused much dissatisfaction among the members of the party; but Mr. Lincoln took l^he situation good- humoredly and of course told a story. He began: "Out in Illinois a convict who had murdered his cell-mate was sentenced to be hanged. On the day set for the execution crowds lined the roads leading to the spot where the scaffold had been erected, and there was much jostling and excitement. "The condemned man took matters coolly, and as one batch of per- spiring, anxious men rushed past the cart in which he was riding he called out, 'Don't be in a hurry, boys^ you've got plenty of time. There won't be any fun until I get there.' "That is the condition of things now," concluded the President. "There won't be any fun at New York until I get there." 318 'JOKES "AND "ANECDOTES. YOU'LL SEE IT AGAIN 'A young* attorney who was on the opposite side of the case met Mr. Lincoln in the streets of Bloomington, 111., and when he was accosted by the future President, who asked how the jury's verdict stood, said: "I've lost the case and it has gone to hell." To which vigoreus remark Mr. Lincoln replied: "Oh, well, then you will see it again." DO I LOOK NICE? Mr. Liicoln was not handsome, in fact very plain looking, and Mrs. Lincoln knew it; but yet she liked to have him as presentable as pos:- sible, so when a distinguished delegation was sent out from New York to receive the President upon his entrance into the city Mrs. Lincoln felt considerable anxiety for her husband's personal appearance, and just before the train stopped took out her handbag and said: "Abrahaim, I must fix you up a bit for these city folks." Mr. Lincoln lifted her to a seat that she might be able to reach him, while she put his hair into good condition and arranged his necktie. After she had finished the hasty toilet he bestowed upon her an affec- tionate caress and remarked, "Do I look nice now, mother?" "Well, you'll do, Abraham," replied the proud wife. TAD'S REBELLION Mr. Carpenter, the well-known photographer of Washington, had been engaged to take some views of the President's ofilce, and in select- ing a room to be used as a dark closet the photographer appropriated one that Tad had had fitted up for a theatre. After one or two views had been secured Tad concluded that his dignity was infringed upon, because he had not been consulted in regard to the selection of the improvised "dark room," and immediately proceeded to assert his rights by locking the door and putting the key in his pocket. The President, who was sitting for a picture, was rathef surprised that the artist should remain out so long, when suddenly Mr. Carpen- ter came into the room hurriedly and told Mr. Lincoln what Tad had JOKES 'AND 'ANECDOTES. 319 done. In a mild, persuasive tone the father asked his boy to unlock the door. But the young, rebellious fellow refused to obey and went off into his mother's room. After waiting patiently a short time for the boy to return or to relent and unlock the door the President inquired how things were coming out. The photographer reported that the young man was still obdurate. Mr. Lincoln rose from his chair and compressing his lips disappeared within the sanctity of hisi private rooms and in a short time returned with the key which had been the cause of so much excitement. "Tad," said he, "is a peculiar child. He was violently excited when I went to him, but I said: 'Tad, do you know that you are making your father a great deal of trouble?' He burst into tears, instantly giving me the key." A TITLE SHAN'T HURT YOU An Austrian Count, having been introduced to the President by the Minister Plenipotentiary of his country, proceeded to dwell upon his aristocratic birth as being a most important reason for his appoint- ment to the army. Mr. Lincoln listened attentively to the young man's recommendation and then slapping him familiarly on the shoulder said: "Never mind, you shall be treated with just as much consideration for all that. I will see to it that your bearing a title shan't hurt you." EXTREMES OFTEN MEET Though Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas were rivals in love and rivals in politics yet they remained the best of friends, and when they were in Congress they were often seen upon the street to- gether, though they made a most comical appearance. "Long Abe" was the tallest man in Congress and the "Little Giant" the shortest man. Lincoln was often joked about the matter, but always replied in a serious tone: "Yes, that's about the length and breadth of it." DON'T YOU WANT TO SEE THE HOG? The following story was related by Lincoln to a morbid and foolish curiosity-seeker, who imagined that he could secure a pass in order 320 JOKES 'AND ANECDOTES. to inspect the battlefield of Bull's Run the day succeeding the first battle. After gazing at the man for a moment and greatly amazed at his effrontery Lincoln told him the following story: "A man in Cortlandt county, N. Y., raised a porker of such unusual size that strangers went out of their way to see it. "One of them one day met the old gentleman and inquired about the animal. " 'Wall, yes,' the old fellow said, 'I've got such a critter, mi'ty big 'un; but I guess I'll have to charge you about a shillin' for lookin' at him.' "The stranger looked at the old man for a minute or so, pulled out the desired coin, handed it to him and started to go off. 'Hold on,' said the other, 'don't you want to see the hog?' " 'No,' said the stranger, 'I have seen as big a hog as I want to see.' "And you will find that fact the case with yourself, if you should happen to see a few live rebels there as well as dead ones." SMALL FAVORS THANKFULLY RECEIVED Dr. Sunderland, a prominent physician, but very short of stature, called upon Mr. Lincoln and urged him to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. It was on New Year's day, and after the Doctor had introduced himself immediately proceeded to say: "I have come, Mr. President, to anticipate the New Year with my respects, and if I may say to you a word about the serious condition of this country." The Doctor was so short that he had to nearly throw his head over on to his back in order to see the President's face. .With a most quiz- zical smile the President replied to the little man : "Go ahead, Doctor, every little helps." COULDN'T ACT WITHOUT ASKING There were a certain number of generals who could do nothing without the advice of the President. One commander in particular had so little self-reliance that he telegraphed upon the slightest pretext. At last the President became so annoyed with him that he said to Secretary JOKES 'AND ANECDOTES. 331 Stanton in referring to this over-cautious general: "He reminds me of a story I once heard about a Tammany man," and straightway pro- ceeded to tell the following anecdote: "He happened to meet a friend, also a member of Tammany, on the street, and in the course of the talk a friend, who was beaming with smiles and good nature, told the other Tammanyite that he was going to be married. "The first Tammany man looked more serious than men usually do upon hearing of the impending happiness of a friend. In fact his face seemed to take on a look of anxiety and worry, " 'Ain't you glad to know that I'm to get married?' demanded the second Tammanyite, somewhat in a huff. "'Of course I am,' was the reply; but, putting his mouth close to the ear of the other, said: 'Have ye asked Morrissey yet?' "Now, this general of whom we are speaking wouldn't dare to order out the guard without asking Morrissey," concluded the President. THEY LOOKED GOOD AND SORRY There were people and delegations of people who called upon Mr. Lincoln, but were never able to obtain an interview because he knew he was unable to grant their requests. In order to save himself trouble and annoyance he knew that to avoid seeing them was the quickest and best way out of the matter. But one day some gentlemen from Kentucky, who had as yet been unable to secure an audience with Mr. Lincoln, were about to give up and leave without having accomplished their mission when they were met in the lobby by Tad, a boy then eleven years old, who overheard them make some uncomplimentary remark about "Old Abe" and disi- cussed among themselves the fact that they had been unable to secure an audience. Tad asked them if they were particularly anxious to see "Old Abe," and to their replies informed them that if they would wait a minute hed see what he could do. Rushing into his father's office he said, "Papa^ may I introduce some friends to you?" 322. JOKES "AND "ANECDOTES. Mr. Lincoln replied in the affirmative, for he was never able to say nay to his children, whereupon Tad found the Kentuckians and told them that he had arranged an interview. Asking the most dignified-looking gentleman his name he told him to come on and bring his friends with him. Leading them up to the President he said, "Papa, let me introduce to you Judge of Kentucky," and added, "Now, Judge, you introduce the other gentle- men." Mr. Lincoln at once realized that these were the very gentlemen which he had been avoiding for the past week; but he took Tad upon his lap, kissed him, and told the little man that it was all right, and that he had introduced his friends like a gentleman. Some time afterwards it seems that he asked Tad why he called those gentlemen his friends. "Well," said Tad, "I had seen them so often, and they looked so good and sorry, and said they were from Ken- tucky, that I thought they must be our friends." "That is right, my son," said Mr. Lincoln; "I would have the whole human race your friends and mine, if it were possible." WITH A SMALL G It is said by some of Mr. Lincoln's biographers that when he was quite a young man he was known to spell God with a small g. When he was told of it afterward the President immediately replied: "Well, that reminds me of a little story," and forthwith he related the follow- ing: "It came about that a lot of Confederate mail was captured by the Union forces, and, while it was not exactly the proper thing to do, some of our soldiers opened several letters written by the Southerners to their people at home. In one of these missives the writer, in a post- script, jotted down this assertion: " 'We'll lick the yankees to-morrer, if godlemity spares our lives.' "That fellow was in earnest, too, as the letter was written the day before the second battle of Manassas," JOKES 7iND 'ANECDOTES. 