The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1866-01-06
estimg "Reminiscences Visit
to One of His Humble Friends.

HAVANA, Mason county, Illinois, Dec. II,
l865.-IIappening to be in the eastern por-
ton Of this county few days ago, | called
to see Mrs Wilcox. formerly Mrs. Arm
strong. Years ago, when this goody State
of ours was comparatively new, there came
to the little village of Salem, Mcnard county,
a tall, plain, and rather awkward young man
to help in the MILL tend store and make him
self generally useful. After serving in this
capacity for sometime, and making friends of
all who came in contact with him, at mill or
grocery. he was appointed county surveyor.
and went to live with a farmer named Arm
strong. residing in the neighborhood. This
Mrs. Wilcox whom | went to see was the
wife of this Armstrong, and the slender, raw
boncd shop-tcnder and surveyor was Abra
ham Lincoln.
- The first time I ever saw him." said
Mrs. w., 81 went trading. | told Arm
strong as soon as ! got home there was a new
clerk at the store, and liked him first rate,
he was SO pleasant and kind. A few days
aterward Armstrong went to the mill, and
when he came home he told me he had seen
the new clerk Dragged about so much, aud
he liked him too. They had got to lifting in
QUILTED every man there"
"Well, he lived with YOU did he rot,
afterward %
\ es, as soon as he got to surveying he
came to our house and made it his home. !
made two pairs of deer skin breeches for
him-shirts. too. Armstrong used to carry
chain for him. They were great cronies.-
Wherever Armstrong went Lincoln would
go too. He was poor and had no horse we
had several and he always rode one of our
creatures. Sometimes they would be gone
week at a time to Jacksonville, Springfield,
or somewhere else. They lied about him
when he was nominated for President said
he used to drink, but he never did | never
saw or heard of his drinking. The young
folks thought him kind of queer. When
there was a frolic, or any dongs among
them, he would always go, but never danced
and cut up. He amused himself by playing
with the children, or telling some funny
story to the old folks. Yes, he stayed with
us till we moved to Missouri, and never saw
him angry the whole time. He used to say
he would never marry until he could support
wife comfortably, and he didn't.
"We lived in Missouri five years, and
when we came back he had gone to Spring
field. | went down there trading pretty
soon, and was standing in store door look
ing at the folks, when | saw him coming
down the street. A lady was with him-hs
wife-and everybody was bowling and sha-
king hands with him. I stood up straight in
the door, little back like, thinking maybe
he would not want to see me, with his wife
and all those people around; | never could
put on any airs, and he knew it. He saw
me, though, before he got to me, and came
up laughing and shaking hands, real glad to
see me, asked after Armstrong and all the
rest, just ms if he was one of the family.
{" tell you, Mr.. F., he was kind, good
hearted man, and a true gentleman. He de-
Tended my son cher son was tried for homi.
eide and acquitted) and after the trial. when
told him | had no money to pay him, he
laughed at me, and told me whenever | was
in any trouble to come to him. Everybody
told me | was foolish to write him about my
son who was sick IN the army that he had
enough else to attend to now, beside looking
after me and my family. But when tele-
graphic despatch discharging my son, and