The Advance., 1896-02-13
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

LINCOLN, the sixteenth Presi dent of the United
States. He was born in Hardin County, Ken
lucky, on February 12 1909. His father and
mother were natives of Virginia. The region
in which they lived was almost wilderness,
and when Abraham was eight years old the
family moved into a more dense one in Indiana.
His youth was therefore spent in a region of
country where schools were rare. and about all
the early education he received was from his
mother, who died when Abraham was only
eleven years old. Until after he was twenty.
one wears old he lived in the "back woods, -
very poor most of the time, and among rough
and ignorant class of people. Such was the be-
ginning of this remarkable mans life. When
ever he got chance he read and studied by the
freight sucn few books as he could get hold of,
and in this way laid the foundation of his future
usefulness-n fact, he was a great student all
his life. In these respects his example was
worth great deal to poor boys who desire to
obtain an education and make an honorable liv-
ing and place in the world. In time people be
gan to take notice of him, and rewarded him
with business and public office-he having filled
the positions of postmaster, captain of mill
tary company in an Indian war, member of the
legislature aud also of Congress. He became a
public became aware of his wisdom and fitness
for the great Office of President of the United
States In this Office he became greatly distin
guished at most perilous period of the
countrys history, and finally fell victim to an
assassin on the 18th of April 1866.
The lesson of his life is one of great value
to American boys, inasmuch as it proves that
no matter how poor one may be in his youth, il
he is disposed to exert himself in proper
manner, he may become useful and prosperous
and reach the highest honors and places in the
gift Of the people. His life and history of the
times in which he lived should be studied care
fully by every boy, and it was largely because
of this that our State made Lincolns birthday a
legal holiday, in order to especially call the at
tention of our youths to the valuable lessons
embodied in his life-the details Of which we
have no room to mention in our columns.
Mr. JOHN G. NICoLAY, author of Life o1
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, gives the following descrip.
ton of him, in the Encyclopedia Brittanica:
| President Lincoln was of unusual STATURE six
| feet four inches, and of spare but muscular
build he had been in youth remarkably strong
and skilful in the athletic games of the frontier
where, however, his popularity and recognized
impartiality oftener made him an umpire than
champion. He had regular and prepossessing
| features, dark complexion, broad high forehead,
prominent cheek bones, grey deep set eyes, and
| bushy black hair turning to grey at the time OF
his death. Abstemious in his habits he possess
ed great physical endurance. He was almost as
tender-hearted as woman. have not will
| ingly planted thorn in any mans bosom," he
| was able to say. His patience was inexhausti.
BILE. He had naturally most cheerful and
sunny temper, and was highly social and
sympathetic, loved pleasant conversation,
w.t. anecdote and laughter. Beneath this,
| no oWever, ran an undercurrent of sadness he
was occasionally subject to hours of deep 81.
| lence and intrOspection that approached a con-
dition of trance. In manner he was simple,
direct, void of the least affectation, and entire
| ly free from awkwardness Oddity or eccen-
| tricity His mental qualities were-a quick
analytic perception, strong logical powers, a
| tenacious memory, a liberal estimate and toler-
of the opinions of others, ready intuition OF
human nature, and perhaps his most valuable
faculty was rare ability to divest himself of all
| feeling or passion in weighing motives of per.
| sons or problems of state
| His speech and diction were plain, terse, for
| chile. Relating anecdotes with appreciative
humor and fascinating dramatic skill, he used
| them freely and effectively in conversation and
| argument. He loved manliness, truth and JUS
tice. He despised all trickery and selfish greed.
In arguments at the bar he was so fair to his
opponent that he frequently appeared to con-
cede away his clients case. He was ever ready
to take blame on himself and bestow praise on
Others 81 claim not to have controlled
events" he said, "but confess plainly that
events have controlled me-" The Declaration
of Independence was his political chart and
inspiration. He acknowledged a universal
equality of human rights. 6 'Certainly the
negro is not our equal in color,' he said, "per-
haps not in many other respects; still, in the
right to put into his mouth the bread that his
own hands have earned, he is the equal of
every other man, white or black" He had
unchangng faith in self:government. "The