323 WON'T DO FOR OLD FRIENDS Mr. Lincoln, during the first year of his administration, experienced many difficulties in trying to wear the prescribed kid gloves; but after many annoying and ludicrous attempts to wear them he abandoned the attempt, and at all public receptions appeared with his hands bare. The following is one of the many incidents which illustrates a kid glove episode: It was with great difficulty that he "pulled" on a pair of tight-fitting white kids, and at this particular reception an old friend from Sanga- mon county. 111., called to pay his respects to the President. When the Illinoisan was presented and Mr. Lincoln recognized the old acquaint- ance (Simpson by name) he welcomed him with a genuine hearty Wesf- ern hand-shake, which was so vigorous that his kid glove split from top to bottom. Mr. Lincoln looked at the ruined kid for a moment, then pulling off the rent glove and raising his brawny hand, cried out, in so loud a tone that the entire procession stopped to hear what he had to say: "Well, my old friend, this is a general justification. You and I were never intended to wear these things. If they were stronger they might do well enough to keep out the cold, but they are a failure to shake hands with between old friends like ns." WASN'T AFRAID FOR HIMSELF When Mr, Lincoln returned from Kichmond and was greeted by a member of the Cabinet, who told him how uneasy he had been for his safety during his absence, the President replied: "Why, if any one else had been President and had gone to Richmond I would have been alarmed; but I was not scared about myself a bit." LINCOLN'S DEFINITION Governor Saunders of Nebraska, in a conversation with Mr. Lincoln, incidentally mentioned a settlement in his State which was situated on the banks of a stream called "Weeping Water." "Weeping Water," said Mr. Lincoln, "I suppose the Indians call it Minneboohoo, don't they? They ought to, if Laughing Water is Minnehaha in their Ian- 334 JOKES AND ANECDOTES. gnage." A friend of the Governor's vouches for the truth of this little gem. ASKING HELP FROM THE HELPLESS It seems that General McClellan was not only incompetent, but appeared to be constantly calling for help, and incessantly annoyed the President vrith telegrams asking for assistance, advice and counsel. A particularly appealing message so annoyed and disgusted the Presi- dent that he remarked to a number of his Cabinet: "It seems to me that McClellan has been vi'andering around and has sort of got left. He's been hollering for help ever since he went South, and wants some- body to come to his deliverance and get him out of the place he's got into. "He reminds one of a story of a man out in Illinois, who, in company with a number of friends, visited the State penitentiary. They wan- dered all through the institution and saw everything, but just about the time to depart this particular man became separated from his friends and couldn't find his way out. "He roamed up and down one corridor after another, becoming more desperate all the time, when, at last, he came across a convict who was looking out from between the bars of his cell-door. Here was salvation at last. Hurrying up to the prisoner he hastily asked: " 'Say, how do you get out of this place?' " IT'S ALL HE'S GOT IN THE WORLD The following is only another number added to the list of incidents which illustrate Mr. Lincoln's^ great kindness of heart: When the town of Petersburg, 111., was platted the surveying was done by Abraham Lincoln, and some twenty years afterward the prop- erty-owners had difficulty in correctly establishing the boundary lines. A recourse to the official plat did not unravel the difficulty, and^^after a meeting of the citizens whose property was involved in the tangle it was decided to send a committee to Springfield to consult the now distinguished surveyor. But Mr. Lincoln could give them no relief, as all remembrance of the transaction had passed from his mind. He JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 335 referred the committee to the records as the only proof of the trans- action. The matter was taken up in the courts, and while the trial was pend- ing an old Irishman named McGuire, hearing of the dispute, promptly said : "I can tell you all about it. I helped carry the chain when Abe Lincoln laid out this town. Over there where they are quarreling about the lines, when he was locating the street he straightened up from his instrument and said: 'If I run that street right through it will cut three or four feet off the end of 's house. It's all he's got in the world, and he never would get another. I reckon it won't hurt anything out here if I skew the line and miss him.' " Governor Palmer of Illi- nois when telling the above incident said : "That's not made up, either." I^LL FIND THE TRACKS It is related by Judge Herndon, of Springfield, Mr. Lincoln's law partner, that he never saw his friend look more cheerful than on the day before his departure for Washington, and when his old law asso- ciate remarked to him, "I believe it will do you good to get down to Washington." The President-elect replied: "I know it will, I only wish I could have got there to lock the door before the horse was stolen. But when I get to the spot I can find the tracks." I'M MAKING GENERALS NOW Mr. H. C. Witney relates the following conversation which he had with Mr. Lincoln during the first year of his administration, and in substance says : "I was in Washington for a few days in behalf of the Indian service. This was just previous to August, 1861, and I merely said to President Lincoln one day: 'Everything is drifting into the war and I guess you will have to put me into the army.' "The President looked up from his work and replied good-humoredly : 'I'm making Generals now; in a few days I will be making quartermas- ters, and then I'll fix you.' " I KIN MANAGE MY OWN AFFAIRS It is stated that when the Lincoln family moved from Indiana and located near Decatur, Illinois, that Abe Lincoln carried along a line of 336 JOKES AND ANECDOTES. notions, expecting to dispose of them to good advantage while en route to the new home. It was during a debate among the members of the Cabinet upon a serious international problem that Mr. Lincoln referred to the following episode which occurred in connection with the above notion enterprise: The meeting was rather heated and the President, being in the minority, found himself in a hole, so to speak, from which he could not extricate himself in a hurry, and, in order to gain time and put off the ultimate decision or action, he related the following apt story: "Gentlemen," said he, addressing those seated at the Cabinet table, "the situation just now reminds me of a fix I got intoi some thirty years ago, when I was peddling notions on the way from Indiana to Illinois. I didn't have a large stock, but I charged large prices, and I made money. Perhaps you don't see what I am driving at." It is said that the members of his Cabinet were so thoroughly dis- gusted with what seemed to them entirely out of place at such a critical juncture that they hardly replied to the President's question, but simply resigned themselves to the inevitable story. "I don't propose to argue this matter," the President went on to say, "because arguments have no effect upon men whose opinions are fixed and whose minds are made up. But this little story of mine will make some things which are in the dark show up more clearly." "Just before we left Indiana and crossed into Illinois," continued Mr. Lincoln, "we came across a small farm-house full of nothing but children. These ranged in years; from seventeen years to seventeen months, and all were in tears. The mother of the family was red- headed and red-faced, and the whip she held in her right hand led to the inference that she had been chastising her brood. The father of the family, a meek-looking, mild-mannered, tow-headed chap, was stand- ing in the front door-way awaiting^ — ^to all appearances — ^his turn to feel the thong. "I thought there wasn't much use in asking the head of that house if she wanted any notions. She was too busy. It was evident an insur- rection had been in progress, but it was pretty well quelled when I got JOKES AND 'ANECDOTES. 327 there. The mother had about suppressed it, with an iron hand, but she was not running any risks. She kept a keen and wary eye upon all the children, not forgetting an occasional glance at the old man in the doorway. "She saw me as I came up and from her look I thought she was of the opinion that I intended to interfere. Advancing to the doorway, and roughly pushing her husband aside, she demanded my business. "'Nothing, madam,' I answered as gently as possible. 'I merely dropped in as I came along to see how things were going.' " Well, you needn't wait,' was the reply in an irritated way; 'there's trouble here, and lots of it, too, but I kin manage my own afiEairs with- out the help of outsiders. This is just a family row, but I'll teach these brats their places if I have to lick the hide off ev'ry one of them. I don't do much talkin', but I run this house, an' I don't want no one sneakin' round trying to find out how I do it, either,' " "That's the case here with us," the President continued. "We must let the other nations know that we propose to settle our family row in our own way, and teach these brats (the seceding States) if we have to lick the hide oiff of each and every one of them. And, like the old woman, we don't want any 'sneakin' round' by other countries who would like to find out how we are to do it, either." "Now, Mr. Seward," said the President, "you write some diplomatic notes to that effect." This very apt illustration was rehearsed by a lady who told me that Secretary Wells was the authority for it. HAD A CAMPAIGN OF HIS OWN In a conversation with Major-General Garfield, who afterward be- came President of the United States, Mr. Lincoln said to him: "By the way, Garfield, do you know that Chase, and Stanton, and General Wool and I had a campaign of our own? We went down to Fortress Monroe in Chase's revenue cutter and consulted with Admiral Goldsborough on the feasibility of taking Norfolk by landing on the North shore and proceeding to the town only eight miles away? The Admiral said there was no landing on that shore, and we should have to double the cape, 338 JOKES AND ANECDOTES. and approach the place from the south side, which would be a long journey and a difficult one. I asked him if he had ever tried to find a landing, and he replied that he had not. I then told him a story of a fellow in Illinois who had studied law, but had never tried a case. He was sued, and, not having confidence in his ability to manage his own case, employed a lawyer to manage it for him. He had only a confused idea of the meaning of law terms, but he was anxious to make a display of learning, and, on the trial, constantly made suggestions to his lawyer, who paid but little attention to him. At last, fearing that his lawyer was not handling the opposing counsel very well, he lost all his patience, and, springing to his feet, cried out, 'Why don't you go at him with a capias or a surre-butter or something, and not stand there like a con- founded old nudum-poctuno?' 