The Irish standard., 1895-11-09
|HE LOOKS LIKE LINCOLN.
The Struggle a United States
Senator Had in Getting
4
On III the World.

Worked His Way to
the Senate.
Talks About Abe Lincoln and the
|. Character of the Mar.
tyred President.
Shelby NJ Cullom, United States SEN
| altor from Illinois, is one of the most
interesting takers among our public men,
Plain and simple in his ways, there are
no frills or furbelows about either HIM
self or his conversation. He calls spade
a spade, and as a story teller has many
of the attributes which were so noted in
Abraham Lincoln. He grew up under
the shadow of Lincoln, and his likeness
to the nnartyred president has been often
remarked. No ONE would call Cullom
handsome. His frame is big, bony and
angular, his figure is straight. with shoul-
ders SO square that the arms seem to fall
from them at right angles, the whole act
ing as clothes frame for his frock coat.
His gestures are not graceful, and his
face in repose is severe. When he talks,
however, a smile creeps out Of the cor
ners of his eyes and the lines of his feat
!, 1o+c of q
magnetism. There are few who have
had as remarkable a career, and few SEN
ators whose lives would be more insplr-
ing examples to the boys of the United
States, writes Frank G. Carpenter, in the
Times Herald.
His family was Scotch-Irish, and his
ancestors came from Maryland to Ken
tucky. 1t was there that Cullom was
born, and when he was baby of 9
months his family moved to Illinois.
They rode out and through the stumps
in canyas-covered wagons, and Baby Cnl-
lonl, wrapped in feather be6f was rocked
by the jolting of the wheels. Father Cul-
lom settled within about fifteen miles OF
Peoria, taking up 500 acres and choppjng
farm out of the forests. Baby Cullon1
crept over the log floor and toddled about
the clearings year by year, until he be-
came old enough to go to school, His
first lessons were studied in a log school
| house, and working on the farm and
studying at school made up his boyhood
life. &
After he had finished his schooling at
the country schools young Cullom con-
cluded that he wanted a better education.
His father was hardly able to send him
to college, and Shelby had to look out
for himself How he succeeded is best
told in his own words. Said he :-~
s:I was II years old at this time. ]
thought I ought to be better educated,
and l looked about to see how 7 could
make some money to pay my way through
the academies. saw an opening in a
country school near where I lived, ap-
piled for it and got it. My wages at the
start we're s18 month, and 1 must have
done pretty well, for at the end OF the
second month they raised me to $40, and
I received this for the remainder Of the
wear. boarded with the scholars and
saved nearly every cent Of my munificent
salary.
81 made something after school was
over by plowing. I got 81. .25 an acre for
it. I borrowed five yoke Of oxen OF my
father, and went to breaking up land foi
the neighbors. We plowed a furroW
eighteen inches wide and hitched from
four to five yoke Of oxen to the ploW.
We fastened the plow to wheels and set
it for the proper depth. l walked outside
ana yelled at the team. It is not an easy
matter to drive oxen, I can tell you, and
a great dead of the lung power which
have today was, venture, developed just
then
"By the way,'' the senator continued
with a twinkle in his eye, "a rather queer
thing happened in connection with tnat
blowing. You know they talked little
of me for President four years ago, and
| some of my friends in Illinois thought
had a chance for the White House. One
Of these was a farmer for whom l had
broken land in my boyhood. He wrote
to me. recalling the circumstance. He
said he had print of my bare foot, which
! I had made at that time in elayey
strip of his land. He said he had cut. il
out and kept it, and that he was going
| to frame it as the foot of a President. "
.And did you plow in your bare feet,
senator?''
.Yes,'' suppose So replied Mr.. Cul-
lom., eve did a great deal OF our farm
work in our bare feet in early days Il
was more comfortable than working with
shoes. though now and then one was liza
Bile to raise a stone bruise or snag off q
| toe nail against root. =
"Where did you go to school &?
ssIt was at a seminary at Mount Morris
! in northern Illinois, Il replied Senator
| Cullo1n.5 There was a big Method list | II
5stitution there at the time, and it was
considered a very good school. 81 studiee6
Latin and Greek and other things, but be
fore i got through I fell sick. This was
within three months of the close, Of ny
term. / thought / was going to die. and
| IsWanted to go home. They persuaded
me to stay, however, and give the vale u
dicboFys''
hen, suppose. you were at the 81 heat ! {
Eof-your class? y y 3ssi 5;
ess replied Mr. Cullonl, s.I managed
f4o. keep pretty close to.the top ,' 4 Ut.
hat did you do next III ?' S z
home Z. II ;as the reply ~
Rs$ = p Ia T; was az Leaf