The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-15
PEesidena ,'.s.I Llneoln's EARLY LIfe.--A

EEGsAutht AAuCOlnb EhEly LAEe---A
visit to One of his Humble Friends
a correspondent of the Chicago Re
pG5tIcdH writing from Mason county,
Illinois, says: -..
Happening to be in the eastern por-
ton of this county, few days ago, /
called to see Mrs. Wilcox, formerly
Mrs. Armstrong Years ago, when this
goodly State of ours was comparatively
new, there came TO the little village OF
Salem, Menard county, tall, plain,
and rather awkward young man, to
help in the mill, tend store, and make
himself generally useful After serv-
ing IN this capacity some time, and
making friends of all who came in con-
tact with him, at the mill or grocery, he
was appointed County Surveyor, and
went to live with 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-boned shop-tender and
surveyor was Abraham Lincoln.
The tlrst time ever saw him, F" said
Mrs. Wilcox, "I went trading. 1 told
Armstrong as soon as got home there
was new clerk at the store, and /
liked him first rate, he was so pleasant
and kind. a few days aiterward Arm
strong went to mill and when he came
home he told me he had seen the new
clerk Dragged about so much, and he
liked him too. They had got to lining
in the mill, a parcel of them, and the
clerk QUILTED every man there"
We'll, he lived with you, did he not,
afterward ?"
Yes; as soon as he got to surveying
he came to our house, and made it his
home. 1 made two pair of deer-skin
breeches TOR him-shirts, too. Arm
strong 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 the President: said he used to drink,
but he never did. 1 meyer saw orheard
of his drinking. The young folks
thought him kind of queer. When
there was frolic, or any doings among
them, he would always go, but never
danced or 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 Mis-.
souri,, and never saw him angry the
whole time. ..
HE used to say he would never marry
until he could support wife comforta-
bly,, and he didn't. We lived in Mis-
souri, five years, and when we came
back he had gone TO Springfield.
went down there trading pretty soon,
and was standing in a store door look
ing at the folks, when l saw him COM
ing down the street. a lady was with
him, his wife, and everybody was bow
ing and shaking hands with him.
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 as il
he was one of the family.
tell you, Mr.. F., he was a kind,
good-hearted man, and a true gentle
man. He defended my son cher son
was tried and acquitted, and after the
trial, when l told him had no money
to pay him, he laughed at me and told
me whenever 1 was in any trouble to
come to him. Everybody told me ]
was foolish to write to him about my
son, who was sick in the army, that he
had enough else to attend to now, be-
sides looking after me and my family.
But when II telegraphic dispatch, dis
charging my son, and letter to me,
too, came, they found out he had moi
forgotten his old home down in Me-
Qard.