'Now, Admiral,' said I, 'if you don't know that there is no landing on the North shore I want you to find out.' " In continuing the account of this narrative Mr. Lincoln said: "The Admiral took the hint, and taking Chase and Wool along with a com- pany or two of marines, he went on a voyage of discovery, and Stanton and I remained at Fortress Monroe. That night we went to bed, but not to sleep, for we were very anxious for the fate of the expedition. About two o'clock the next morning I heard the heavy tread of Wool ascending the stairs. I went out into the parlor and found Stanton hugging Wool in a most enthusiastic manner, as he announced that he had found a landing, and had captured Norfolk." A PRICELESS TREASURE Though Abraham Lincoln was looked upon by his early associates and later by his confreres as a lazy man, yet the following account taken from the Boston Advertiser shows that when not engaged in weighty law problems his hands were not idle, but quite as busy as his brain: "Occupying an ordinary and commonplace position in one of the show-cases in the large hall of the Patent Office is one little model which, in ages to come, will be prized as at once one of the most curious JOKES 'AND "ANECDOTES. 329 and one of the most sacred relics in that vast museum of unique and priceless things. This is a plain and siimple model of a steamboat, roughly fashioned in wood, by the hand of Abraham Lincoln. It bears date in 1849, when the inventor was known simply as a successful law- yer and rising politician of Central Illinois. Neither his practice nor his politics took up so much of his time as to prevent him from giving much attention to contrivances which he hoped might be of benefit to the wsrld and of profit to himself. "The design of this invention is suggestive of one phase of Abraham Lincoln's early life, when he went up and down the Mississippi as a flatboatman, and became familiar with some of the dangers and incon- veniences attending the navigation of the Western rivers. It is an attempt to make it an easy matter to transport vessels over shoals and snags and sawyers. The main idea is that of an apparatus resembling a noiseless bellows, placed on' each side of the hull of the craft, just below the water-line, and worked by an odd but not complicated system of ropes, valves, and pulleys. When the keel of the vessel grates against the sand or obstruction, these bellows are to be filled with air; and, thus buoyed up, the ship is expected to float lightly and gayly over the shoal, which would otherwise have proved a serious interruption to her voyage. "The model, which is about eighteen or twenty inches long, and has the air of having been whittled with a knife out of a shingle and a cigar- box, is built without any elaboration or ornament, or any extra appara- tus beyond that necessary to show the operation of buoying the steamer over the obstructions. Herein it differs from very many of the models which share with it the shelter of the immense halls of the Patent Offtce, and which are fashioned with wonderful nicety and exquisite finish, as if much of the labor and thought and affection of a lifetime had been devoted to their construction. This is a model of a different kind; carved as one might imagine a retired rail-splitter would whittle, strongly, but not smoothly, and evidently made with a view solely to convey, by the simplest possible means, to the minds of the patent au- thorities, an idea of the purpose and plan of the simple invention. The 330 JOKES 'AND 'ANECDOTES. label on the steamer's deck informs us that the patent was obtained; but we do not learn that the navigation of the Western rivers was revo- lutionized by this quaint conception. The modest little model has reposed here sixteen years; and since it found its resting-place here on the shelf, the shrewd inventor has found it his task to guide the ship of state over shoals more perilous, and obstructions more obstinate, than any prophet dreamed of when Abraham Lincoln wrote his bold autograph on the prow of this miniature steamer." HE NEVER CAN BE PRESIDENT It was during the great and memorable debate that when Mr. Lincoln was preparing certain questions which he proposed to pro- pound to the "Little Giant" that some of his friends urged him not to corner Douglas on a certain point, because he would surely stand by his doctrine of Squatter Sovereignty in defiance of the Dred Scott decision, "and that," said they, "will make him Senator." "That may be," said Mr. Lincoln, "but if he takes that shoot he never can be Presi- dent." Mr. Lincoln's keen perception did not fail him here. The position which Douglas took of "unfriendly legislation," was an obstacle which he was never able to overcome. I SHALL SEE MY BOY AGAIN One of Mr. Lincoln's favorite diversions was reading Shakspeare, whom he rendered with great emphasis and feeling. One day as he sat reading alone, he called to his aide in the adjoining room, "Colonel, come in here; I want to read you a passage in Hamlet." He then read the discussion on ambition between Hamlet and his courtiers, and the soliloquy which followed. This was followed by passages from Macbeth. Then opening to King John, he read from the third act the passage in which Constance bewails her lost boy. Closing the book and repeating the words: "And, father cardinal, I have heard you say That we shall see and knoAV our friends in heaven; If that be true, I shall see my boy again" — 'JOKES 'AND 'ANECDOTES. 331 Mr. Lincoln said: "Colonel, did you ever dream of a lost friend, and feel that you were holding sweet communion with that friend, and yet have a sad consciousness that it was not a reality? — ^just so I dream of my boy Willie." Overcome with emotion, he dropped his head on the tahle, and sobbed aloud. NOT DEAD YET When a telegraphic dispatch from Cumberland Gap reached Mr. Lincoln that "firing was heard in the direction of Knoxville," he is reported as having said: "I am glad of it." A gentleman who was pres- ent, and had in his mind the thought of the danger and peril of a certain general who was a personal friend, remarked, that he could not see why Mr. Lincoln was glad. "Why, you see," replied the President, "it reminds me of Mistress Sallie Ward, a neighbor of mine, who had a large family. Occasionally one of her numerous progeny would be heard crying in some out-of-the- way place, upon which Mrs. Ward would exclaim, 'There's one of my children that isn't dead yet,' " "I INTEND TO GO WITH MY COLORS FLYING" In August, 1864, the President called for five hundred thousand more men, and the Presidential election was not far away. Many of Mr. Lincoln's friends thought that another call for troops would injure his re-election, and one of them hinted as much to Mr. Lincoln. "As to my re-eleotion," the President remarked, "it matters not. We must have the men. If I go down, I intend to go like the Cumberland — ^with my colors flying." A TURN ABOUT "On Mr. Lincoln's reception-day, after the nomination," wrote Theo- dore Tilton, in a letter to the Independent, "his face wore an expression of satisfaction rather than elation. His reception of Mr. Garrison was an equal honor to host and guest. In alluding to our failure to find the old jail, he said, Well, Mr. Garrison, when you first went to Baltimore, you couldn't get out; but the second time, you couldn't get in.' , >» 333 JOKES 'AND ANECDOTES. A DISCREPANCY A friend reported to Mr. Lincoln that some of the influential poli- ticians were finding fault with him because certain generals were not given commands. "The fact is," replied Mr. Lincoln, "I have got more pegs than I have holes to put them in." DON'T CROSS THE BRIDGE A preacher from Springfield, 111., called upon the President, and in the course of conversation asked him what was to be his policy on the slavery quesition. "Well," said the President, "I will answer, by telling you a story. You know Father B., the old Methodist preacher? and you know Fox Eiver and its freshets? Well, once in the presence of Father B., a young Methodist was worrying about Fox River, and expressing fears that he should be prevented from fulfilling some of his appoint- ments by a freshet in the river. Father B. checked him in his gravest manner. Said he: 'Young man, I have always made it a rule in my life not to cross Fox River till I get to it,' and I am, not going tO' worry myself over the slavery question till I get to it." STOP YOUR BOAT A MINUTE At a public reception, the President was very much annoyed by a rural citizen from one of the border counties of Virginia, whoi com- plained to him that the Union soldiers, in passing his farm, had helped themselves not only to hay, but went into his orchard and had eaten up his fruit. He requested the President to order the proper officer to inflict punishment upon the transgressors. Mr. Lincoln did not reply to the querulous complaint, but proceeded \o tell a story, illustrative of the man's foolish request. A stream which contained a dangerous rapids was a source of annoyance and peril to voyagers. For many years these travelers had been safely carried over the rapids in a canoe by a daring fellow who lived on the shore near by. At last it was concluded to build a steamer and make Jack captain of her. He always used to take the wheel, going through the rapids. One day when the boat was plunging and wallowing along the boiling i4 o n in vx P4 o < . Ph o izi 3 is; izi P4 P M SO LINCOLN'S HOME— SPRINGFIELD, ILL. This photograph was taken at the time of the President's funeral. The group repre- sents 100 prominent