The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-07-14
ANOTHER VIEW oE LINCOLN.


Fifty years ago Mrs. Amanda Poormau.
OF Nation, ILL.,. was the favorite niece of
Abraham lincoln and intimate friend as
well
Today. a charming old lady Of IS. Mrs
Poorman is obliged TO work for her o7vn
support and IS IN great need of the fund
now being accumulated under the d.
rectiOn OF Judge James T. Hughes OF Mat
toon, 10 provide for the wants for the
remainder OF her life, says the New York
World.
The best description OF the friendship
between Abraham Lincoln and Mrs. Poor
man, then Amanda Hanks, is given in the
following series Of anecdotes which have
never been made public until Mrs. Poor
man was interviewed for the first time
few weeks ago.
The relationship between them was a
double one. Amanda Hanks father. Den
MS Hanks, was cousin OF Lincoin-s
mother. and her mother was q daughter
OF Lncoln's stepmother by her first hus-
band.
Lineolns favorite niece tell Of Uncle
Ahe's visit TO her childhood home as
follows:
When Uncle Abe was in the Charles
ton neighborhood he made our house his
regular stopping place 8ly father
thought Abe was the finest fellow in the
world, and kept telling US 10 keep an eye
on him; that he was going M. Ny father
was very poor; as poor as people could
be and have home. Our cabin had three
rooms, all on one floor and was daubed
weather-tight with mud. When Uncle
Abe came we had TO make arrangements
10 give him room. I was the youngest
child, and generally went to the floor 10
sleep While Uncle Abe occupied my bed
IN the morning when my mother would
be getting breakfast and I would be in
the way, she would pick me up and carry
me INTO Uncle Abe's room and lay me at
the foot OF his bed. slept there many
times when l was little girl.
AT night we would gather around him
in front of the fireplace and he would tell
US stories until far into the nieht. He
was 10 us children the wonderful story
teller Of the world. he knew more than
any person, and knew just how TO tell
things so everybody could understand
them have often since his death
thought l could see him again in our liz
tie home, his expressive face beaming
forth his JOY, now seeming 10 laugh out
right in its grimaces Of fun. and now as
solemn and sorrowful as a tomb. We
would watch his every expression through
whole evenings. and he could make US
laugh or cry as he willed.
There was no other such week In our
Charleston home as that which Uncle Abe
spent with us. We laid in an additional
supply of provisions. He was a great
eater he liked everything. He came 10
us just his plain simple self His
trousers We're almost always patched
and my father used 10 call them Abe's
spectacle pants. He went around in his
shirt sleeves when he was in the house
and never wore a necktie. His clothes
were always a poor fit. his trousers being
too short and his coat always short
enough 70 show the patches on his specta-
Gle pants. Sometimes Uncle Abe would
take our horse and wagon and drive over !
to his fathers place. I remember one /
trip I made when Uncle Abe stopped the /
horse in Kickapoo creek to give It a
drink. / stood up in the rear Of the rig |
and Uncle Abe gave the horse little cut !
with the whip and started out OF the 1
creek with a rush. I plunged out into the /
water at the first jump and in a moment /
was doing what any little girl would do. /
1oating and sinking and choking with /
water as I tried to scream. l shall never /
forget how Uncle Abe jumped from the 4
buggy and came back after me. He ran /
with such great, long strides. and came
)lunging into the creek with his long
arms reaching toward me. The water
which was so deep to me was easy wadlng
or Uncle Abe. and he came 10 me as fast
IS he could run, his long legs making him
emind me Of some great wading bird. He
ished me out hurriediy and called that
Alandy's GuclSing. Always after he ask
d me about the ducking when We met,
md the last time | saw him he said:
Z" Mandy. have you forgotten the duck
ng you got in KickapOo creek
Uncle Abe loved 10 talk He Just talk
d to everybody. We used TO hear that
yhen he was ii little fellow he would
york in the field with his father and that
whenever anyone would pass by on the
Dad Abe would always quit work and
o to the fence and talk. Abe is said TO
ave been so eager to talk that he would
peak right up before his father could say
word. They used 10 tell 81 Of him that
his would make his father mad. and that
lany times when they were working in
be field and Abe jumped up on the fence
nd cut his father out OF the first word
18th a neighbor or stranger passing by.
is father would pick up a big clOd and
mock little Abe Off the fence, crying.
" Let older people have the first say,
iii you, boy?
Uncle Abe always wanted 20 buy some Z
hing for US when ne came. and always
sked us what we wanted. One time Z
anted q parasol. the last thing ia the
orld that 7 needed. lie bought me one
audy enough 10 suit my childish fancy. ( Z
[ another time he bought me a leghorn 7
AZ. He was very generous with us. and 2
as also 20 his father and his stepmother.
wing them $40 or S15 every time We went 2
)wn there with him.
I remember the first time ever heard a
ncle Abe talk about the slaves. He had q
zen. I think, To Louisiana. and had seen a
ayes put upon. and he made quite 3
leech 70 Us about Il. telling how % had
hrerr frf alirr sold y
lie market like animals. He told us o.
mulattO girl nc saw She was due r
Okiag woman and was made 10 walk up %
ID down on the block, exercising Ike q 2
rise is exercised before he IL bought.
0Cle Abe was indignant. and he did not p
y Us that story Ike we had been accus- q
med to hearing him tell stories. TIE
rev into a spirit and an Indignation We
ID never seen In him before Afterward n
understood what il was that made him y
national leader. even II ne was 50 plain ..
% simple and seemed TO ike 70 tell sto- =,
IS better than anything else Uncle n
be was another man when he vas thor =.
ghIy aroused. I-
When Uncle Abe would come into the =
use on his visits he would call out; -
Here I am Amt sou glad 90 SEE :.
UucIe Abe made nay father promise he !.
,uld come 70 washington and vistt hin 4
ben DE- had become president ~ -
.her fcaiiy id 60 he went % the
tie house and was efzruired 20 walS =.
hit in without knocking or even paying !.
respects 20 the guards They stopped
70. and be was quite indi znauf. telling :.
sm be- vas Dennis Hanks. and had q
= run any place where ATE Lllca.1 -
eht d.. RI Lincoln came OFT. ana -
eu he saw rr father Re fHTeE re eruH -
1uud him ard hugge9 him BE vas -
- when they BAD looked each other
r. father said To Laefe Ahe-
ARE where ln fae E9ri9 d.3 you grt