The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-21


father and step-mother had moved few miles
west of Terre Haute, into Coles county. Illinois.
hut they never ventured beyond that and so he
pushed his way into popular favor unaided and
On his own merits alone For few weeks one
winter he attended Mentor Graham's school, but
he soon got books and studied surveying by him
self. The page Of copybook containing the
monotonous tables of weights and measures and
problems worked out under the same, was given
Ene, which shows how laboriouslv his education
was dug out In one corner he has written
facetiously out few lines of pretended poetry
tho only rhyme ever heard of his perpetrating
Abraham Lincoln,
His hand and pen.
He will be good.
But God knows when"
After little study he was appointed deputy
surveyor of Sangamon county. He was pop
ular officer, and his kindly nature and happy
manner of relating story made him friends
everywhere AT one time he became involved
In debt, and Judgment was taken against him
before justice of the peace. An officer levied
on his property, and one day offered for sale to
the highest bidder, in the street of the village
his surveying instrument and pony valued at
Hl5--all the goods and chattels the future Pres-
dent of this great country owned in the world
Observation-Disclosures there was plenty of
good material left in the unfortunate young
surveyor, bought in the property and restored it
TO him, and thus placed him on his feet again.
About this time there lived near New
Salem family named Rutledge. Among the
family of seven children one daughter
named Anne. From all that can learn of this
young woman she must have been very popu-
BAR girl indeed. She was beautiful in face and
form, and in that day considered accomplished.
Her sweet disposition endeared her to all. At
every social gathering she was invited and her
many charms found favor in the eyes of all the
young men in the community James MeNamar,
who had emigrated from Ohio paid her more
attention than anyone else, and their mutual
attentions finally eliminated in an engagement
Before the marriage, he made trip to his
former home in Ohio, to arrange certain property
matters. intending within a few weeks to re-
turn; but the weeks merged into months. Sum-
mer gave way to autumn and winter, and
still the delinquent lover had not returned.
Finally. one morning in the early spring. word
reached New Salem that McNamar had been
living under an assumed name, that his real
name was McNel, and that he would probably
never return to Illinois, or keep faith with Anne
Rutledge whom he had so cruelty disappointed
All this time Lincoln had been deeply in love
with the girl himself. His most intimate friend,
h'Slicky" otherwise William Green, says he
that McNamar would never redeem his pledge,
ne jumped in himself. His was desperate case.
His heart was aire and he could scarcely live out
OF her sight The girl, too, reciprocated his
affections.
III she grieved over her disappointment with
EcNamar, her tall and uncultivated sutton soon
made her forget it. There is still in existence
. at Petersburg, ILL.,. where I spent one day, a
touching relic OF this early courtship Anne
Rutledge had reputation far and wide for neat
ness in sewing. Her skllful fingers made gar
nents that excited the envy Of all her neighbors
aud at every quilting she was the central
figure. A quilting party in those days was a
great affair. The women met together, and in
front of the grand old fireplace lay the quilt
stretched between the never missing poles. They
chartered and seated themselves on both sides.
AS they industriously piled their needless they
discussed the leading questions of the neighbor-
hood. or deftly rolled the sweet morsel Of
scandal under their tireless tongues If
slavery agitation began at log -rollngs, then
Indeed the struggle for womans rights owes its
origin to quilting party Sometime man
would stroll in, but his stay was generally short
During Lineoln's courtship Anne Rutledge at
tended quilting. and in the midst of it he
shipped in and sat for some time by her side. He
was filed to overlooking with affection. Both
were absorbed in each other and obliyious to all
around them Into her ear, as the needle
swiftly few, he poured his offerings Of love
She seemed all the while intent on her work,
but she was not Her thoughts were in her heart
Or perhaps following his own in the beautiful
visions he painted for her. Blushingly she con-
knued her task and her needle flew more
swiftly than ever When the work was
dome, at dusk, Lincoln was waiting down the
road and escorted her home The older women
having witnessed the fervid scene, after she had
gone examined Anne's work. They found not
the carefully measured needle work. SO charac-
ter;ss;c of the sweet GIRL but uneven and irregu-
Lar stitches, long here and short there, each one
seeming TO measure the throbbing of her love-
stricken heart. The hero and heroine of this
strange romance are gone-one dying the ruler
or a great nation, the other passing away on
The measureless prairies Ito fortune and to fame
unknown" but the evidence of their love is made
plain 70 us to-day through the humble medium
Df needles and thread.
Ia this as in all other cases the course OF
true love did not run smooth. Anne
Rntiedge was tortured now and then by reports
that McNamar was unavoidabiy delayed and that
although he did not write, he would be able on
his return to explain the singular change of name
and clear up many ether mysteries. Lincoln was
still her friend and unremittng in his attentions,
and their courtship moved placidly along. But
Dne day she took to her bed, sick. The doctor
was sent for and pronounced her disease brain
fever. For days she tossed about In apparent
Inconsistencies, and each day grew weaker.
After the usual course of the disease her system
Indicated that the end was drawing near; finally
there came o lucid interval, she could recognize
her family and friends She talked to
khern ali and made Eer prepaFa-
tions for death. She wanted to see
Lincoln. He was then few miles away, and q
messenger was dispatched to notify him that his
botr0thed had regained consciousness. Shortly
before shutdown he arrived. Approaching the
bedside he kneeled beside the dying woman She
placed her hand on his head and requested the
others toleaye the room. What transpired be
tween the lovers there the family did not learn
and the world will never know. Before the sun
set the next day Anne Rutledge holding a white
rose in her hand. lay dead in the best furnished
room Of her prairie home The strain was toe
great for Lincoln. He wandered away from the
place, and many believed him insane. Agar
lis devoted friend, Sticky Green, hunted
fsimup. lie took the distracted lover TO his owl
homo and nursed him back to reason. Greer