citizens from Chicago, who accompanied President Lincoln's remains to their last resting place. The following is a list of the distinguished gentlemen: Hon. N. K. Fairbank, Judge James B. Bradwell, Judge Gary, Judge Van H. Higgins, Hon. Matthew Laflin, Hon. John V. Parwell, Chief Justice M. W. Fuller, Rev. Dr. Tiffany, Ex-Mayor Benj. W. Raymond, Ex-Mayor Isaac L. Milliken, Ex-Mayor J. H. Woodworth, Julius S. Rumsey, Charles M. Gray, John C. Haines, Alexander Lloyd, Alson S. Sherman, Charles Randolph, T. J. Bronson, John C. Dore, John F. Beaty, Stephen Clary, C. T. Wheeler, J. Maple, S. S. Hayes, Mancel "Talcott, N. W. Huntley, Aaron Gibbs, Judge E. S. Williams, Judge Van Buren, Hugh T. Dickey, Harvey D. Colvin, Thomas Hoyne, S. Anthony, Ira Y. Munn, Oramel S. Hough, Charles H. Walkei, David R. Holt, W. D. Houghtelling, Gurdon S. Hubbard, R. McChesney, Tver Lawson, B. E. Gallup, J. K. Botsford, A. B. Johnson, J. M. Wilson, W. H. Brown, Mark Skinner, John Alston, G. P. A. Hiealey, James H. Goodsell, George M. Kimbark, William Wayman, H. E. Sargeant, Chas. G. Hammond, George C. Boles, Samuel Hoard, Peter Page, Wm. H. Bradley, L,aurin P. Hilliard, Dr. Wagner, J. Gindele, George Anderson, Uriah P. Harris, Dr. James V. Z. Blaney, Joshua L. Marsh, J. H. McVicker, W. F. Tucker, Dr. J. P. Lynn, Edwin Burnham, James Miller, Benj. F. Patrick, Dr. D. Brainard, John B. Turner, Silas B. Cobb, W. W. Boyington, Isaac Speer, W. Sheahan, Robert Hervey, M. L. Sykes, John B. Drake, John L. Wilson, Luther Haven, George Schneider, Samuel Howe, W. I. Church, John A. Wilson, Jacob Rehm, H. W. Bigelow, A. H. Blackall, Joseph Medill, A. C. Hessing, J. H. Field, E. W. Blatchford, T. S. Blackstone, Julius White, Capt. James Smith, Robert H. Foss, L. Brentano, Wm. James James, Long S. Goodwin, J. M. Van Osdel, M. John B. Rice, John Jones (colored), John H. Kinzie. JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 333 current, and Jack's utmost vigilance was being exercised to keep her in the narrow channel, a boy pulled his coat-tail, and hailed him with — "Say, Mister Captain! I wish you would just stop your boat a minute — I've lost my apple overboard!" RESIGNED TO PROVIDENCE When informed of the death of John Morgan, a man whom Mr. Lin- coln did not exactly love, he replied to his informant: "Well, I wouldn't crow over anybody's death; but I can take this as resignedly as any dis- pensation of Providence." KEEP YOUR FINGER AWAY Many prominent and well-meaning people called upon Mr. Lincoln simply for the purpose of advising him in regard to the question of emancipation, and when a distinguished public officer being in Wash- ington, in an interview with the President, introduced the question of emancipation the President replied: "Well, you see, we've got to be very cautious how we manage the negro question. If we're not, we shall be like the barber out in Illinois, who was shaving a fellow with a hatchet face and lantern jaws like mine. The barber stuck his finger in his customer's mouth to make his cheek stick out, but while shaving away he cut through the fellow's cheek and cut off his own finger! If we are not very careful, we shall do as the barber did!" f DID THE BEST I KNEW HOW An attack was made on Mr. Lincoln by the Committee on the Con- duct of the War, for a certain alleged blunder, or something worse, in the Southwest, and an officer came to the President and told him that he possessed official evidence completely upsetting all the conclusions of the committee, and asked if it might not be well to set this matter right in a letter to some paper, stating the facts as they actually tran- spired. "Oh, no," replied the President, "at least, not now. If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how 334 JOKES AND ANECDOTES. — the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference." WE'LL GET YOU SAFE ACROSS Some gentlemen from the West who were greatly excited and troubled about the commissions or omissions of the Administration, called upon the President and stated their grievances. Mr. Lincoln heard them patiently, and then said: "Gentlemen, suppose all the prop- erty you were worth was in gold, and you had put it in the hands of Blondin to carry across the Niagara Eiver on a rope, would you shake the cable, or keep shouting out to him — 'Blondin, stand up a little straighter — Blondin, stoop a little more — go a little faster — lean a little more to the north — ^lean a little more to the south?' No, you would hold your breath as well as your tongue, and keep your hands off until he was safe over. The Government is carrying an immense weight. Un- told treasures are in its hands. It is doing the very best it can. Don't ba- tered to her sick child, he succeeded in opening the closed lids. Putting her down and watching her gambols with delight, he said sadly: "Oh, that I could open the eyes of my blinded fellow-countrymen as easily as I have those of that little creature!" A POCKET POSTMASTER After having been given a warning by a gentleman as to certain anticipated unkind acts, which were to be enacted by one whom Mr. Lincoln had every reason to believe his friend, the President turned to his informer and, with one of his peculiar smiles, said : "Mr. , you haven't such a thing as a postmaster in your pocket, have you?" The gentleman was completely taken by surprise and for a moment imagined that the President had lost his reason; but when Mr. Lincoln tapped him on the shoulder and straightened himself up and proceeded to answer his own question, Mr. B. knew that a joke came in some- where. "You see," continued Mr. Lincoln, "it's sort of unnatural that you shouldn't have at least a postmaster in your pocket. Everybody I've seen for days past has had foreign ministers and collectors, and all kinds, and I thought you couldn't have got in here without having at least a postmaster get into your pocket." NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN A bunch of wise men had called at the White House to unload the iisual amount of advice that Mr. Lincoln received as his daily ration. Upon this occasion the advice was uncalled for and the advisers par- ticularly obnoxious. They were cultured and educated men and the President thought he detected a criticism along the line of his lack of education; so he humbly replied: "I am not an educated man, I feel the need of reading. It is a loss to a man not to have grown up among books." 340 JOKES AND ANECDOTES. "Men of force," replied one of the callers, "can get on pretty well "without books. They do their own thinking instead of adopting what other men think." "Yes," replied Mr. Lincoln, "but books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new after all." This was a turn in the conversation that was not exactly agreeable to the officious man and he suggested to the committee that a hasty departure was advisable. HE NEEDN'T LOSE ANY SLEEP Another instance of Mr. Lincoln's firmness, when patience was ex- hausted and he was therefore called upon to assert his opinion, is here- with related. A certain general had telegraphed to the Secretary of War that he must have more men and when Mr. Stanton showed the message to the President, and before he had time to ask him what he should do about it, Mr. Lincoln said: "I guess he's killed off enough men, hasn't he, and what's the use in sending volunteers down to him if they're only used to fill graves?" As Mr. Lincoln paused, seemingly waiting for an answer to his question, Mr. Stanton glanced over the telegram again and then ven- tured to remark: "His dispatch seems to imply that, in his opinion, you have not the confidence in him he thinks he deserves." "Oh," said the President, "he needn't lose any sleep on that account. Just telegraph him to that effect; also that I don't propose to send any more men." APPEARANCES ARE DECEIVING A handsome and beautifully gowned woman called upon Mr. Lincoln for the purpose of securing the release from prison of a relative in whom she seemed to be greatly interested. She supposed, by her bright and vivacious manner that she had made a great impression upon the President, and when he gave her a sealed letter directed to the Secretary of War, she was certain that her charms had won the victory and her friend (?) would be speedily released. But JOKES 'AND -ANECDOTES. 341 how great would have been her chagrin had she known the contents of that communication. The following are the mystic words which the President had traced: "This woman, dear Stanton, is a little smarter than she looks." TOO GREAT A DISTANCE Upon one occasion when the President was passing down one of the aisles in the hospital at Washington, between the long row of cots upon which were seen wounded soldiers in every stage of illness, from those who were dying to those who were convalescing, he noticed an unusu- ally tall fellow, who rose to his feet and stood ready to salute the Com- mander-in-Chief. This soldier from Pennsylvania measured six feet and seven inches. As Mr. Lincoln approached and observed his unusual height, he paused before him, gazed at him from head to foot, extended his hand and exclaimed, "Hello, comrade, do you know when your feet get cold?" THE TWO FLAGS One of the most touching and beautiful incidents connected with the closing days of the great rebellion is related by an eye-witness who vouches for the truth of the story. When the troops were returning to Washington, great crowds col- lected upon the lawn before the White House, and, as the battered and weary boys in blue filed by cheer after cheer rent the air, while the President, with, uncovered head, stood amongst the great concourse and raised high above him the starry flag. With every undulation of old glory the people responded with huzzahs which grew in intensity as the minutes went by. In the midst of this tremendous and patriotic demon- stration a strange sight caught the eyes of the almost maddened re- joicers. From the window of the Executive Mansion a small boy leaned out and in his hand was seen the banner of the boys in gray. The wind caught the flag and it too rose and fell with the breeze. It was Tad Lin- coln, the irrepressible, who had seized the flag which had been captured from the Confederates and flung it from an upper window, despite the admonitions, threats and displeasure of those who were in the room with him. 342 'JOKES 'AND 'ANECDOTES. An ominous silence took possession