Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-09-21
LINCOLN'S BOYHOOD.
Ruins Of the Place Where He Spent
His Early Days.
The Boys from Cleafyss Grove-Drlnk.
from the Dung.Hole or
Barrel.Llncolnss
F1rDt Love.
(Cor. Chicago Tribune. ]

First Love.
[Cor Chicago Tribune]
SALRM, NlaL write from town without
q postodfice, . tavern, or shop There is not Q
house in sight From the hill where sit,
under the shade of three trees whose branches
make one, l look out over the Sangamon
river and its banks covered apparently with
primeval forests. Around are fields over
grown with weeds and stunted oaks. We
may say Of it as Of Troy: salem fuit" Il
was a town Of ten or twelve years only; be-
gun in 1924 ended in 1886. Yet in that time
had history which the world will not let die;
not SO long as it venerates the memory of
the noble hberator and martyr, President
Abraham Lincoln
came here to-day with few Of the old
settlers as on pilgrimage to this mecca Of
the soul" We drove up from Petersburg
about two miles, passing on the way the site
of the old mill run by Lincoln and the re-
mains Of the old dam on which his fatboat
lodged when floating down from Sangae-
town on the way to New Orleans.
After much debate as to the mode Of reach
ing the old site, we entered an old field
through gate, and, driving up hill show
ing whee-track through tall weeds, we
rode over the streets of the old town The
weeds were high on the horses
backs. Mr.. Tice stood up in his buggy.
and surveying the landscape pointed
out places where the weeds were lower.
"There was Cameron's boarding house where
ton OtIit." Near it was George Warburton'.
c.
Over there to the south was the Baptist
church and the cemetery alongside"
LINCOLN's FIRST LOVE.
Mr. Green pointed out the site Of Rutledge's
house. There" said he @Ann Rutledge
lived. Lincoln was engaged TO her. Her
death almost broke his heart. He told me
once that he didn't want to live. He
couldn't bear the thought that the rain was
falling on her grave and she sleeping in the
cold ground We had to watch him to keep
him from harming himself
Right here was Denton Gifts store, where
Lincoln and l We're clerks together" Mr..
Green had not been here for forty years, yet
recognized the spot.
A small depression showed former cellar
Out Of it grew three trees about fifty feet
high, with boughs interlaced, making one in
their outline There was the locust thorn
with leaves like a fine fringe, ain elm, and n
cottonwood. The elm and cottonwood grew
ont of the same stump, as if forming one
tree. The dark leaves of the elm and bright
broad leaves Of the sycamore were intermin-
gIcd as from one trunk.
Behold, said Strodtman, IAN emblem Of
the Union maintained by Lincoln
Mr.. Greene pointed out the spot where Lin
coin had the wrestling match with the Arm
strongs.
THE Clearly Grove boys, composed of the
Armstrong;, Joneses, Greenes, and others,
had planned 10 try Lincoln's pluck; so they
challenged him TO wrestle Jack Armstrong
the biggest one, took him in hand and tried
to throw him. He tried all sorts of tricks,
got foul holds, and inside leg bitches, all in
vain. Then Lincoln said that if they were
for enemies, he was ready; or for friends, as
it suited them Big Jack Armstrong slapped
him on the hack and said, %, we were only
in fun. Let us be friends and they were
ever after 1t was the son Of one OF those
very Armstrong; Duff) that Lincoln d,
Tended and saved from conviction or nun
der by producing the old almanac, by which
the jury were convinced that the moon did
not shine as the witness had testified They
acquitted III, prisoner in five minutes Duff
Armstrong is still living.
PUTTING A MAN IN 4 BARREL.
Mr.. COTE remarked: 1.-THE Clearly Grove
boys were always up to some mischief. They
trimmed the names and tails of horses, cut
brides SO that but a little remained to break
at the first pull, cut girths, put stones under
saddles so as to cause riders to be thrown
when mounting. Right in front of Gifts
store they rolled James Jordan down
that hill. You Sc, it goes down at an
angle of forty-five degrees. Then it
reached down to the river zoo feet,
md there was no road there as there
S now. He used to come hero
or whisky fifteen mics, and would get hi
ILL When drunk the Armstrong; heade
him up in hogsheai. He was a large, IA |
fellow, and nearly filled it. Then they sent |
t rolling down the hill 1t went with in |
,roasing velocity, threatening to go into the |
liver, when it was caught under the leaning |
and their victim liberated. Lin |
,oln was here surrounded by tough fellows |
If this stamp, but even then he had his eye |
IN the future He was studying to be a law |
yer All had confidence in his judgment and |
md honesty. He didn't drink like the rest, |
yet was not total abstainer.
LINCOLN's GREAT STRENGTH.
II won my first fur hat on bet that he |
,ould take drink OF whisky from the bung |
If a forty-gallon barrel You SEQ a man |
named Easeps had trick. He twisted his |
myers in knot and then bet you couldn't |
mark his little finger. had lost several bets |
It it, when Lincoln said he'd help me to get |
wen with him He showed me how he could |
ift barrel of whisky on his knees and put |
lis mouth 10 the bunghole. He told me to |
AXE keg and hold it up as if drinking and
vet a fur hat that Lincoln could take up q
'arrel of whisky and drink from the bung
,ole Easeps took the bet and lost.
"Iincoln came TO Salem on fiatboat. Gift 1
lad built fatboat Mt the head Of the rive,
oaded it with bacon, corn, hogs and 90 rs
f all sorts, and set out to go to New Orleans
lincoln was put in charge. He started
own in the spring food. Arriving at tho
lam opposite Salem the scow stuck. II was
mica he'd and a store set up on the bank
AT one time there were three stores here,
nd church, serving as "A school-house. Now
II is desolate Petersburg, started by George
varburton and Peter Sukins took the wind
ut of its sails 1t was abandoned for a time.
he roof-tree moulded on the crumbling
hall
hen all disappeared, and only 4 few holes
nee Were.