The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-08-07
DENNIS HANKS, STORY.
fIs Called Un President Lincoln and Had
an Interesting Experience.

ffs Called On President Lincoln and Had
an Intercsting Experience.
Dennis Hanks, cousin and early COM
panion Of Abraham Lincoln, still lives,
ut tho age of Of, near Charleston, llls.,
and at intervals talks with much anima-
ton Of Lincoln's early 'life.. Though ten
years older, he has long outlived the
martyr president. 'Hc gives this ac-
count Of his only 1T TO Warrington:
"When went down to Washington to
see him It was about neighbof that had
got into trouble. The folks here sent me
to speak to Abe about him. twas durin'
the war, and thar was q lot O soldiers
around the, White House stickin' their
guns in everybody's face. I went to q
door-thar's only one, though looked
round fur q back door, thinkin' to sneak
in. A porter stopped me, and asked as
smart: who do you want to seer
s"I want to see Abe Lincoln says.
n"'You can't eco him this time o. day
he says as smart. ~
'"You bet I kim answered him.
Hes not goin' back on Dennis Hanks,
his cousin, and the boy he's rassled with,
II he Is tho president. 4 hain't come here
from Illinois to be told can't see Abe
lincoln AtaI o.tl a.3 ot
"He grinned and showed me the office.
There was a lot of fellers waitin', but
waded through 'em and opened the door,
and thar cot Abe, as tails his own shad.
der, writin' at a old desk he TUX from
Illinois.
"'Heyr hollered. You're purity
president, amt your Git up hyur and
shake hands. Iain't after no Office yit,
Abe
"'Well, Dennis, is that your I'm glad
you don't want an Office. Most Of them
do. You've got big heart, but no head
for an office Then he run and jist geth-
cred me in to him like they did in the
Bible, and so wept little SO had to
take my bandanner out. He looked
kinder tired. When I told him what !
wanted he said: as
".I'm busy today, but I'll get Stanton
to FIX that up. You 60 down and Mary
will give you something to eat and a
shakedown.'
"I knowed 1t was too fine for me
where Mary was. She was a good wo.
man, but was too highfalutin' for me; 80
jist went to tavern and put up. Next
mornin' Abe had a lot Of papers for my
case and told me to take 'em to Stanton.
"'Abe,' says I, blamed If I know
. where the plagueoned place is.' So he
called feller and sent the papers, and
pretty soon Mr.. Stanton come lookin
like jaybird in spike tailed coat, and
snarled about them papers, but Abe got
him to sine 'em. He acted 80 ugly that
when he went out I said:
"'Abe, If rs as big as you would take
that little feller over my knee and spank
him. Abe, he laughed and said he
guessed Stanton was bigger man than
he was in some respects. came home
then and tho next spring Abe was shot.
"I heard Of it this way. was sit
ting In my shop peggin' away at shoe
when q man came in and said: Dennis
Honest Abe 10 deadr g'faH''t
"'Dead, dead. Old Abe dead,' ker
sayin to myself. MY God, it amt sol
went out to SEQ Sairy where she. livet
all alone after Tom died, and said
Grandmother, Abe's dead yes,
know. says she. I've ben q waitin' ful
it. knowed they'd kill him. and sht
never asked any questions. A body'd {
thought the earth stopped whirlin' fur I
few days, the way everybody went on
It was like, even here in Charleston, likt
black cloud that covered the sum-" Th'
dim old eyes became blurred by the Sal
memory.-Exchange. u.J