of the vast throng, and the Presi- dent turned to discover if he could the cause of so strange a proceeding. He saw his boy hanging from the window, and in his hand the rebel flag. Without a moment's hesitation he waved a signal of assent to the boy and then with a smile upon his pale countenance he faced the crowd and again sent "Old Glory" out in graceful waves. The applause was tremendous, for the people could not resent the beautiful spirit which had always characterized the man. "With charity for all, and malice toward none." A METAMORPHOSIS It was on the 2d of February, 1865, that President Lincoln met Alexander H. Stephens. Mr. Stephens boarded the Kiver Queen, which was then lying at Fortress Monroe, accompanied by his body-servant, a colored man. The Vice-President of the Confederacy was wrapped in overcoats and shawls, and, thus enveloped, one could easily imagine he was a fair-sized man, at least. But when the colored servant began to take off Mr. Stephens' trappings and a small, shriveled up old man greeted Mr. Lincoln, he could not resist the temptation to have a quiet joke. So, turning to Secretary Seward, he said: "This is the largest shrinking for so small a nubbin that I ever saw." DO SOMETHING FOR THE DUTCH As many complaints had reached Mr. Lincoln's eaj* that but little had been done for the Dutch, and when some prominent men who were born in the Fatherland suggested that a certain Dutchman would make a good officer, Mr. Lincoln made up his mind that such should be the case, and he sent for the Secretary of War and said to him: "Now, I want Schimmelpfennig given one of those brigadierships," Mr. Stanton did not take kindly to the command, and although he knew that in the end it would be as the President said, he deter- mined to make an opposition at least To Mr. Lincoln he said: "But, Mr. President, it may be that this Mr. Schim-what's-his-name has no recommendations showing his fitness. Perhaps he can't speak English." 'JOKES 'AND 'ANECDOTES. 343 "That doesn't matter a bit," the President replied; "he may be deaf and dumb for all I know, but whatever language he speaks, if any, we can furnish troops who will understand what he says. That name of his will make up for any differences in religion, politics or understanding, and I'll take the risk of his coming out all right." Mr. Stanton undertook to make some further objections when the President brought his hand down on the desk with a very emphatic blow and said: "Schim-mel-f en-nig must be appointed." THE SHRIEKS MUST BE HEEDED Mr. Lincoln had great difficulty in securing for his Cabinet a South- ern man, and when Attorney-General Bates handed in his resignation and still the howl went up that a Southern man must be found to fill the vacancy, Mr. Lincoln remarked to a friend concerning the situa- tion: "My Cabinet has shrunk up North and I must find a Southern man. I suppose if the twelve apostles were to be chosen nowadays', the shrieks of locality would have to be heeded." A MIGHTY THINKER The following is related by one of Mr. Lincoln's Washington asso- ciates and is reproduced for the purpose of showing how delighted the President was when he was relieved from a disagreeable duty: "Do you know General A ?" queried the President one day to a friend who had "dropped in" at the White House. "Certainly; but you are not wasting any time thinking about him, are you?" was the rejoinder. "You wrong him," responded the President, "he is a really great man — a philosopher." "How do you make that out? He isn't worth the powder and ball necessary to kill him— so I have heard military men say," the friend remarked. "He is a mighty thinker," the President returned, "because he has mastered that ancient and wise admonition, 'Know thyself;' he has 344 JOKES AND 'ANECDOTES. formed an intimate acquaintance with himself, knows as well for what he is fitted and unfitted as any man living. Without doubt he is a re- markable man. This war has not produced another like him." "How is it that you are so highly pleased with General A all at once?" "For the reason," replied Mr. Lincoln, with a merry twinkle of the eye, "greatly to my relief, and to the interests of the country, he has resigned. The country should express its gratitude in some substantia] way." HE DIDN'T STEAL Franklin W. Smith and his brother, charged with defrauding the government, were court-martialed but the case was brought to the attention of the President by some personal friends of the convicted men, who believed that they were innocent of the guilt charged. Mr. Lincoln took up the case and made a careful examination of all the papers pertaining to the court-marti^. He disproved the judgment and wrote the following opinion upon the papers: "Whereas, Franklin W. Smith had transactions with the Navy De- partment to the amount of a million and a quarter of dollars; and "Whereas, he had a chance to steal at leaist a quarter of a million and was only charged with stealing twenty-two hundred dollars, and the question now is about his stealing one hundred, I don't believe he stole anything at all. "Therefore, the record and the findings are disapproved, declared null and void, and the defendants are fully discharged." "THEY SCAIVSPER AWAY" The President's desire to accommodate all persons who came to him asking favors was never realized until an untimely disease, which pos- sessed many of the characteristics of one of the most dreaded maladies, confined him to his bed at the White House. The rumor was circulated that the President was afBiicted with this disease, but the truth was that it was merely a mild attack of varioloid. JOKES AMD ANECDOTES. 345 However, it pleased Mr. Lincoln immensely to have such a report circu- lated, for it relieved him from the rush of office-seekers. One day, however, a man from the West, who was not a regular reader of the daily papers, and who wanted to be appointed posJ:master in his town, called at the White House. The President, who was now quite well, received him. The caller was getting tiresome, when the President interrupted him with the remark that his doctor was due, and he would be obliged to excuse himself, "Why, Mr. President, are you sick?" the visitor asked. "Oh, nothing much," replied Mr, Lincoln, "but the physician says he fears the worst." "What worst, may I ask?" "Smallpox," came the answer; "but you needn't be scared. Pm only in the first stages now." The visitor seized his hat, and without a word rushed into the streets, a very frightened man. "Now, that's the way with people," the President said, when relating the story afterward. "When I can't give them what they want, they're dissatisfied, and say harsh things about me; but when I've something to give to everybody they scamper off." A USELESS DOCUMENT After an unusually annoying interview with a committee who had called for the purpose of urging Mr. Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, he then and there added to his dismissal the following sentence: "I do not want to issue a document that the whole world will see must necessarily be inoperative, like the Pope^s bull against the comet." MASTER OF THE SITUATION A Unionist, who had been driven away from New Orleans^ asked to see the writ by which he was expelled, but the deputation which called on him told him the Government would do nothing illegal, and so they had issued no illegal writ, and simply meant to make him to go of his own free will. 346 JOKES 'AND ANECDOTES. When this fact was related to Mr. Lincoln by the expelled Unionist he replied; "Well, that reminds me of a hotel-keeper down at St. Louis, who boasted that he never had a death in his hotel, for whenever a guest was dying in his house he carried him out to die in the gutter." A NOVEL PORTRAIT A gentleman from Philadelphia in being presented to the President was introduced by a friend as follows : "Mr. President, this is Mr. S., of the second district of our State, — a most active and earnest friend of yours and the cause. He has, among other things, been good enoiugh to paint, and present to our league rooms, a most beautiful portrait of yourself." In an exceedingly nonchalant manner the President shook the hand of the artist and with a comical expression on his face said: "I presume, sir, in painting your beautiful portrait, you took your idea from my principles and not from my person." I AM GOING TO TRUST YOU Here is the story of William Scott, a country lad who, having been found asleep when on duty, was tried by court-martial and sentenced to execution. The case was one which attracted the sympathy of the whole regi- ment, for the boy had volunteered to stand guard for a comrade who had been selected but was too ill to do picket duty. The circumstances were exceeding extenuating, for the boy had the night before been on duty also and the day preceding the fatal nap a long march had been en- forced, so that the poor fellow was well-nigh dead. The particulars of the case were conveyed to the President, and in the meantime the friends of the unfortunate youth hoped for leniency. William Scott was a prisoner in his tent, closely guarded and the sentence of death hanging over him, when Mr. Lincoln stepped within the tented cell and gazed upon the wretched and unhappy boy. The conversation which took place between the President and Wil- JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 347 liam Scott and the sequel whicli followed is reproduced from Holland's Life of Lincoln : "The President was the kindest man I had ever seen; I knew him at once by a Lincoln medal I had long worn. "I was scared at first, for I had never before talked with a great man ; but Mr. Lincoln was so easy with me, so gentle, that I soon forgot my fright. "He asked me all about the people at home, the neighbors, the farm, and where I went to school, and who my schoolmates were. Then he asked me about mother and how she looked; and I was glad I could take her photograph from my bosom and show it to him. "He said how thankful I ought to be that my mother still lived, and how, if he were in my place, he would try to make her a proud mother, and never cause her a sorrow or a tear. "I cannot remember it all, but every word was so kind. "He had said nothing yet about that dreadful next morning; I thought it must be that he was so kind-hearted that he didn't like to speak of it. "But why did he say so much about my mother, and my not causing her a sorrow or a tear, when I knew that I must die the next morning? "But I supposed that was something that would have to go unex- plained ; and so I determined to brace up and tell him that I did not feel a bit guilty, and ask him wouldn't he fix it so that the firing party would not be from our regiment. "That was going to be the hardest of all — to die by the hands of my comrades. "Just as I was going to ask him this favor, he stood up, and he says to me: " 'My boy, stand up here and look me in the face.' "I did as he bade me, " 'My boy,' he said, 'you are not going to be shot to-morrow. I be- lieve you when you tell me that you could not keep awake. " 'I am going to trust you, and send you back to your regiment. *' 'But I have been put to a good deal of trouble on your account. 