The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-01-02
ABE LINCOLN IN sPRINoFlsLo.
How the presidential Candidate Got nh
Mau-Hls wlfe's Ambition.

How the Presidential Candidate Got HIS
Mau-His wlfe's Ambition
Yes, as YOU say, new yarns about
Lincoln are hard to find. Neverthe-
less. his was such striking personal
itv that il is not easy to exhaust the
material he offered TO the story-teller-"
So spoke middle-aged man few
nights ago to the writer.
You see continued my friend. Il
was born in Springfield, Ill.,. and lived
tlere until the war. From my earliest
| boyhood Abe Lincoln was to me an
impressive figure. He used to come to
my fathers store, stick his feet on the
counter and talk about the affairs
of the nation. | was present one
night when Abe came in looking rs
melancholy rs man whose hens won't
lay.
Whats the matter. Lincoln?" my
\ father asked.
''Oh. nothing much. I'm diseour-
aged bit. fear my tilt with Doug
las was not very successful"
Nonsense. Abe" remarked my fa-
ther. Your words have electrified
| the country. They will bear rich fruit
for you. Your reputation has been
/ merely local heretofore; now it is
national
DO You think so? Well. / hone
you're right" Then the future Presi-
dent stalked ont into the night looking
more cheerful than when he entered.
l will never forget the first few days
after he was nominated. At that time
Springfield had no postal delivery and
we were in the habit of going TO the
postofIice late in the afternoon for oul
mail. Sometimes 200 people woulc
gather in and near the postoifiee- ThC
evening after he was chosen presi
Dental candidate by his parts Ab,
came 10 the pastefaice As usual for hi:
letteFsH he was dressed in the homely
I fashion of the time and place and
greeted his neighbors in his usual dem
ocratic way. He found his box full o
letters and newspapers.
The next afternoon he came again
This time the mail filed three boxes
, He was dressed with more care thar
, he had been the day before. On tn
third day after his nomination he NJ
, peared at the postoffice with baske
on his arm. He went away with hi
basket. pockets and hat overhowin
, | with envelopes, newspapers, can
paign documents, etc
After this he was obliged to employ
J, secretary. who collected his mail. an
we saw but little of the great mal
> Whenever he appeared in public, how
ever. we noticed that he wore wha
i gossip called ..his Sunday best"
4 Those were lively times in Sprins
: field. The town was overrun wit
> prominent men from all parts of Il
country 1t was my privilege to a
, tend the reception given to his feilos
. townsmen hv Lincoln after his ele
! ton. | shall never forget the pictul
he presented as he lowered above h
+ wife and greeted his old friends. TheI
- - was rot in his manner the slightest i
e dicar4on of what is now called 1T
t, biz head" Mrs. Lincoln was vel
:. gracious and made fine impressit
II that night. | heard Abe say to my I;
II ther in the hallway as we were abo
A. to leave:
m Il guess Mary will carry hers,
N right well in Washington, old man. -
d Speaking of Mrs. Lincoln remin
% me of an episode that took place son
ot wears before Abe became n nation
{. hero. There was a well-to-do tailor
t. Springfield who owned handsoI
e. house Just across the street from [
at Lincolns. Mrs. Lincoln did not fl
h. pleased that a tailor should live in
lie finer residence than that occupied
k a leading lawyer. When Abe was
on circuit, therefore. she had a sto
a added to their house. The job W
lis nearly finished when Abe return'
as He strobe down the street. gazed
ld his house in surprise. and then eros
it to the taior's side of the road.
ed who lives in that palatial mansi
p- over there?" he asked of his neighb
or The widow Lincoln. answered
smiling tailor. Then was heard a vo
on from the top story of the Lincoln hou
ne Abe, Abe, come I" DINNER. lou
as late -