The evening world., 1889-02-12
ABE LINCOLN'S NATAL DAY.
THIS is THE EIGHTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE EMANCIPATOR'S BIRTH.

Passed Almost Unnoticcd in New York-Ne
Flags on the Public Buildings and Only
n Few Clubs Celebrate by Dining in tho
Neutrality-suspicious. Lincoln's Life Work
Recalled.
There was scarcely anything TO remind the
citizen of New York this morning that to-day
is the anniversary of the birth of Abraham
Lincoln.
few clubs which have been named after the
great emancipation or whose history is linked
with his prepared for the celebration Of his
birthday, but by the great mass of the people
the significance of the day eemed to be al
most forgotten.
The Stars and Stripes, the flag which Lin
coin did SO much to preserve, was not dis
played on the municipal or on the Federal
buildings of the city. and no association
hung out his picture or paraded in his honor.
In view of this it seems fitting to recall
the life and achievements of the man whose
name untold millions of his countrymen
have cause to cherish strongly and affection
ately in their memory.
Abraham Lincoln first saw the light in q
log cabin in Hardin County, KY, Feb. IL,
1909. His father was Thomas Lincoln, Q
typical trontiersman. His mother, Nancy
Hanks, was an energetic though unschooled
Kentucky woman. His grandfather, after
whom he was named, was a friend and CON-
panion of Daniel Boone, and little Abe was
as nearly q first family American as could be,
having descended from five generations Of
Lincolns born In America, the Original
stock" being from Norwich. England.
His ancestors were all tall, big-boned. large
jointed toilers, and young Abe's boyhood,
spent i'll the Kentucky and Indiana wilder
nesses alongside the Ohio River, grew after
OF his boyhood's home Lincoln said 1T
was a wild region, with many bears and other
wild animals still in the woods. There were
some schools, so called. but no qualification
was ever required of u teacher beyond readin',
writin' and cipherin' to the ruleo of three.
But Abraham wanted to know all that those
about him knew. and had a laundering to
write down all that he saw or heard. At
eighteen he was sufficiently advanced to take
a cargo of farm products to market at New
Orleans by laftldown the Ohio and Mississippi.
In 1880 his father moved to Macon County,
III. Abe had attained his remarkable growth
of 6 feet 4 inches at this time, and was won
derfully muscular. and he split the rails with
which the big farm was fenced. Another
move, to Goose Nest Prairie, in Coles
County, Ill. was made a little later, and
Thomas Lincoln died there at seventy-three
years of age, his passage to the grave being
tenderly smoothed by the son.
Several trips with produce to New Orleans
had given Abraham an idea of the world. and
broadened his mind in a way, and by dint Of
of occasional study and his OWN strength OF
will, he obtained admission to the bar In
1882. but almost Immediately thereafter he
volunteered III his country's service in the
war with the Sacs and Fox Indians under
Black Hawk. His commander was Lieut.:
Robert Anderson. who commanded Fort
Sumpter at the beginning of the civil war.
The same year he ran for the Legislature,
got at votes out of $50 In his own town OF
New Salem, but was defeated. A country
store which he purchased proved o failure
and left him with q burden of debt which
took him years to raise. ,
He then devoted himself to the law ana
with the emolument of Postmaster OF ny
town and as deputy surveyor he was enaDled
to gain q fair insight INTO law.
He was n member of the Legislature from
1884 to lS41, declining further honor in ths'
gress from Springfield district as a Wing, ana
he became conspicuous In Congress as the
persistent advocate OF q scheme for 1reeinE
the blacks, though it was unsuccessful rms
stand, taken by Lincoln and adhered 70
the anti slavery agitation of 1874, made mn
State two years later, when John q. Eremons
was it's candidate for President, and his re-
markable anti-slavery speeches made him the
unanimous choice of his party for the fres'
dency in 1860. -
AS President, Lincoln called about him the
greatest minds of the nation. The terminus
ton of the war and the assassination OF Lhh-
coin on April 10, 1865, are events familiar In
the memory of all.
Lincoln married Mary Todd in Lexington,
Ky, Dec. IL, 1918. He was q highly uo'
nestle man rs well as a remarkable statesman
and holds a place in the hearts OF his couni
trymen with Washington, Jefferson anN
jackson.