348 JOKES 'AND ANECDOTES. " 'I have had to come up hei'e from Washington when I have got a great deal to do; and what I want to know is, how are you going to pay my bill?' "There was a big lump in my throat; I could scarcely speak. I had expected to die, you see, and had kind of got used to thinking that way. "To have it all changed in a minute! But I got it crowded down, and managed to say: " 'I am grateful, Mr. Lincoln! I hope I am as grateful as ever a man can be to you for saving my life. " 'But it comes upon me sudden and unexpected like. I didn't lay out for it at all; but there is some way to pay you, and I will find it after a little. " 'There is the bounty in the savings bank; I guess we could borrow some money on the mortgage of the farm.' "There was my pay, that was something, and if he would wait until payday I was sure the boys would help; so I thought we could make it up if it wasn't more than five or six hundred dollars. " 'But it is a great deal more than that,' he said. "Then I said I didn't just see how, but I was sure I would find some way — if I lived. "Then Mr. Lincoln put his hands on my shoulders, and looked into my face as if he was sorry, and said: " 'My boy, my bill is a very large one. Your friends cannot pay it, nor your bounty, nor the farm, nor all your comrades ! " 'There is only one man in all the world who can pay it, and his name is William Scott! " 'If from this day William Scott does his duty, so that, if I were there when he comes to die, he can look me in the face as he does now, and say, I have kept my promise, and I have done my duty as a soldier, then my debt will be paid. " 'Will you make that promise and try to keep it?' " The promise was given. Thenceforward there never was such a sol- dier as William Scott. JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 349 This is the record of the end. It was after one of the awful battles of the Peninsula. He was shot all to pieces. He said : "Boys, I shall never see another battle. I supposed this would be my last. I haven't much to say. "You all know what you can tell them at home about me. "I have tried to do the right thing I If any of you ever have the chance I wish you would tell President Lincoln that I have never for- gotten the kind words he said to me at the Chain Bridge; that I have" tried to be a good soldier and true to the flag; that I should have paid my whole debt to him if I had lived; and that now, when I know that I am dying, I think of his kind face, and thank him again, because he gave me the chance to fall like a soldier in battle, and not like a coward, by the hands of my comrades." What wonder that Secretary Stanton said, as he gazed upon the tall form and kindly face as he lay there, smitten down by the assassin's bullet: "There lies the most perfect ruler of men who ever lived." A CONCEIT ERASER For many years Mr. Lincoln was a target for all the would-be orators and aspiring politicians. His peculiar manner, grotesque appearance, and unfashionable garments, were made the butt of many a "Smart Aleck's" conceit. Upon one occasion Mr. Lincoln was particularly annoyed by a young sprig who fancied himself a modern Demosthenes and Lincoln made up his mind that he would take the conceit out of his sails. After being interrupted by the impertinent fledgling several times, Lincoln turned and said: "I don't object to being interrupted with sensible questions, but I must say that this young man's remarks do not come under that head. He reminds me of a steamboat that used to run on the lUinoiSi river. It was an energetic boat and always busy. In some unaccountable way the builders of this particular boat had made the whistle as long as the boiler, both being six feet in length. In consequence of this strange and peculiar construction, the boat had to stop every time the whistle blew." 350 'JOKES AND ANECDOTES. TOO STATIONARY General McClellan's tardiness and delay in pushing engagements, marches, etc., became at last very annoying and trying to Mr. Lincoln. At last Lincoln threatened to remove McOlellan, and when his friends demurred and protested that he was a great engineer, Mr. Lincoln responded, "Well, I do not deny the accusation, but I am convinced that he is too fond of a stationary engine." THAT ONE WINS Mr. Herndon inadverteiltly said to Mr. Lincoln that his admirers were feeling considerable concern over the outcome of the forthcoming debate which was soon to take place between Lincoln and Douglas. Lincoln, fixed his eye upon the informant, then drawing himself up to his full height he drawled in unmistakable emphasis the following: "You have no doubt seen two men about to fight. Well, one of them brags about what he means to do. He jumps high in the air, cracking his heels together, smites his fists, and wastes his breath trying to scare somebody. The other fellow says not a word. His arms are at his sides, his fists are closely doubled up, his head is drawn to the shoulder, and his teeth are set firm together. He is saving his wind for the fi-jht, and as sure as it comes oft' he will win it, or die a-trying." CHARACTERISTIC OF THE MAN Here is a unique announcement which Mr. Lincoln made when he first opened up a law office. The truth of this announcement, which was written on a plain, cheap card, is vouched for by a personal friend qf Mr. Lincoln's and who still has one of the old cards. "To my neighbors and friends in the vicinity of my late doings: I have concluded to give up trapsing around. I am going to settle right here and I am in the law to stay. I want you to come and see me. Bring your family and your relations. Come right in and don't be bashful. Tell your troubles and I'll take care of them. Get in. "ABKAHAM LINCOLN." JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 35] TOO MUCH TAIL The following pat illustration is reported as having been made tc General Grant by President Lincoln during a confidential chat jusl after Grant had been appointed Lieutenant-General. He said: "At one time there was a great war among the animals, and one sidt had great difftculty in getting a commander who had sufficient confi- dence in himself. Finally they found a monkey by the name of Jocko, who said he thought he could command their army if his tail could be made a little longer. So they got more tail and spliced it on to his caudal appendage. "He looked at it admiringly, and then said he thought he ought tc have still more tail. This was added, and again he called for more, The splicing process was repeated many times until they had coiled Jocko's tail around the room, filling all the space. "Still he called for more tail, and, there being no other place to coil it, they began wrapping it around his shoulders. He continued his call for more, and they kept on winding the additional tail around him until its weight broke him down." After this story was told. General Grant needed no personal advic( upon a certain point, and without waiting for further conversation, assured the President that he'd not find him a second Jocko. SETTLE, SETTLE, WAS HIS CRY It was the constant thought uppermost in l\Ir. Lincoln's mind thai peace should be restored at the earliest possible moment. He was known to have said many times, "This unholy war must close, and I arc willing to stop it under any agreement save one, and that is that the Union must be preserved. As to any other condition of restoration 1 care not, for I want peace, peace." The politicians were howling about him like a nest of infuriated hornets and were clamoring that as the Confederates were responsible for the rebellion, no mercy should be shown them. To these particulai gentlemen he described his feelings by the following pointed story: 352 JOKES AND ANECDOTES. "A vicious bull in a pasture took after everybody who tried to cross the lot, and one day a neighbor of the owner was the victim. This man was a speedy fellow and got to a friendly tree ahead of the bull, but not in time to climb the tree. So he led the enraged animal a merry race around the tree, finally succeeding in seizing the bull by the tail. "The bull, being at a disadvantage, not able to either catch the man or release his tail, was mad enough to eat nails; he dug up the earth with his feet, scattered gravel all around, bellowed until you could hear him for two miles or more, and at length broke into a dead run, the man hanging on to his tail all the time. "While the bull, much out of temper, was legging it to the best of his ability, his tormentor, still clinging to the tail, asked, 'Dam you, who commenced this fuss?' " This was the situation, and so far as which of the two factions com- menced the fuss, the President didn't care a fig; he wanted the war ended. HOW TO BAG YOUR GAME It is a very noticeable fact that when the man who has been censured and condemned at last succeeds his critics are the very ones who try to probe the secret of his success, and having, as they suppose, unearthed the desirable methods, proceed to imitate and undertake to emulate the successful man. The result which follows is, of course, the natural outcome, a wretched failure on the part of the spurious actor. Mr. Lincoln's long experience with this class of fellows led him to many and divers inventions. A well-known man from the Empire State asked Mr. Lincoln how he managed to accomplish a certain affair which had been predicted by high offtcials would result in disaster. To which pointed question Mr. Lincoln replied: "Well, you see it is quite unwise to tell certain individuals how a fellow bags his game when he knows the other fellow is after the same birds." After ruminating, however, for a moment the President turned about in his chair and addressed the gentleman from the Empire State JOKES AND ANECDOTES. 