Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-04-11

The Springfield (lllinois) correspondent oi
the Chicago Times contributes the following
interesting rcminisccnce;
On raw, cold evening in December,
1881, q man presenting the appearance OF
yery light mulatto, being what is technically
called quadroon, stood by the door OF log
cabin in the town of New Salem, Sangamon
county (now Menard), in this State. Ills
clothing was travel-stained and consider
ably dapidated his carriage was erect his
eye clear and sparkling with the vivacity oil
La Belle France, for he was native OF Hayt,
and the blood of the Creole French oil that
island was in his veins. The precursors OF
darkness began to fall upon the somber
scene, the shadow of the woods in the d's-
tance to lengthen on the snow-clad ground
while tho gray clouds, surcharged with mois-
ture, and behind which the sun was setting
admonished the solitary Creole that he must
seek shelter, and that rather quickly, from
the pitiless peltings of coming storm.
Lifting his eyes to take another survey OF
the cold and cheerless prospect, he was
struck by the appearance of tall, uncouth-
looking figure, emerging out of the shadow
of the wood about two hundred yards from
where he stood. 1t was that of man con-
siderably over six feet in height, carrying an
ak carelessly slung upon his shoulder; his
gait was slouching, something between a
lope and a shamble he stopped considerably;
his ewes were bent upon the ground; his dis
engaged arm hung carelessly by his side,
and, with swinging motion, kept time to
the ungraceful movement of his body; his
hair and beard were long, of a jet black
color and apparently unkempt; he had
red wooden cap upon his head, such as was
the worn by woodchoppers, or the hiret
help of farmers generally an old pair o
blanket leggings, tied with buckskin thong
above the knees and al the ankles, wer'
wound about the calves of his lege; the.
were rusty with age and ragged with use II
the bruslwood; ragged coat, once blue
black, and of coarse cloth, was bound witt
9 a similar thong of buckskin about his waist
t In fact, he presented the appearance Of a
4 ordinary backwoodsman.
$ He stopped at the door of the log cabin
: which was the only grocery store and ta'
n ern of which the place could boast-nodde
g pleasantly, after the fashion of the day, t
e the Creole, and was about to enter, whe
d the latter asked him how far it was
d Springfield The backwoodsman told hi
d the distance and passed in, followed hes
a tating by the traveller When they reache
,. the interior, the uncouth backwoodsma
t, stepped over the large oaken bench whie
sr stood in front Of the fire, laid down his a
1t and turning his back to the huge pile
le burning logs on the old-fashioned heart
Y, warmed himgelf stretching out his lank al
le long hands to the blaze as if he enjoyed
"A hugely.
n. The man who stood with his back to q
m log fire in that premitive hostclry, on tn
"a gray December evening" was Abraham III
en- coin, the future President of the Unit
d. States, and the author of the great eman
ls- patton proclamation. The strange Creo
by with the blood of the despised African cot
I'D ing in his veins, was William Florville,
at quadroon, subsequently and for years Alb
ne ham LlncolnS barDer.
ed When Mr. Lincoln was about TO be IN
ye, ried he was taken quite i'll at Mr.. Hem
Mt house in this city. He sent for Floryi
ant who stayed with him some time, and wi
ar there administered the medicine which
uld physician prescribed for him. About
led days afterward he came into the shop
Six said, Billy, want you to shave me,
so trim my hair also, and want you to d'
ten as if was going to be married. Billy
an piled, s'If do, Mr.. Lincoln, il will cost
YER one dollar We charge extra for SHAY
the when they are going TO be married.
do, right" replied Mr., Lincoln. Il suppo
and ought not 10 dance without paying the
the der