The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-07-31
NUMBER 80.
AbruAsss LtscsSs s~A tks yyss Pstsss asa-
dsv Sekssi.
Rev. Edward EggIcston writes to tho IN

Rev. Edward EggIeston writes to tho IN
dependent:
Among number of incidents that havo
tioatcd TO me, when travelling through
Central Illinois, therc Is one altogether too
COOL TO be lost. believe II TO be perfectly
authentic.
A respected townsman. an old scquaint-
ance Of Mr. Lincoln, was the narrator Of
the story to my informant, and himself q
participant. According to ,ha, habit Of a.
miliarity 30 prevalent in the West (by means
of which man IL made to prolonR his boy.
hood throughout his lifs), this gentleman
Is known among old friends by tho namo of
"Jim," M Mr.. Lincoln was always called
"Abe." For the sake Of my story, shall
have to call Mr.. r.-"Jim, as any one Of
his feIIow.citi.ens would In telling Il.
This gentleman relates that, soon alter
Mr.. LincoIn's Cooper Institute speech, hs
saw notice in the New York Tribune that
Hon. A. Lincoln, Of Illinois, had delivered
an address to the Sunday school at tho Five
Points, which was very well received by
both teachers and pupils. Knowing that
Mr.. Lincoln was not professor Of religion,
II struck him that il was a good subject for
banter; and so, scizing the paper, he start
ed for "Old Abes" office. Bursting into
the room impulsively, no was startled to
find stranger in conversation wirh Mr..
Lincoln and turned to retrace his steps,
when the latter called out: "Jim"! what
do you want3" "Noihing." "Yos. you
do come back" Alter some cntreaty,
Jim approached Mr.. Lincoln, and remarked
with twinkle In his eye: swell, Ale, lsee
you've been making a speech to Sunday
school children; what's the matter" "Sit
down Jim, and l'll tell you oil nbout that"
And with that ho put his feet on the stove
and began:
When Sunday morning came, ] did not
know exactly what to do. Washbumc en-.
quired where was going. told him !
had nowhere to 20 and he proposed to
take me down to the Five Points Sunday
school, to show mo something worth see
ing. was very much interested by what
! saw. Presently Mr.. Pease came up and
spoke to WnsIlb,irne, who introduced me.
Mr.. Pease wanted Us to speak. told them
did not know anything about talking to
Sunday schools. but Mr.. Peasc said that
there were many Of them friendless and
homeless, and that few words would do
them good Washburne said must talk.
And 90 rose to speak but tell you, Jim,
I didn't know what to say. j couldn't talk
about Christ and religion, for didn't know
much Of either; bur ] remembered that
Mr.. Pease had said that they were homeless
and friendless. and thought Of tho time
when I had been pinclied by terrible pow
cry. And 50 told them that had been
poor; that l remembered when my toes
stuck olit through my broken shoes In win.
ter; when my arms were out at the elbows;
when shivcrcd with the cold. And told
them there was only one rulo. That was.
always do the very best you can. told
them that had always tried to do tho best
I could and that, ifihey would follow that
rule, they would get along somehow. That
was about what ] said. And when got
through, Mr.. Pease said It wns Just the
thing they nee,ied. And when tho school
was dismissed, nll tho teachers came up and
shook hands with me, and thanked me for
Il; though I did not know that was ssy.
ing anything Of any account. but the next
morning saw my remarks noticed in tho
paper. =.
Just here Mr.. Lincoln put his hand in
his pocket, and remarked that he never
heard anything that touched him as bad
the songs which those children sang. With
that he drew forth little book, remarking
that they had given him one Of the books
from which they sang. ibid you ever hear
any poetry like this, Jim!" And he began
to read piece, with NIL the earnestness Of
his grent earnest soul. In the middle OF
the second verse his friend Jim felt a chok.
ing In his throat and tickling in his nose.
At the beginning Of the thinl verse he saw
that the stranger from the East was weep
ing, and his own tears fell fast. Turning
toward Lincoln, who was reading struight
on, hc saw the great binding tears 10 his
eyes, so Tint hc could not possibly SEQ tho
page ilc was repeating that little song
iron memory! How often he had read Il,
or how long It's sweet and simple accents
continued to revcrbcrate through his soul, no
ono can know. How much influence may
that little child's song have had IN bring.
Ing him to tha, ir'istful attitude toward God
which was ~ characteristic Of him dunDg
the weary closing years Of his life.