Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-05-08
MisrtIIanruus.
ABRAHAM NCOLN AND ANN
RUTLEDG

aud smoking cattle in the bog at Springfield ~
There he waited from his thirteenth to his fifteenth
year, for the coming Of Abraham Lincoln. Linz
coin, born IN the class of poorest emigrants, was
trained 10 a far different life in his early home
from that which the books describe / do not
think that it was upon slavery that Thomas Lin
coin turned his back when be- went TO lnaana.--
Il was upon a brawling, reckless neighborhood.
that made life uncomfortable. The pious care of
good, poor parents, so touchngly described in our
books, only TO be ridiculed in Illinois, Abraham
certainly never had. His step mother--a woman
far superior TO any whom Thomas Lincoln could
have hoped to win in any state Of society but one
which made man a necessary protector of every
woman--seems 70 have been his first and best
/ friend To her he was always grateful, and 70 the
last stood between her and trouble Among the
most touching relics which saw at Springfield
was an old copy-hook in which, at the age Of four
teen Lincoln had taught himself 70 write and
cipher Scratched in his boyish hand on She first
page were these words
.'Ti. Abraham Lincoln holds th- pens
He rH b. good but Goa lsoss rtsHi'
am not ashamed Of the tears that started as I
read with instructed eyes, that half despairing
prayer. lie never carried from home the laugh
ing facen Charles sumner ascrbed to him.
His liie had been sad there was nothing pleas
ant TO remember in anything connected with the
past--many things he would have given the world
to forget. " must make Il name for myself he
began to think and, turning his back the
home which he bad no desire % see again, he went
to News ilem, and opened his life a shopkeep-
err and surveyor. Here be met with woman
more cultivated aud refined than couid have been
expected to be found among the people / have
described. Once-about the time of his arrival
there-he was wrestling IN Illinois STYLE with his
sister Sarah and some neighbors' girls. tie threw
one Of the latter roughly, and his sister turned
upon him with sharp words. "What do YOU ever
ls fa ha aIt e4N frau
like that n sort Of a shadow settled over him
the eNhilaration Of the gymnlst disappeared. and
putting a hand on each of her shoulders. he an
swered seriously, q" am to be a great man. Sarah
aud avn to have a sad destiny then turned and
left her. Whether this great, sad destiny en-
composed him even then-whether those dark,
sad ewes told his story without woris--or whether
as was natural, Mr. Lincoln told 20 the only girl
he ever loved a tale Of sorrow such he alter
wards admitted to his best friends among men, we
shall never know. lt is enough to know that the
hearts OF Ann Rutledee and Abraham Lincoln
drew together, and that the key to his whole lite
will one day be shown to lie in the facts of this
love and those facts OF his history which trans
pred before his birth.
Ann Rnted.e was a lady-one Of the very few
that had penetrated TO Illinois early 1885,
OF a family educated aud arisocrltic, she was be-
trothed before Mr. Lincoln ever saw her to a
Scotch merchant. In those days illinois was as
Jar tom Newly orS as ksmstchatkanow is. Whey
were soon To be married, when the Scotchmsn
went for business purposes to that city. For
months, nothing was heard OF him. IL sup
posed that he was dead or had wickedly deserted
Ann. The truth is that he lay i'll of delirious
fever while AIMS mind tortured by suspense
and disappointment, Mr.. Lincoln went TO her fa-
theirs house to board. Here he first learned to
read Shakespeare and Burns. Can we doubt
whose memory made these poems precious during
those few months of bis life, in which he was once
H.. D.. ! g.. u
OF that girl - In ume a sort OF provisional
gagement ensued. There were circumstances in
both lives which depressed and panied. They
learned TO hold each other very dear. Upon this
state of things broke the rum)r Of the recovered
ScotchmaR's return, after an absence Of more than
two years. The delicate nature of the woman
sank under IL. Betrothed to two, both of whom
she loved she had no choice but to die Under
the conflict - feeling, Mr.. Lincoln's own reason
gave way. lie pleaded in his despair for one last
interview, which, long refused was 40 last grant
ed before she died, in August, 1896. That the
shock given to his powerful mind was a severe
one his subsequent life was to show. Twice, in
crises of great suffering, the unreasnnng despair
returned and from that moment he lost his moral
poise for wears All the resources Of the neigh
borhood were exhausted 20 restore him to himself
How he who had been absent loved Ann, let the
sequel show. He bought the farm for her sake,
and lives there still, an Old bachelor. His quiy-
spot where she died.
Mr.. Eneoln's tastes were quiet aud domestic
Had he married Aun Rutledge, it is not likely he
would have continued in political life. He would
have tasted the cup of happiness, and it would
have been enough. " The love aud death OF this
girl said Mr. Herndon, shattered Mr.. LlncOln's
purpose and tendencies. He threw This infinite
sorrow only by leapng wildly into the political
arenan @ lie needed said another, whip and
spur to save him from despair
For myself | 90 farther and deeper Up TO
this period his habits had been simple and pure.
But trial unhinged hin, made his own life a mat
ter Of indifference to him; made him for years
reckless, despairiug and atheistic. HIS strength
and his weakness came to him in this hour; for
the death OF the grl was, Charles sumner said,
"no accident Through it he learned TO under
stand himself, and then to understand others. 1t
was very gradually that he came to conquer the
revolt OF his own soul 1t was that work, well
done, which finally fitted him to conquer other
men. 1t was in 1924 that he had said he loouid be
good. Now in 1885, he left New-Saem, and en-
deavored with an evident personal ambition that
have never seen ascrbel to him, thai he te0tid be
great but in essential aud absolute respects,
goodness, though dropped out Of sight, was the
necessary law Of his mind IL was from his
ciating his favorite poem, 80, why should the
spirit Of mortal be proud?' with the life and death
OF Ann Rutedge, that it keeps its power over
him.