San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-12-27
Lincoln, when lie was ragged, igno'
rant, barefooted boy uf the frontier,

Lincoln, when lie was ragged, igno'
rant, barefooted boy of the frontier,
fourteen years of age. He borrowed
the fascinating little book from q
neighbor, aud as often as he could
snatch a few minutes he read il with
avidity. as hundreds of thousands Of
boys had done before him, and as
thousands are now doing. It proved
a costly book to the poor lad. for when
it was not iu use he was accustomed
to place it on shelf in his fathers
miserable hut; and one night, while
the future president was asleep. the
rain poured through creyioe between
the logs aud spoiled the precious vol
ume. Books were books on the from.
tier then. The owner refused to take
back the damaged volume, and Abra-
ham was obliged to pay for it by work
ing three days at twenty-five cents 3
day. The book is still one of the
staple commodities of the trade, al.
though the polite world never sees it,
and rarely hears Of it. Probably it
was a sketch, published in 1894 by Dr..
Beattie, of his eldest son. which sug.
gested to the ingenious Weems the
plan of his life of Washington. In q
corner Of little garden wrote DR..
Beattie, without informing any per
son of the circumstance, l wrote in
the mould with my finger, the three
initial letters of my sons name; and,
sowing garden crosses in the burrows,
covered up the seed and smoothed the
ground. Ten days after he came run.
ming to me, and with astonishment in
his counteuance, told me his name was
growing in the garden. smiled at
the report, and seemed to disregard it;
but he insisted on my going to see
what had happened. Yes said 1,
carelessly, on coming to the place, I
see 1t is; but there is nothing in this
worth notice-it is mere chance and
I went away. He followed me, and
taking hold of my coat, said with
some earnestness: 1T could not be
mere chance. for that somebody con-
trived matters so as to produce it.
The father then called the attention
of his son to the various parts Of bis
his body, and their evident adapted.
ness to the purposes for which they
we're ordinarily used, until TO reached
the point he desired to enforce: What
begins must havea cause, and what is
formed with regularity must have an
intelligent cause
The boy was greatly affected, the
father adds, and never forgot the les.
son nor the manner in which it was
brought to his attention. Rous.
seau had made this mode of dealing
with the youthful mind exceedingly
popular, and the story was we'll calcu-
lated to attract the notice of the
story telling Weems. When he be-
gan his Life of Washington he evil
dently resolved to give his readers an
abundant supply of such anecdotes.
He said the people had heard enough
of Washington. "the hero, the demi-
god the sunbeam 10 council and the
storm in war; he meant to present to
his countrymen Washington, the duti.
Iul son. the affectionate brother, the
cheerful school boy, the neat craftsman,
the widows husband, the poor mans
friend. For this he had two quali6-
cations-a style of considerable force
and absolute insensi6ility to the claims
of truth. to which we may add the
articles Of the practical story teller. The
very opening sentence Of the book
elbows the story teller's tact. The
name that filled the world in 1900,
when he wrote the work, was Napoleon
Bouaparte. Weems availed himself
of the circumstance in the!following
manner "Ah, gentlemen !" exclaimed
Bonaparte-'twas just as he was about
to embark for Egypt. Some young
Americans happening at Toulon and
anxious to see the mighty Corsican,
had obtained the honor Of an iutroduc
ton to him. Scarcely had We passed
the customary salutation when he ea.
gerly asked. How fares your coun
tryman, the great Washiugtonr He
was very well, replied the youth brigh;
en;ug at the thought that they we're
the countrymen Of Washington. he
was very well general. when we left
America 'Ah. gentlemen rejoined be.
Washington can never be otherwise
than well. The measure Of MS fame
is full. Posterify vill talk Of him