The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-05-18

out of my clothes" aid / began tossing the
silver in all directions, drawing it out Of
every pocket. Pretty soon he raised up on
his elbow and looked at me.
81 guess I'll take
A cHAw TERBACKER,"
said he. Still went on until he opened his
eyes in smszement, and then / told him
what had done.
"Here, Lizzie" he cried to mother as
got through. ''Get up and get this boy a
good supper. He's had hard days work. y
att was all right then2"
ssWell theresult was that Ratford wouldn't
give me up my note and take Lincoln and
Berry's, but let it remain as it was, and it
afterwsrd gave Lincoln and myself infinite
trouble. The war broke out and things went
wrong with the new firm. The note went
into the hands Of Peter Vaubergen, still liv-
ing in Sprinfeld, and we renewed it several
times at % per cent. Finally it reached
5000, and Lincoln, while dolefully discussing
the slim prospect of ever paying it, used to
call it the National debt. A few years later
I went into Kentucky to teach school, and
Lincoln, removing to Springfield, began to
earn something at the law, and between US
we at last paid it. 1t was several years,
though. before he got ahead enough to pay
me for my share, but he did it at last. and
that was the end of the grocery business"
"Did Lincoln feel bad over his failure7'
swell, he felt bad at his inability to pay
the note, which he had agreed 10 pay, but he
became satisfied that he was not cut out for
business man. Douglas told me after his
famous campaign with Lincoln that he
thought one day he would give the latter a
rap over the
SALOON BUSINESS,
as he called it. and so he tauntingly referred
to the fact that he knew his tall opponent
and did it with much grace if not with re-
markable success.
"Lincoln received the taInt good-na-
turedly, and, replying, said that though he
did not achieve wealth or distinction while
engaged on his side of the bar at Salem, he
was able to testify to the constancy and as
siduity with which Judge Douglas practiced
on the other side during that era of grocery
keeping. The audience yelled and Douglas
frankly acknowledged that his tall antag-
onist had the better of him."
"Were you with Lincoln during the Black
Hawk War;"
"Yes. 1t was not much of war, but DUR
ing our term out many amusing incidents
occurred. l remember at Rock Island there
was
BIG FELLOW
named Sam Thompson, who was being
backed by his company as the champion
wrestler of the camp. Finally we put Lin
coin against him and bet every dime we
could scrape together. They took hold, but
Thompson got the crotch lock on Lincoln
and threw him fiat. They took hold again,
and Lincoln told me afterward that he
knew Thompson could throw him, but he
thought he'd let the boys down as easy as
possible, so he dallied around and put off
the fall as long possible. After some
minutes Thompson took the crotch lock on
him again, and they came down, but 1t was
not so fair fall as the first. and our boys
claimed it was dog fall The other crowd
demanded their money, and in about min
ute there were 200 coats off and prospect
of free fight. Lincoln's influence was
then shown. Brushing the sand from his
clothes he cried: Give up your money boysl
Ifhe didn't throw me fair, he can. Pm
willing to admit that In a moment the
ANGRY WORDS WERE HUsHED,
coats were put on, and with an all right,
Abe, if you say so,' the crowd quietly dis
persed.
A year or so after Lincoln's election was
sitting with him one day at the White House
when he suddenly broke out with, whats
become of that man Thompson, Bill2"
"What man Tompson2" inquired.
"Why, that fellow that threw me in the
camp at Rock Island during the Black
Hawk war;" said he.
81 don't know. haven't thought of him
for twenty years. Why2"
"Oh, nothing" said Lincoln. "Only
thought if you knew where he was I'd give
him little appointment Just to show him
that didn't bear him any malice"
/ don't believe he found Thompson, and
if the latter is alive, don't know where he
is.
/ inquired of Mr.. Green about
LINCoLN's FATHER.
but he never saw him except once That
was after the elder Lincoln had married his
second wife.
al was going to Kentucky" said Mr..
Green, "and Lincoln insisted that should
stop and see his father, as it was Just a
little out of the way He gave me letter
to him, and stopped, though L found that
the Just little was very near fourteen
miles. found his father living in a little
cabin that cost perhaps S15, and with many
evidences of poverty about him. L was dis
posed to apologize for nay coming, and go
away as soon as possible, but / found that
though Lincoln was poor he was mighty hos
pitable, and very entertaining host in spite
of his surroundings. He insisted on my
staying all night, and when 1 wondered
where 1 would put my horse, he took the
animal, hitched him to a rough shed and
pointing to a kettle that stood there, said
there never was its equal for horsetrough.
1t was manger which would hold grain,
hay, and water, and Lincoln seemed 10 re-
gard it in his droll way with a good deal of
pride and satisfaction. He was capital
stoTy-teller-better than his son, if possible
and kept me laughing great deal. He
took me out of the cabin, and pointing to a
corner where the logs ran through each other,
some of them long and some short, ex
planned in a serious way that he had studied
convenience in the erection of that house,
and that it was really something to be proud
of. Here said he, pointing to the end of a
log that projected through good ways and
was high up, here is where we hang dear
IN shin N THAT nointinO IN a shOrtar one