The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-05-03

AS he steps out into the broad and in
viting world we take him up for consid-
Grafton as man.
For long time after beginning life
on his own account Abe remained in
sight of the parental abode He worked
at odd jobs IN the neighborhood or wher-
ever the demand for his services called
him. AS late as S3l he was still in the
same parts, and John Hanks is author.
ity for the statement that he "made
3, 900 rails foI Major Warwick, walk.
ing daily three miles TO his work. Dur
ing the intervals of leisure he read the
few books obtainable and continued the
practice Of extemporaneous speaking TO
the usual audience of undemonstrative
stumps and voiceless trees. His first at
tempt at public speaking after landing
in Illinois is thus described 10 me by
John Hanks, whose language | incor.
porate: After Abe got TO Decatur, or
rather TO Macon county, man by the
name of Posey came into our neighbor-
hood and made speech. 1t was bad
one, and | said Abe could beat it.
turned down box, and Abe made his
speech. The other man was candidate.
Abe wasn't. Abe beat him TO death, his
subject being the navigation of the San
CANON river. The man, after Abe's
speech was through, took him aside and
asked him where he had learned so
much and how he could do so we'll Abe
replied, stating his manner and method
of reading and what he had read. The
man encouraged him TO persevere.
For the first time we are now favored
with the appearance OH the scene of a
very important parsonage, one destined
to exert no little influence in shaping
Lincoln's fortunes. 1t is Denton Offut,
brisk and venturesome business man,
whose operations extended up and down
the Sangamon river for many miles.
Having heard glowing reports of John
Hanks successful experience as a boat
man III Kentucky, he had come down
the river to engage the latter's services
TO take a boatload of stock and provi'
sions 10 New Orleans. He wanted me
to go badly" observes Hanks, but |
waited awhile before answering.
hunted up Abe. and | introduced him
and John Johnston, his stepbrother, to
Offut After some talk we at last made
an engagement with Offut at 90 cents a
day and $50 to make the trip to New
Orleans.
Having loaded the vessel with pork in
barrels, corn and hogs, these sturdy
boatmen swung out into the stream. On
April / 8 they reached the town of New
Salem, place destined to be an impor-
tant spot in the career of Lincoln There
they met with their first serious delay.
The boat stranded on Rutledge smilldam
and hung belplessly over it day and a
night I'VE unloaded the boat, " mar
rated one of the crew TO explain how
they obtained relief from their embar.
RAISING situution-'that is, we trans
ferred the goods from our boat TO Dor.
rowed one. We then rolled the barrels
forward Lincoln bored hole III the
end projecting over the dam. The water
which had leaked in ran out, and we
slid over. Offut was profoundly i'm
pressed with this exhibition Of Lincoln's
ingenuity. In his enthusiasm he de-
clared 10 the crowd who covered the hill
and who had been watching Lincoln's
operation that he would build steam
boat 10 pillow up and down the Sanga-
mon, and that Lincoln should be her
captain. She would have rollers for
shoals and dams, runners for ice, and,
with Lincoln i'll charge BY thunder.
she'd have TO go!''
After release from their embarrassing,
not TO say perilous, position the boat
and her crew fioated away Early in
May they reached New Orleans, where
they fingered month, disposing of their
cargo and viewing the sights which the
Crescent City afforded
In June the entire party, including
Offut, boarded steamboat going up the
river At St Louis they disembarked,
Offut remaining behind, while Lincoln,
Hanks and Johnston started across Hi
nois on foot. AT Edwardsville they sepa-
rated, Hanks going to Springfield, while
Lincoln and his stepbrother followed
the road to Coles county, TO which point
old Thomas Lincoln had meanwhile re-
moved. Here Abe did not tarry long,
probably not over month, but long
euOuRH W uiSpOsS uOSl eIleCJudIly Oh
one Daniel Needham, famous wrestler
who had challenged the returned boat
man TO a test of strength. The contest
took place at a locality known as Wa
bash Point Abe threw his antagonist
twice with comparative ease and there.
by demonstrated such marked strength
and agility as TO render him forever
popular with the boys of that neighbor.
hood.
His introduction to the citizens of
New Salem, as Mentor Graham, the
schoolteacher tells US, was in the capac-
ity of clerk Of an election board. Ora
ham furnishes ample testimony of the
facility, fairness and honesty which
characterized the new clerks work, and
both teacher and clerk were soon bound
together by the warmest of ties.
A few days after the election Lincoln
found employment with one DR.. Nelson,
who. after the style of dignitaries of
later days, started with his family and
effects in his private" conveyance
which, in this instance, was fiatboat-
for Texas. Lincoln was hired to pilot
the vessel through to the Illinois river