Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-04-12

eulogy On uenry Clay. whose opportuni-
ties for education at schools were little
better than his own, Lincoln said: 'His
example teaches us that one can scarcely
be 50 poor but that if he will he can &C.
quire sufficient education to get through
the world respectfully" A truth of which
he himself furnished still more striking
illustration.
In 1880 the Lincoln family. with their
personal effects, removed from Indiana to
Illinois. A team consisting of four yoke
of oxen, driven by the future president,
was their means Of transportation. In
1882 Lincoln, who was then residing at
New Salem resolved to make law his pro-
fcssion, and began to lay the foundation
of q good lawyers education in earnest.
Although devoted to his work, he found
time to meet the requirements Of social
life, the pleasures Of which he enjoyed
with peculiar zest.
Lincoln did not grow up to manhood
without tho usual experiences of the
tender passion. While residing at New
Salem he became very much attached to
prairie beauty of the name of Annie
RutledSc She Is described as blonde,
with golden hair, red lips and cheeks,
blue eyes. and manners and temper sweet
and gentle. Lincoln was among her
many suitors, and they were engaged to
be married as soon us he should have
finished his legal studies, but in August,
1885, she died. Her beauty and attrac-
tive character, together with her early
death, made q very deep impression upon
him. With all his love OF fun and frolic,
Lincoln, from his youth, was person of
deep feeling, and there was always
mingled with his mirth, sadness. He
idolized the memory Of Annie Rutledge,
and in his recollections Of her there was
poetry Of sentiment. He associated
with the memory OF his first love, the
plaintive poem which in his hours of
melancholy he so often repeated. Fol-
lowing are the first stanzas:
Oh! why should the spirit Of mortal be proud,
Like swift i!cctng meteor, a fast flying cloud,
fash of the lightning, a break Of the wave
He passes from life to his rest in the grave
Yea. hope and despondcncv pleasure and rain,
Arc mingled together in sunshine and rain;
And the smile and the tear, the song and the
Still follow each other like surge upon SURGE
It's the wink Of An eye, it's the draaeht Of .
From the blossom of health to the paleness Of
DEATH
From the Eded saloon to the bier and the shroud
Oh! why should the spirit Of mortal be proud,
An old friend Of I.incoln's, Isaac Cogs-
well, long years aftcrward ventured to
refer to this early attachment, and in the
conversation that followed the introduce
ton of Annie RutledGc's name, he said
II loved her dearly. She was handsome
girl and would have made a good, loving
wife. She was natural and quite intelli-
gent, though not highly educated"
At the age Of 25 years Lincoln, the
plain, sturdy son Of an illiterate pioneer,
found himself II member Of the Illinois
legislature and one Of the most popular
men in Saginaw county. The road lead
ing thus far into his life had been an up
hill one, but he WIS beginning to realiz.
some Of his ambitions, and felt rewarde
for past struggles and encouraged to press
onward In 1880 he met Miss Mary Todd,
daughter OF the Hon. Robert S. Todd, of
Kentucky, who afterward became his
wife. Miss Todd then 81 years Of age,
ras,c,> "a a bright mind, with ready Wit
Az, T.>..ckness 1T satire. She was comcly,
too, having abundant, dark hair, rosy
che IS and round, plump figure.
',aat this Lexington belle, early in her
acquaintance, decided to favor Lincoln
rs sutor, historians generally agree
S.tc was ambitious to marry man who
world be president, and meeting Lincoln
at this period of his bright political pros
PEGS, selected him as that man. There
appears to be no doubt, either, about
I:ncoln's having been fascinated with
Miss Todd, for he was soon devoted fol-
lower and afterward an accepted sutton
From this point historians vary the story
somewhat that tides over the time inter
veninG between the engagement and the
marriage. Arnold, in his Life of Lin
coln," makes no allusion to the fit of mel
archoly or temporary insanity that
afflicted Mr.. Lincoln during this interval
l.auson, in his Life Of Lincoln," af,irms
that lit was one Hiss Matilda Edwards