Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-05-12

postmaster and CurvcyUr nc met evxvu.
body and all classes of people, an AZ.
ouatntance that proved in time to be ~
incalculable value. Having in some nm.
accountable manner absorbed mora
knowledge than most young men of his
age possessed, he was often in demand
to write letters, calculate interest ON
notes, survey lands and render bis
reighbcrs other like services
AS deputy surveyor Of the county.
great confidence v7as reposed in his skill
and ability, and he was often sent for
to perform services outside of his official
district. He was once hired to do some
work in an out Of the way place for a
Pennsylvania German who owned con.
siderable land and who had the a3pear.
ance and reputation of being an old
1niser Lincoln spent the day " It'll Il him
and, to his surprise, found that. al.
though cold and unsociable to the world
when under his own rooftree he was one
of the most liberal and companionabla
of men. In the evening the young sur.
veyor, after an exchange Of anecdotes in
which the Pennsylvania took the lead
ing part, could not refrain from impart.
ing to his host the unfavorable opinion
he had formed of him before the meet
ing and his agreeable disappointment
after an acquaintance of one day. The
German, with equal candor, answered
that he, too, had to report disappoint-
ment that when he first heard of his
guest it was in connection with his can.
didacy for the legislature. "Consequent-
", he added, II had come to the CON
clusion that on your arrival here I should
see a man who at least looked as if he
had brains enough to represent his con-
stituents when he reached the state CAPT
tai -
As soon as he reached New Salem
Lincoln laughingly related the incident
to Il friend who tells us what followed. /
quote now from the latter s manuscript,
written before Mr.. Lincoln's death:
II told Lincoln the Pennsylvanian' s re-
ply was an ungenerous and undeserved
thrust unless he intended it for a joke,
and i'll the latter event failed to see
the wit. No, responded Lincoln, he
meant all he said, for it was before
was washed. To appreciate that state
ment I shall have to tell you an aneo-
dote to give you an idea Of the fix was
in. When | vas Il Loy, lea III Ken
lucky, where drunkenness was very com.
mon, especially on election days At an
election in village near where | lived,
on day when the weather was unusual
ly inclement and the roads exceedingly
muddy, q topper named Bill became
beastly drunk and staggered down
narrow alley, where he lay all day in
the mud. Recovering at dark from his
stupor and finding himself more or less
unsightly, he Immediately started for
the town pump to wash himself On
the way to and near the pump another
drunken fellow was leaning against a
hitching post This fellow Bill in the
darkness mistook for the pump itself
He at once took hold Of his arm in mis-
take for the handle, and raised and low
cred it several times-a motion which
SO agitated the occupant Of the pest az
to bring about an immediate reverse ae-
ton Of the aosophageal canal Bill, be-
Geving all was right, put both hands
under and gave himself a vigorous
washing. He then made his way to the
neighboring grocery for something to
drink. why, Bill, " exclaimed one Of
his chums i'll tones Of surprise as he en-
tered, how in God s name did you get
sodirty?" g If you think Pm dirty now, "
hiccoughed Bill you ought to a. seen
me before l was washed. - -
No one of the offices he filled did Mr.
Lincoln administer SO aceeptably to all
concerned as that of deputy surveyor Of
Sangamon county. His we'll known rep
utation for honesty and truth made him
the natural arbiter in many a dispute
over the titles to and boundaries of land
In the summer of 1882, :" relates a
pioneer Of New Salem days, Il had
horse race with George Warburton.
induced Lincoln, who came to the race
TO be a judge of the contest much against
his will and apparently in the face of
his protest. There were good many
annoying questions to decide, but when
the race was over more than one man
declared he was the fairest man they
ever dealt with If he is living when
die, proclaimed one fellow, L want
him to be my executor, for he is the only
man ever saw who is entirely just and
inflexibly honest.
To decide or locate disputed land
corner he was sent for from the extreme
northern line Of the county. The CON
testants had agreed before his arrival to
abide by his decision HE came " says
enc, with compass flagstaff and chain
He stopped with me three or four days
and surveyed the whole section. When
in the neighborhood Of the disputed cor
ner by actual survey, he called for his
staff and driving it in the ground at o
certain spot said, Gentlemen, here is
the corner. We dug down below the
point indicated, and lol there we found
SIX er eight inches Of the original stake
sharpened at the end and beneath which
was the piece Of charcoal placed there
by the government surveyor years be-
fore. -