The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-02-10
THOUGHTS ABOUT
LINCOLN.
ENCOURAGEMENT AGAINST
DISCoURAaEMENTs,
A MAN MUST DO HIS BEST.
Some Rambling Thoughts.
BY "NEMo."

BY ssNEMo."
Copyrighted by Dave & Tabor.)
Some of the towering personages OF
history-possibly from our ignorance
OF their daily hyes-seem more like
demi-goods than men, and we simply
marvel at them for if the fame of a
great man has elements In it that are
walls before us instead of steps we peep
at it like children from distance, we
long vainly for its altitude, and we pass
on neither aided nor encouraged. 1t
is true beyond dispute that touch of
Nature makes us all kin, and like the
unexpected meeting OF beloved friend
is the effect upon us of the great who
haye suffered as we have, worked long
years unseen as We do, and triumphed
in some measure as we hope to at last.
We are cheered by them. In them we
discover the llneaments of ordinary,
approachable humanity; their foot
steps were no longer than ours but
simply always led forward, their hours
were no more numerous than those
allotted to US but all were made to
bend to purpose, their hopes remain
ed too often unrea1ized-like ours-but
in reaching upward towards them came
sublimity to the lives that we can safe
ly admire and emulate.
-
Among those who do not discourage
nor dazzle is our Lincoln. As the
fierce light of the tevered hours in
which he stood unmoved subsidies into
a gentle day whose progress is guiltless
of internecine strife, he shows forth
ever more clearly as sthe great COM
moner." He Is living proof of truth
we too often doubt in our haste, that
neither the lack of money nor of pedi-
gree is enough to keep in subjection
those who s'will" to shake themselves
free from lmpediments. He stands as
an encouragement to those who strive
against discouraging odds-by glorlfy-
ing the commonplace affairs of life
into actual tests of character, and by
throwing his full powers unreservedly
into every task he takes up. He shows
that the sum total expected of man is
that be should do the best he can-if a
great man in small place, by filling it
to overfowing; 1t an untrled man in a
great place, by filling it through the
might and the growth that come from
modesty, humility, teachableness. He
is-surely one with many OF us-not
occupied with proclaiming his descent,
but having whereof to boast in his as
cent,-not handled by luxurious
mother through the proxy-love of hired
arms, but nourished by rugged woman
under those strenuous circumstances
that developed unsung heroes along
every bridle-path of our enormous
frontier. He is not bound within the
limits of any creed of mans inventing,
but throws out his broad soul into fel-
lowship with those of all nations who
do man-seryice as God-pleasers. He
does not stalk along in gloomy abstrac-
ton, but is "hail-fellow" in a sunshiny
way with all those weary and burdened
ones to whom laugh is more refresh
ing than new wine. He is not filled
with thoughts OF some future destiny
it Is only onlookers who see the destiny
of a man,-for he is content with the
next step each time that it comes, no
matter where it leads. He is not even
superior to repining and gloom, but
from every hour of depression he rises
to fling the gage of Despair into the
face Of Fortune, daring her to the con-
fict.
-
There is not one great modern char
acter moro thoroughly human than he
| is. In fact in his day small men reach
| ing no higher than his ankles could see
nothing but the mud on his shoes, and
failed utterly to raise their eyes to the
1T Ln.d Nth ifo foco oAamo6 more