Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-05-07

Qu0l0C6nC0 OF { .lrS VINO 00o u uaVUOSt Cd
the other fork of the river which had
caught on snag In the stream and de6ed
the efforts of the men to remove 1t. The
visitor was Abe Lincoln, and the letter he
brought was one asking my father for
help. Father told me to accompany Lin
coin to Oflut's boat. He was to come on
later. ~
"Lincoln and walked together six
miles to where the boat was stuck. In q
few moments we dislodged it and sent 1t
floating down to the fork Of the river. "a
II have often heard Lincoln credited
with joking and merrymaking late In life,
and some have called him q hunorist by
nature. With all due regard for the opin-
ions of the great men who seem to know
so much more of Lincoln 9 heart and mind
than we who grew up with him, must
deny the correctness of this, for he was the
saddest and most earnest man ever knew,
and had my acquaintance with him ter
minated and had never heard of him
after that flatboat event, I would never
have forgotten the impression of sorrow he
made on me then. II Abe Lincoln learned
anything, he learned how to joke, for the
art was not bred with him, bat came to
him in after years to oil the great machine
of mind straining under the burdens that
God chose to put upon him.
HE told me in my conversation at that
first meeting that he was working for IS q
month. He talked freely, but deliberately,
and had q faculty Of impressing those
around him. You would call 1t mesmer-,
ism nowadays.
"Mr. Lincoln and Offut waited for US
two days at the fork Of the river, and at
the end Of that time my father, myself and
william McLease, with the boat steercr,
Sam Mckee, Joined them. There was
danger of the snags, and We all tied up at
night and built fire and enjoyed our
selves socially. Lincoln told me he thought
he could better his situation, a. he had no
liking for the flatboat business. He
thought seriously Of settling at Walnut
Hills, q place not far from Beardstown.
But we did not agree as to the enterprise,
and Lincoln abandoned this idea.
"The trip to Beardstown required seven
days. We had a man Of the name OF Ward
who did the cooking, and had q skif to
take us ashore when we wished to land at
any place. During this trip became as
we'll acquainted with Lincoln as one
young man we'll could with another. His
conversation was such as to draw out in
formation from his companions. He was
always, even in those cherries times,
aspiring to better knowledge and better
position.
II returned to my home near Springfield
after parting with my new friend at
Beardstown. did not 60 farther down
the river at that time, and he went to New
Orleans. Neighborhoods then were not
few miles across a. now, but they covered
immense spaces. People spoke of Others
living 30 or 40 miles away a. neighbors,
though the country was beginning to I'LL
~ saw Lincoln occasionally, but was
not again associated with him until the
spring Of 1889, when, with . number Of
others, enlisted for the Black Hawk war,
and BY my own choice In Mr.. Lincoln's
company. was surprised and glad to see
him an officer. We went together TO-
Beardstown, whore, on account Of my
ability 40 Q boat stserer and my knowledge
of tho waters, ! was Transferred to another
company and went to Fort Armstrong,
near Rock Island. Lincoln secured me
tho position, and 1t was great improve
ment on the duties Of q private soldier on
the march. I was given the choice OF row.
boats and many other nice privileges. /
"Ianooln rejoined % at the fort, and the
army proceeded up the river. was with
Lincoln every day now, and made the 40
ouaintanoe Of several other mon whom
did not then think would figure in history.
There were JEFF Davis, second lieutenant
In the Seventh infantry, and Joe John
ston, captain. got TO know them both.
Davis drilled my company. met and
knew Zach Taylor, who walked round over
the bosts every day in an old rough blouse,
making him look like anything but q
commander. But beneath his gruh and
abort words lea14 I - know that old
Zach had kind ha k"-Chicago Times.
Herald =.