35; by saying: "If you'll not give the secret away I'll tell you how to al ways catch prairie chickens." The distinguisihed caller promised and the President proceeded: "An old friend of mine out in Illinois had better luck in getting prairie chickens than any one in the neighborhood, and when questioner by a fellow sportsman how it was that he always came home with i lot of birds Mr. C replied: " 'Oh, I don't know that there's anything queer about it. I jes' g( ahead an' git 'em.' " 'Yes, I know you do ; but how do you do it?' " 'You'll tell.' " 'Honest, Jake, I won't say a word. Hope to drop dead this minute. " 'Never say nothing, if I tell you?' " 'Cross my heart three times.' "This reassured Jake, who put his mouth close to the ear of his eage questioner, and said, in a whisper : " 'AH you got to do is jes' hide in a fence comer an' make a noise lik a turnip. That'll bring the chickens every time.' " It is useless to add that Senator failed to respond to the Pres ident's low chuckle, and from that time on until the departure of th visitor the conversation dragged. THE WONDERFUL VICTORY Mr. Lincoln's contempt for the braggart was undisguised. He neve failed to convince the man who had a grand account to relate of his woi derful achievements that the true state of affairs was his secret also. The following, which illustrates the President's methods in treatin the army officers who were given to sounding their own praises, wa overheard by Secretary Stanton, who said to a friend, to whom he n lated the incident: "I would have given my old hat could you hav seen Colonel 's face when the President had concluded his littl yarn." "These fellows who have put to flight, pursued and captured a army of Johnnies," said the President, "remind me of the fellow wh owned a dog which, so he said, just hungered and thirsted to combs 354 JOKES AND ANECDOTES. and eat up wolves. It was a difficult matter, so the owner declared, to keep that dog from devoting the entire twenty-four hours of each day to the destruction of his enemies. He just 'hankered' to get at them. "One day a party of this dog-owner's friends thought to have some sport. These friends heartily disliked wolves, and were anxious to see the dog eat up a few thousand. So they organized a hunting party and invited the dog-owner and the dog to go with them. They desired to be personally present when the wolf-killing was in progress^ "It was noticed that the dog-owner was not over-enthusiastic in the matter; he pleaded a Tjusiness engagement,' but as he was the most noto- rious and torpid of the town loafers, and wouldn't have recognized a 'business engagement' had he met it face to face, his excuse was treated with contempt. Therefore he had to go. "The dog, however, was glad enough to go, and so the party started out. Wolves were in plenty, and soon a pack was discovered, but when the 'wolf-hound' saw the ferocious animals he lost heart, and, putting his tail between his legs, endeavored to slink away. At last^ — after many trials — he was enticed into the small growth of underbrush where the wolves had secreted themselves, and yells of terror betrayed the fact that the battle was on. "Away flew the wolves, the dog among them, the hunting party fol- lowing on horseback. The wolves seemed frightened, and the dog was restored to public favor. It really looked as if he had the savage creat- ures on the run, as he was fighting heroically when last sighted. "Wolves and dog soon disappeared, and it was not until the party arrived at a distant farmhouse that news of the combatants was gleaned. " 'Have you seen anything of a wolf-dog and a pack of wolves around here?' was the question anxiously put to the male occupant of the house, who stood idly leaning upon the gate. " 'Yep,' was the short answer. " 'How were they going?' " 'Purty fast.' " 'What was their position when you saw them?' " 'Wall, the dog was a leetle ahead.' " JOKES AND ANECDOTES. A JUST REBUKE One of the greatest sources of annoyance which Mr. Lincoln had to contend with Tvas a constant influx of callers who urged to end the war. They threatened, condemned and undertook to force the issue. To one less- self-poised, to one who had no confidence in his own powers, such criticism and censure would have been, to say the least, fatal to his peace of mind ; but to Mr. Liacoln, the moral giant, this class of would- be intimidators no more impressed him than would a swarra of vora- eious mosquitoes which kept up a constant buzzing in a vain attempt to penetrate the protective wire screen which the President had constructed about his personal habitation. The editor of a prominent New York City newspaper called upon Mr. President and ventured to suggest that dilatory action in regard to the winding up of the war might result in preventing a renomination for a second term. Mr. Lincoln was silent and seemed to be debating what his answer should be. At last he faced his visitor. Rising and drawing himself up to his full height, he pointed to the door and said : "I shall act as my conscience dictates. I shall consult my God only; not one of his door- keepers." THE MYSTERIOUS RAT HOLE A claim was presented to Mr. Lincoln for collection, and in order tt satisfy himself whether the debtor was worth the trouble of a lawsuil the Western lawyer made a personal call. After a close scrutiny of th( man's worldly goods and chattels he reported to his cliebt the result 6\ his investigations as follows: "The fellow," said Mr. Lincoln, "has noi a very great array of attachable goods. His house contains a wife anc five children, worth at least a thousand apiece to any man. His ofific* w^s more modest in its furnishings. There was only a table and tw( chairs; but a rat hole which I discovered in the corner, seems to me might bear investigation," ' Irti^e are 403 pages In this volume. The forty-eight full-page, half-tone illus. tratlonsThbuld be addid to the last tollo number (355) indicated, giving a total of 403 pages. Announcement THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN: THE JOURNEY FROM THE LOG CABIN TO THE WHITE HOUSE, by Eleanor Gridley, has made its re- appearance, after having been out of circulation for several years. Under these conditions, the republication of this book by an important publishing house, indicates its perennial interest. Mrs. Gridley, an earnest student of facts unknown and unsought by the ordinary biographer, content to give to the public solely the "high lights" of a man's career has sympathetically interpreted the apparently unimportant events of Abraham Lincoln's life, which most truly reflect the soul of the great Emancipator. Her ability to do this is unquestioned, having had the inestimable privi- lege of sojourning several weeks in the log cabin homestead built by Abraham Lincoln in 1831. Here many, who had known Mr. Lincoln person- ally, came to see Mrs. Gridley and to contribute reminiscences, heretofore unpublished, which she has incorporated in her delightful story of Abraham Lincoln. This book has been one of the most popular and oft-consulted books on Lincoln found in libraries, having an especial appeal to the youth. Hundreds of letters from young men and women to the author attest its value as a reference book, and gratefully acknowledge its influence in building moral character. The book contains four hundred pages and is profusely illustrated with photographs taken expressly for the author and can not be duplicated, as the Lincoln log homestead was taken down, brought to Chicago years ago, and now its complete disappearance is shrouded in tragic mystery. No one should be without this valuable book. Price $2.00. ELEANOR GRIDLEY '■, 5844 Harper Avenue - - Chicago, Illinois Telephone Midway 2032 CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: TUESDAY. JULY 27, 'hicago Friend Relates \necdotes of Robert Lincoln . ■Willis Rice, publisher of the Na- al Hotel Reported, who resides at Virginia hotel, told last night of first meetlngr with Robert Llncola, introduction being performed by President himself, in the executive es of the "White House late In 1864. I had gone to Washington with ray ler, a member of the lower house ingress from Maine," Mr. Rice said, id on the morning of our arrival told me he had an appointment 1 Mr. Lincoln and that he meant tak? me with him to meet ' the itest man in the. world.' I was thirteen years old at the s; and I recall as wo drove up nsylvania avenue what a thrill the anticipation that I wa^ to st the President. Introduces His Son. I remember the bigness of the in- offices at the White House and the ■ Mr. Lincoln smiled down on me n his great heigiit as my father sented me. The President put his d on my head as he spoke to me. ;hat moment a slender young man, Sed in all the brilliance of an army ler's unifprm with shining brass :ons, came into the oflice from a 'ate door. The President call to him," Mr. 3 continued, "and when- he ap- iched, introduced father ^nd me, ing, ' Robert, this is Congressman 3 and his son from Maine.' Turn- to us, and placing his arm around young man's shoulder, he said, u know my boy here has just been le a captain on Gen. Grant's f.' never forgot the look of fatherly le Mr. Lincoln gave his son, and rs later when I again met Robert coin here^ I recalled the- incident he remembered it." obert Liincoln Entertained Here. r. Rice told of the great r^eption in Mr. Lincoln by the Chicago club, 1 located on Monroe street across a the old Palmer house, when the 3r was sent to the Court of St. James as United States aznbassaidor In 1889. Mr. Lincoln was tfaen presi- dent, of the club, and ha;d Hobard C. Chatfield-Taylor as his vice president. " One day, seven or eight years ago," Mr. Rice said, " I was talking with Mr. Lincoln inside one of the big windows of the Chicago club on Michigan ave- nue, when a military parade passed by. For some reason .they stopped within our view for several minutes, and as, we watched them, Mr. Lincoln laughed softly, and he told me a story that has been often related. ""This reminds m» of faUier,* he said. ' He was always eager, when he saw marching troops, to know what state they came from. Onoe as we were driving, in Washington, our car- riage was stopped by a body of troops crossing a corner. " It's a Regiment " J' ' In his eagerness