The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-04-26

aDle TO begin LIE on MS own account
As he steps out into the broad and in
viting world we take him up for consid-
Grafton as a 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 1881 he was still in the
same parts, and John Hanks is author
ity for the statement that he ''made
5000 rails for Major Warwick" walk
ing daily three miles to his work. Dur
ing the intervals of leisure he read the
few books o5tainable and continued the
practice of eXtemporaneOus speaking to
the usual audience of undemonstrative
Btumps and voiceless trees. His first at
tempt at public speaking after landing
in Illinois is thus described to me by
John Hanks, whose language l 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 ne 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 on 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 boat
man in Kentucky, he had come down
the river to engage the latter's services
to take boatload of stock and provi-
sions to New Orleans. He wanted me
to 60 badly" observes Hanks, ''but l
waited awhile before answering.
hunted up Abe. and l introduced him
and John Johnston, his stepbrother, to
Offut. After some talk we at last made
an engagement with Offut at so 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 10 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 helplessly over it a day and a
night. eve unloaded the boat, :" mar
they obtained relief from their embar-
RAISING situation-''that is, we trans
ferred the goods from our boat to Dor
rowed one. We then rolled the barrels
forward Lincoln bored hole in the
end projecting over the dam. The water
slid over" Offut was profoundly i'm
pressed with this exhibition of Lincoln's
ingenuity. In his enthusiasm he de-
clared to the crowd who covered the hill
and who had been watching Lincoln's
operation that he would build a steam
boat to plow 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 in charge, "By thunder,
she'd have to go!'
After release from their embarrassing,
not to say perilous, position the boat
and her crew floated 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 a 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
enough to dispose most effectually OF
one Daniel Needham, famous wrestler
who had challenged the returned boat
man to test of strength. The contest
took place at 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 clerk S 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 DIR. 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 f1atboat-
for Texas. Lincoln was hired to pilot
the vessel through to the Illinois river.
Arriving at Beardstown, the pilot was
discharged and returned on foot across