The morning call., 1891-04-05
SALLY BUSH.
An Interesting Sketch Of Abraham LilCOlnS
SteDmOther.

ern Indiana, in the midst of its grand old
forest Of towering oaks, of walnut and
maple trees, were scattered bits of prairie
| land that rose and fell in waves of hill and
hollow most fair to see
Upon one of these eminences stood q
small unslghtly cabin of rough and unhewn
logs, with neither doors nor windows. In on e
corner of the room poles were stuck into the
cracks of the logs, while the other ends were
supported by fOrked sticks sunk into the
earthen floor, writes Ella Dare in the Chi
cago Inter-Ocean. Over these boards were
laid, upon which dry leaves were scattered,
the whole surmounted with skins of animals
and old clothes. This was the only bedStead
visible. Three or four three-legged stools,
slab with the fat side upward serving as
table and a Dutch oven and skillet CON-
pleted the furniture of the room.
This was the home of Thomas Lincoln, an
easy-going, idle man, whose chief excel
lences lay in his skill as huutsman and
his remarkable aptitude for storytelling.
About year after the death of his wife,
who had left to him two children, he sought
an other in the person OF Sally Bush, who
had in earlier years rejected his suit, but
who was now widow, living with her three
children in Kentucky.
In hOmely words he urged immediate mar
riage and she yielded. 1t is fair to presume,
however, that had she known the real truth
about the Indiana cabin life her consent
would have been hard to gain.
Packing up her household goods and load
ing them on wagon drawn by four horses,
the newly welded pair arrived at Thomas
Lincoln's home. Imagine her dsappont-
ment when, al the close of a cold December
day, they drove up before the doorless:
windowlcSS cabin, in front Of which stood
the two children, Nancy, girl of II, and
Abe, a boy years old.
Il-clad, with unwashed faces and I'M
combed hair, these little creatures gazed
with eyes and mouth wide open at the won
derful treasures unloaded from that wagon.
There were chairs and a table, and knives
and forks and cooking utensils, and most
marvellous of all a real bureau. that in those
days had cost $40. This last Thomas Lin
coin had declared sinful extravaganza,
and had urged Sally to sell it, but she would
not heed and so it was brought to the back
woods cabin.
To these untutored children, who had
never heard of such things, and who knew
nothing of their uses, this change of sur
r0undings came like perfect revelation.
and changed the whole color OF their lives,
In person Sally Bush was tall and stately,
handsome in face and figure, with earnest
eyes and beautiful curling hair. In CONVEX
Sation she was bright and CHEEKY, and to all
her charms added rare force of character,
expressing itself IN neatness, energy, ecOno-
my and thrift.
Desolate as was her future prospect, I'M
promising in its every feature. she lost no
time in lamentation. Looking calmly into
the face of chaos, out of it she wrought
comfort and order.
Turning with pity to the two neglected
Lincoln children she cleaned them thor
oughly and combed and Strengthened their
tangled locks. She taught them how to
wash themselves and gave them untirlDg
lessons in the virtues of cleanliness. From
her own wardrobe she fashioned for them
garments and clothed them comfortably
from head TO foot. Nice warm beds and
nourishing food were provided for them.
She treated them as kindly as she did her
own children and took them into the heart
of her large and gracious motherhood.
Through her insiStence her husband laid
wooden floor and in due time doors and win
dows found their proper places. Little by
little more land was cultivated and better
provisions were made for the entire family
Instead of blows and hard usage, to
which the children had always been sub
jected, she ruled them by love and winSOme
ways AS Abraham Lincoln so often said
in alter years, "she was the woman who
first made me feel like human being"
10 him she was the embodiment OF all
things good-his "saintly mother" his
"Angel of mother" as he used TO call
her.
Uncultivated she certainly was, as meas
ured by book attainments, or by the accom-
plshments of these modern times, but she
was strong III HisH purpose, anu capuOte ol
arousing ambition in others by her earnest
zeal A short time after she arrived at the
Lincoln home, Abe" to whom she soon
became warmly attached. was fitted out in
comfortable suit Of clothes, and sent to
school for the first time in his life.
il is true he walked four and a half miles
each day for this instruction, which at the
best was meager, but it was enough to stir
desire for more and fan to living flame the
light that was in time to lead this land
through darkened places.
Utterly ignorant, rude and uncouth, the
new mother found this boy seemingly des-
tined TO life of rudeness aud obscurity,
and from these depths she rescued the pure
and honest and forcefu spirit that is to-day
loved and reverenced by the world
Through the Transformation she brought
a bout in the home and in the entire life of
the family, she completely won the boys
confidence, SO that he rested entirely upon
her wisdom and yielded her, in all things,
the most implicit obedience. Did she as
sumo that certain things could be brought
about lie never for one moment questioned
the result
Faithful always through his entire life to
this devoted woman Abraham Lincoln never
forgot her, in the midst of his triumphs,
whose glory might have dimmed the remem-
brance of heart less loyal than his own.
After his election to the Presidency. before
he went to Washington, he visited his
mother, now bent ana bowed with age. 1t
was SAD parting THIS last one, Tor both
shared in the same fOreboding that they
should meet no more on earth.
After his assassination MIR. HerndOn, Mr..
Llncoln's law partner. went to see her.
With streaming eyes, she said: ABE was
good boy, and / can say what scarcely one
woman can say in a thousand, Abe never
gave me cross word, or look, and never
refused in fact, or appearance, TO do any
thing requested him.
His mind and nine, what little l had,
seemed to run together. l had a son John
WHO was raised with A be-
Both were good boys. but must say,
both now being dead, that Abe was the best
boy ever saw. | did not want Abe to run
for President; did not wan: him elected;
was afraid somehow; and when he came
down to see me, after he was elected Presi-
dent, l still felt that something would befall
Abe and that should see him no more"
Our republic must justly honor its heroes
and statesmen, that their example may in
spire those coming after to guard the free
dom of the future, but shall it not also re-
member the debt of gratitude it owes to its
women ilders-to the patient, tirelesS, Gre
alive force welded by the mothers of men?