to ^n3w from where they hailed, father opened the dobr and stepping halfway out, shouted to a group of workmen standing close by, " What is that, boys," meaning where did they come from. One short little red-haired man, with a typical Irish face, affixed him with a wither- ing glance and retorted, " It's a regi- ment, you damned old fool." " 'In a fit of laughter, father closed the door, and when his mirth had somewhat subsided, turned to me and said, " Bob, it does a >man good some- times to hear the truth." A bit later, somewhat sadly, he added, " And some- times I think that's just what I am, a damned old' fool".' " Other personal recollections of Robert Lincoln included one from Arthur Burrage Farwell, reform leader, who recalled how Mr. Uncoln won the election for south town as- sessor here In 1876 against " By Dang " Evans, in which election frauds were perpetrated, the baJlot boxQB being taken from a safe the nlgjit before they were counted and Evans name promiscuously inserted. " It was only after a long fight that we established that Mr. Lincoln was yictorious," Mr. Farwell said. LINCOLN LE GIVEN U. S. . HIDDE N UNI More than h Collectu Washington, T>. C, J clal. — Twenty-one years on July 26, 1947— Lincoli greatest historical imp sealed and under lock ': of congress, will be oper tlon as^ the result of th at his summer home a of Robert Todd Lincoln, viving son of President coin. , More than 10,000 ,let the collection, which 1 away carefully in six j cases for safe keeping script division of the lib: the papers constituting 1 torical mine was delivei T. Lincoln about five ye S everal yearsi after pi lection In the library, executed an agreement presented ths collection ernment of the United deposited in the library a under lock and key. Own Corresponden Under the terms of tl the collection is to tm without access to hlstorli until July 26, 1947. The collection comprl and from President Line a number of state pape pamphlets and newspa which belonged to Pree and were part of this— sonal correspondence fll< Most of the letters by self are contained in th< separate addition to the coin, written by John secretary of state, and olay, private secretaries t when he was President. Letters from Oei The real value of the C( the standpoint of the his future is to be found ii all originals^ — from other from memb«irs of his cab in the field, and many of ( of the day. ie^o ^unti Utibxmt. TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1926. (Pictures on batk page.) nchester, Vt., July 26.— [Spe- — Robert- Todd Lincoln Is dead. Mm ends the famous name. ! last surviving son of Abraham ' to was found dead in his inome this morning. The end had come fully during the night. Death due to cerebral hemorrhage. leaves no sons to carry on the .\ LinoolQ would have been 83 oM on Aug. 1. While he had een robust for about three years, iceait health had been better than s a year ago and he had enjoyed I tor ride through the valley prac- 1 y ev^ry day since he came to ; ihester. \ Retires in Usual Health. \ retired at his usual time at Hil- his summer residence, last night, leath was discovered when a serv- tvent to call him this morning, family piiysician said he had been about foiir hours, addition to the widow, he is sur- by two daughters, Mrs. Charles a of NSw YorS, who IS at her sum- liome here, and Mrs. F. E. John- rf Washington. Two grandchil- Mary Lincoln Bteckwlth, and Rob- ?odd liincoln Beckwlth, children :rs. Johnson, arrived at Hlldene g the last week for a visit with igrandparents. A third grand Lincoln laham, is summering at le, N. J. ?re will be simple funeral services Idene on Wednesday for the fam- ily, and the body will be placed le vault at lieUwood cemetery. • in the fall the body \ will be ved to Springfield lU., to rest le tootnb 6f his father. In the E behind the sarcophagus he will his mother, his three brothers, Willie, and Eddie, and his soA, iam< Lincoln II. HES PUBLIC CAREER. bert Todd Lincoln had no more iguifihing pharacteristic than his R.T. LINCOLN DIES AND WITH HIM THE FAMILY NAME was noteworthy^ for he attained posi- ] tions of trust and power. He was secretary of war in the cab- inets bf Presidents Garfield and Ar- thur. President Harrison appointed him minister plenipotentiary to Great Britain In 1889', where he remained un- til 1893. After the death of George M. Pullman, founder of the Pullman company, Mr. Lincoln was made presi- dent, and resigned in 1911, continuing as chairman of the board of directors. On several occasions he was spoken of as a possible presidential candidate, receiving some votes for the nomina- tion at the Republican convention of SonofEmancipa Peacefully Durii j While president of the : ! pany, he made a custon out algebraic problems as and was fond of astrono also a devotee of golf, ai: friends that it had saved his health failed, years ai He was of a taciturn nature, and only to his did he reveal himself as conversationalist and an story teller, a trait whicl from his father. It was Robert Todd Lin sented the old Lincoln Springfield to the city, that it be preserved by tl as a memorial to Abrahi 1880, and in 1884 waa considered as a : likely candidate for the vice presidency. ! Bom in Springfldd. Mr. Lincoln was born Aug. 1, 1843, at Springfield, 111., in the old Globe tavern, where his parents were living. He was the oldest of five jChildrer of Abraham Lincoln, and outlived them all. f From 1853 until 1859 he wa;! a stu- dent at the University of Illinois. ' Later he studied at Phillips Kxeter academy, Exeter, N. H., then entered Harvard, gradiiatlng in 1864. Immediately upon his graduation, his Member of Chicago Clubs. He was married on Sept. 24, 1868, to^ Mary Harlan, daughter of ex-Senator James Harlan of Iowa. Three children were born to them — Mary, Jessie Har- lan, and Abraham. In Chicago the family resided on Lake Shore drive north of Division street. Mr. Lincoln was at one time president of the Chicago Historical society. He was also a memhST of file Chicago club and the Union League club. In 1910, when h©4gave xtfi his active law practice, he also moved from Chicago, spendlnig his father. President Liacol request to enter the am tain on the staff of Gen. the fall of Feter^urg render of Gen. Lee-at Ai fie was present at the !|<^ two American presld within sound of theisboti wounded a thlrd4 Saw Father Aasu Hurrying to Washlngt surrender he was the President Lincoln the ne ning, he was in the thea Wilkes Booth shot and U his father. While secretary of wa cabinet, Lincoln went i to explEiIn to the chief ex ter that prevented him panying the President New England, and an Gulteau shot Garfield. At the Buffalo expos Lincoln waa one of -the p attending on Sept. 6, Czolgosz, an anarchist, i MoKinley, causinug hi! days later. After the assasslnatloi Mr. Lincoln, on whom ment of family affairs Washington and came wi to Chicago. He had s) Harvard, and was admit nols bar in 1867, praotici ,1881, when he became sec Upon his return from Bi he came back to Chicaf for many y^ars as specli the Pullman company be iAND WITH HIM TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1926. (Pietarea on batk page.) nchester, Vt., July 26.— [Spe- — Robert- Todd Lincoln Is dead. Mm ends the famous name, ! last surviving son of Abr,aham to was found dead in his ^home this- morning. The end had come fully during the night. Death due to cerebral hemorrhage. leaves no sons to carry on the .\ Linooln would have been 83 1 old on Aug. 1. While he had een robust for about three years, scent health had been better than s a ^^eair ago and he had enjoyed tor ride through the valley prac- y ev6ry day since he came to ; ;hester. Retires in Usual Health. 1 retired at his usual time at Hil- his summer residence, last night, leath was discovered when a serv- (7«nt to call him this morning, family physician said he had been about foiir hours, addition to the widow, he is sur- by two daughters. Mrs. Charles a of Ngw York, who is at her sum- liome here, and Mrs. F. B. John- rf Washington. Two grandchil- Mary tiincoln Bfeckwith, and Rob- 'odd Lincoln Bepkwith, children rs. Johnson, arrived at Hildene g the last week for a visit with (grandparents. A third grand Lincoln Isham, is summering at le, N. J. ?re will be simple funeral services Idene on Wednesday for the f am- , ily, and the body will be placed le vault at iJellwood cemetery. • in the fall the body \ will be ved to Springfield 111., to rest le tomb 6f his father. In the s behind the sarcophagus he will his mother, his three brothers, WilHe, arid Eddie, and his son, lam* Lincoln II. HIS PUBLIC CAREEK 3ert Todd Lincoln had no more guitftiing pharacteristio than . his THE FAMILY NAME was noteworthji for he attained posi- 1 tions of trust and power. He was secretary of war in the cab- inets bf Presidents Garfield and Ar- thur. President Harrison wpointed him minister plenipotentiary ^o Great Britain in 1889', where He remained un- til 1893. After the death of Ge6rge M. Pullman, founder ' of the Pullman company, Mr. Lincoln was made presi- dent, and resigned in 1911, continuing as cliairman of the board of directors. On several occasions he was spoken of as a possible presidential candldsite, receiving some votes for the nomina- tion at the Republican c^vention of 1880, and in 1S84 was considered as a likely candidate for the vice presidency. ' Bom in Springfield. Mr. Lincoln was born Aug. 1, 1843, at Springfield, 111., in the old Globe tavern, where his parents were living. He was the oldest of five childrer of Abraham Lincoln, and outlived them all. ^-f. From 1853 until 1859 he wais a stu- dent at the University of Illinois. ' Later he studied at Phillips Exeter academy, Exeter, N. H., then entered Harvard, graduating in 1864, Immediately upon his graduation, his Member of CSiicaeo Clubs. He was married on Sept 24, 1868, to^ Mary Harlan, daughter of ex-Senator" James Harlan of Iowa. Three children were born to them — Mary, Jessie Har- lan, and Abraham. In Chicago the family resided on Lake Shore drive north of Division street. Mr. Lincoln was at oite time president of the Chicago Historical society. He was als6 a member of the Chicago club and the XfaiozL Xieague club. In 1910, when he H^ (5 I-i a H "S •' lz Bo o T3 (N1 « < 00 ■NaHMHaMGHIHIM CO n! O S o o to >' CO - <0 « ea a Q. e o ? o ^1 o u z fe'S-u > 13 d DATE DUE rtf^..944 :i4iJwAWi««** % -Wto+"r ''^ -f JEJ. " ' " ■ ! 1 CAVLOfiD PRINTED IHU.S A.