Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-07-04
Old Abe's Boyhood.

The following interview, held in Paris
ILL.,, about two weeks s.lce with Dennis
F. Hanks, by Rev. Robert Mcintyre, OF
Charleston, regarding the early life OF
President Abraham Lincoln, and which
appeared in the Charleston Courier, will
be of great interest. Uncle Dennis, as
he is familiarly known, makes his home
in Paris with his daughter, Mrs. James
Shoaft:
Il found him hale and erect, ready to
recount for the benefit of younger gen.
Grafton, the incidents which marked the
youth of the martyred president. His
name is Dennis Hanks, and he is q
cousin of Lincoln. Uncle Dennis, as he
is called, is typical Kentuckian, born
in Hardin county, 1899. His face is sum
bronzed and plowed with burrows of
time; resolute mouth, with firm grip of
the jaws, broad forehead above pair of
unweariable eyes. The eyes seem out of
place in the weary, faded face; they glow
and fash like two diamond sparks set in
ridges of dull gold. The face is a serious
one, but the play of light in the ewes, un-
quenchable by time, betray the nature
full of sunshine, and elate life. A side
wise glance at the profile shows a face
strikingly Lincoln like, prominent cheek
bones, temple, nose and chin; but, best
of ali, that twinkling drollery in the eye
that flashed in the White House during
the dark DAYS of the civil war. To our
query he replied cherily:
Certainly, certainly, sir, I'll talk to
you about Abe. l kin talk, too, bein' as
I'm the only livin' man that knows all
about him."
'How old was Mr.. Lincoln when you
first met him?"
about twenty-four hours-hardly
that. l rikkilect run all the way, over
two miles, to see Nancy Hanks boy
baby. 'Twos common then for connex-
ion to gether in them days to see new
babies. Her name was Nancy Hanks
before she married Thomas Lincoln. I
held the wee one minnit. I was ten
years old, and it tickled me to hold the
pulpy, red little Lincoln"
when did you move to Indiana?"
when Abe was about nine. Mr..
Lincoln moved first, and built camp of
brush In Spencer county. We came
oct year later, and he then had cabin
up and gave us the shanty. On this
spot Abe grew to manhood"
How far apart were your cabins?"
About fifteen rods. Abe killed
turkey the day we got there and couldn't
git thro' tellin' about it. The name was
pronounced Linkhorn by the folks then.
We was all unedducated. After q
spell we learned better"
"In the Life of Lincoln published
after his nomination, it is stated thst
Won taught him to read"
'Vpa air did <o,,obk H., - ~~>o1,
read and cipher. He knew his letters
pretty wellish; but no more. His mother
taught him his letters. If ever there
was q good woman on earth she was
one, q true Christian of the Baptist
church; but she died soon after we
arrived, and LETT him without q teacher:
his father couldn't read q word"
lis it possible he had no schooling?"
only about one quarter, scarcely that.
then set in to help him; I didn't know
much, but did the best 1 could"
what books did he read first?"
"Webster's speller. When I got him
through that, only hada copy of Indiana
statutes. Then he got hold Of q book;
can't rikkolect the name; maybe you kin
i'll tell you somethin' ct was in it. It'd
told 3 yarn about Teller, q niger or
suthin, that sailed q flatboat up to q rock.
and the rock was magnetixed and drawed
the nails out of his boat, an he got q
duckin' or suthin, I forget now"
That is the story of Sinabad in the
Arabian Nights."
THAT'S it, that's the book. Abe would
lay on the floor with q chair under his
head and laugh over them 'Rabian
Nights by the hour. told him it was
likely lies from end to end, but he learn.
ed to read right well in it."
Had he any other books?"
"Yes; I borrowed for him the Life of
Washington and the Speeches of Henry