The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-04-29
THE REAL LINCOLN

The hold which Abraham Lincoln
has upon the minds aud hearts of the
American people is shown by the in
terest which is manifested in every
newly announced biography of him,
indeed in every written and printed
line concerning him, every sort of rec
ord which recalls his voice, his figure,
his manner. his words as spoken, as he
lived to those who knew him, not as
he is in history, but as.he was in life.
vcrgsS N 1TLiilheolh is personal interest.
1t is not President Lincoln, the chief
magistrate OF the republic in its most
trying hour; Lincoln the statesman;
Lincoln treating with foreign ambas-
sadors; lincoln commanding armies;
Lincoln declaring emancipation; the
Lincoln that the monuments are rear
ed to; the Lincoln Of the "storied urn
and animated bust, "in which HIS coun-
trymen express perennial interest.
1t is Lincoln the man, aad especially
Lincoln the young man; the Lincoln Of
the earliest struggle and success; the
Lincoln of New Salem and Springfield,
for which there may be said to be
living and perpetual inquiry. The man
who, in any company, says; al knew
Lincoln when he was a tall, awkward
boy" 81 knew Lincoln when he began
to practice law" IL was at Lincoln's
nHl Il In nj att 80
the attention of the bystanders and is
surrounded by eager auditors, il he is
$50 minded" TO converse. The friend
or acquaintance who knew Lincoln
we'll when he was to fortune and to
fame unknown" seems to have a more
interesting story to tell 'of once upon
a time, than he who was close TO Lin
coin in the days when he stood high in
the gaze of all the world.
All the biographers of Lincoln who
have succeeded in really attracting
readers have dwelt upon Lincoln's
early history, and have been followed
with interest as they have enlarged
upon the theme. None have, however
gone into the details of Abraham Lin.
coins life with so much fullness as the
authors Of the Life" now running in
McClure'S Magazine, and mention
shoSld be made Of this particular BIZ
ography, because, allowing Lincoln
aAd those who knew him best TO tell
the story, II is so far told best 1t may
be said to be day and date"aRd dee |
umentary, and, therefore, natural and |
and faithful and truthful biography. |
Most Of the other Lincoln stories"
have apparently desired TO portray
Lincoln As in everything else not |
merely a remarkable, but even a curl /
Gus, parsonage, odd to the verge OF /
eecentricity. His awkward
ness is portrayed as allied to that of /
the brute creation, attempting to as
sumo the habits of the human spe-
cies; his humor as something wisrd
and freakish, and there hints that at
times he wandered into a cave of
gloom, where wrapped in darkness,
/
This latest Life" of Lincoln by Civ.
ing to the world the Lincoln as friends
and intimate acquaintances, those who
ate, drank and slept with him. knew
the man, has restored him as he was
and has relieved him of Impressions
which have been defacing and we'll
nigh degrading. II is shown now to a
7sunger generation that Lincoln,
though a person of marked individual.
ity, was a man among the young men
Of his time aHd locality. The young
Lincoln was a western man, an Him
oisan, Of the early time, period when
he early destiny of a great western
'tsts was being shaped by big men,