Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-06-12

smile on his face instantly took the
hint, that | must change the letter into ar
| I. Hence | spelled the wOrd-the class was
let out. | felt grateful to Lincoln for thi'
simple thing"
! The narrative goes on to speak of Abe.
/ FIRST efforts in composition, which indicate
that he long anticipated MIR. Bergh in the
sentiment which has made that gentleman
so we'll known to the country-mercy to the
brute creation:
- Nat Grisby tells us, with unnecessary
partieuarity, that essays and poetry were
not taught in this school Abe took it
(them) up on his own account lie first
wrote short sentences against cruelty to
animals and at last came forward with a
regular composition on the subject. He
was very much annoyed and panied by the
conduct Of the boys, who were IN the habit
OF catching terrapIn5 and putting Goals of fire
on their backs lie would chide US says
Nat, tell US il was wrong I'D would write
against it,
. The third and last school to which Abe
went was taught by Mr.. Swaney in 1926.
To get there he had to travel four and half
miles; and this going back and forth 50 great
distance occupied entirely too much Of his
time His attendance was therefore only at
odd times, and was speedily broken off alto
gether The school house was much like
the other one near the Pigeon Creek meeting
house, except that 1t had two chimneys in
stead OF one"
Abe never went to school again in Indiana
or elsewhere.
As the earliest books a man reads NAV be
we'll supposed to have some influence on his
after lie, it Is interesting to know what lite
rature was within the reach OF our Young
scholar. Mr.. Lamon says
" Among the books upon which Abe laid
his hands were Esop's Fables, Robinson
Crusoe, Bunyan Pilgrims Progress. a
History Of the nited States, aud Weems
Life Of Washington All these he read
many times, and transferred extracts from
them to the boards and the scrap-book. He
had procured the scrap-b0Ok because most of
bis literature was borrowed, and he thought
il profitable 10 take eOpiOus notes from the
books before he returned them. David Turn
ham had bought volume of The Revised
Statutes Of Indiana but, as he was act
in constable at the time be could not lend
it 10 Abe. = But Abe was not to be blfiled in
his purpose of going through and through
every book in the ne ghbOrhood and 80
saws Mr. Turnham, be used to come to nv
house and sit and read It..
+ Abraham borrowed Weems' Life or
Washington from his neighbor, old Josiah
CrawtcrI-nJt Andrew Crawford the school
teacher. az some Of ms biJgraplers have it,
The Life was read with great ayiditv in
the intervals of work, and, when not in use.
was carefully deposited on a shelf made OF a
clapbOard laid on TWO pins. But lust behind
the shelf there was great crack between
the lOgs of the wall and one night, while
Abe was dreaming IN the loft, a storm came
up, and the rain, blown through the opening
soaked his precious book from cover u cover
Crawford was a sour and churlish fellow at
best and fatty refused 10 take the dam aged
book back again. lie said that if Abe had
no money 10 pay for it he could work it out
OF course. there was no alternative, and Abe
was obliged TO discharge the debt by pulling
fodder three days, at twenty-five cents u
day. Crawford afterwards paid dearly for
his churlshness.
Abe's revenge for this and other mean
nesses of Crawford was after the manner fol-
lowing
q. Crawford was as ugly as he was surly
Ills nose was mOustrOsity long and crooked
with huge, misshapen stub AT the end
surmJunted by a host of pimples, and the
whole e. blue as the usual state of Mr.
Crawford spirits. 7 pom this member Abe
leyelled his attack in rhyme, song and chron-
icie; and, though he could not reduce the
Wabash and the Ohio. Ii is not improbable
that he learned the art Of making the dog
gereI rhymes in which he celebrated Craw-
ford's nose from the study OF Crawford's own
F.. Kentucky PreceptOr At all events, his
sallIes upon this single topic achieved him
great reputation as poet and Wit and
caused Crawford intOlcrabie anguish"
Mr.. Lamon narrates many interesting facts
of Mr.. Lincoln youth how he excelIed in
physical strength, how he delighted IN public
speaking and IN the telling OF stories at the
'' grocery, and other things, OF which his
fOndness for lyric s)Ug IS the most curious
Z. Abe was fond Of music, but was, himself.
wholly unable to produce three harmonious
notes together. lie made various vain at
tempts u sing a few lines Of poor old Ned
but they were all equally ludicrous and in
efectual. Religious songs did not appear
to suit him at all says Dennis Hanks; but
Of protane ballads ana amOrOus dtties he
knew the words Of a vast number When
Dennis got happy at the grocery, or passed
the bounds of prOprIety ut a frolic, he was
in the habit Of raising charming carol in
praise OF the Joys which enter into the Mussul-
mans estate on earth-of which he has
v0uchsated Us only three lines;
q. The turbaned Turk that scorns the world,
And struts about with his whiskers curlcd,
For no other man but himself 70 see.
It was a prime fayorite Of Abe's; and Dennis
sang 1t with such appropriate zest and feel
ing, that Abe never forgot a single word of
it while he lived
- Another was,-
IIsI Columbia, happy landt
If yOu amt drunk, I'il be damned;
a song which Dennis thinks should be war
bled only in the fields =: and tell US that
they knew and enjoyed all such Tsongsl as
r,Y~r NON al al
genius, and had piece , beginning
GO There was a Bomish lady
Brought mp 10 popery,'
which Abe thought one Of the beS. he ever
heard and insisted upon Dawes singing it
for the delectati0n of old Tom Lincoln, who
relished it quite as much as Abe did.
" Mrs. Crawford says that Abe did not
attempt to sing much about the house; he was
probably afraid to indulge in such offensive
gayeties in the very habltatiOn of the mOrose
Crawford. According to Dennis Hanks, his
melody was not of that sort that hath pow
er to charm the savage; and he was natural
ly timid about trying it upon Crawford.
But, when he was freed from those chilling
restraints, he put forth his best endeavors
to render " one song that was called
- William Riley" and one that was called
- John Anderson S Lamentations. and one
that was made about General jackson and
John Adams, at the time they were nOmina-
ted for the Presidency"
8 The Jackson song indicated clearly
enough Abc's steadiness in the political
views inculcated by Jones. Mrs. Crawford
could recollect but single staDza of it,
90 Let auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind,
And Jackson be our President,
And Adams left behind
The book is very handsomely brought out
by the publishers, and cannot fail to prove
an acceptable volume to all the admirers of
= 4 - L. =