Daily globe., 1879-04-27
Eearly Associations of Lincoln---Annie
Rutlege.

John McNamer was buried last Sun
day near Petersburg, Menard county. A
long while ago he was Assessor and
Treasurer of the county for several sue
cessive terms. Mr.. MeNamer was an
early settler in that section, and before
the town Of Petersburg was laid out he
was in business at Old Salem, village
that existed many years ago two miles
south of the present site of Petersburg.
Abe Lincoln was then postmaster of the
place and sold whisky to the inhabitants.
There are old timers yet living in Menard
who bought many jug OF corn juice
from Old Abe when he lived at Salem.
1t was here that Annie Rutlege dwelt,
and in whose grave Lincoln wrote that his
heart was buried. AS the story runs,
the fair and gentle Annie was originally
John McNamer's sweetheart, but Abe
took ''shine" to the young lady, and
succeeded in heading off McNamer, and
won her affections. But Annie Rutlege
died and Lincoln went to Springfield,
where he sometime afterward married.
It is related that during the war lady,
belonging to a prominent Kentucky fam
lily, visited Washington to beg TOR her
sons pardon, who was then in prison
under sentence of death for belonging to
band of guerrillas who had committed
many murders and outrages. With the
mother was her daughser, beautiful
young lady. who was an accomplished mu-
sician. Mr.. Lincoln received the visitors
in his usual kind manner, and the moth
er made known the object Of her visit,
| hor MI
sobs and all the customary dramatic in
cidents. There were probably extenua-
ting circumstances in favor of the young
rebel prisoner, and while the President
seemed to be deeply pondering the young
lady moved to piano near by and tax
ing a seat, commenced to sing "Gentle
Aunie," very sweet and touching bal
lad, which, before the war, was famil
lar song in almost every household in
the Union, and is not yet entirely forgot
ten, for that matter. It is to be pre-
sumed the young lady sang the song with
more plaintive effect than Old Abe had
ever heard it in Springfield.
During its rendition he arose from his
seat, crossed the room to window in
the westward, through which he gazed
for several minutes with that "sad, far
away" look which has so often been
noted as one of his peculiarities. His
memory, no doubt, went back to the days
OF his humble life on the banks Of the
Sangamep, and with visions of Old Sa-
lem and its rustic people who once gath
cred i'll his primitive store came pic
ture of the 'Gentle Annie" of his youth
whose ashes had rested for many long
years under wild flowers and brambles
Of the old rural burying-ground, but
whose spirit then, perhaps, guided him
to the side Of mercy. Be that as it may
Mr.. Lincoln drew large red silk hand
kerchief from his coat pocket, with which
he blew his nose vigorously. Then he
turned, advanced quickly to his desk
wrote brief note, which he handed tc
the lady, and informed her that it was
the pardon she sought.
The scene was no doubt tauching in q
great degree, and proves that nice song
we'll sung has often powerful enduence
IN recalling tender recollectiOns. It
proves, also, that Abraham Lincoln was q
man of fine feelings, and that if the oc
currence was put up job on the lady s
part, it accomplished its purpose all the
same. There are but few of the Old Sa
lem friends and companions of Mr.. Lin
coin still living, and we are told, they are
widely scattered. VIM. G.. Greene, of
Tallula, now a wealthy banker and farm
er, was an intimate friend of Lincol1
while the latter lived at Salem, and, it il
said, loaned him the small capital upon
which he entered iuto business at tha
place. Mr.. McNamer, whose death W.
chronicle above, was always an admire1
of Mr.. Lincoln, and kept in his posses
sion many letters written to him by tina
gentleman, which he valued yer y highly