The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1902-12-26

STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Interesting Sketch by NJ. Cs9pbsll u lswistsa
"a FsisaA = tiaesln and a Eye Wltaes 4
iiis Dssth.
Abraham Lincoln, % young man,
splitting a.ooo rails for suit Of home
spun. was q familiar sight 10 John lP.
CAMPBELL Of Lewiston, WHO, with his wife,
i visiting his son in.law and daughter.
Mr.. and Mrs. 6. N. Spaugie, at ar
Fourth avenue. He lived on farm In
the Lick Greek district, about 10 miles
south Of Springfield, H.. before that city
was made the capital Of the state. Mr..
Campbell, now ~ years Of age, was :
small boy when he knew Abraham Linz
coin y .'hired man" ON his grandfather's
farm.
After serving through. the war and ac-
companying Sherman on the march to
the sea. he Vas present 1t Ford's
theatre in Washington, D. c., when
President Lincoln was assassinated.
81 was very young" be said yesterday.
when Mr.. Lincoln used to work for my
grandfather. John Campbell. On several
occasions he split rails there, the regular
price being 20, rails for suit Of clothes.
A suit Of clothes consisted o. Z pair of
trousers and hunting shirt. The hunt
ing shirt hung low, buttoning In front
and WAS made with : belt and short cape.
The cape could Be pulled over the head
lin cold weather. Y
"Mr. Lincoln used to sit around the
FIRE with the rest Of US in the evening
and tell stories. When he spoke every
one stopped to listen. He WAS very fond
Of story telling and almost anything you
would Say would remind him Of some
thing. a comparison or perhaps an anec-
dote. do not believe anyone ever heard
him laugh aloud; certainly not At I story
he told himself. A fsist smile about the
mouth was the greatest indication Of
mirth ever saw. At this time do not
believe he intended to Be lawyer, but
was working to become surveyor OF
something Of that kind.
Later, he was candidate for
president, my grandfather. and my father
both voted for him. though they had al
ways been strong democrats. Both were
from the south. but they talked the thing
over and sgveed that Abe Lincoln would
lnot do anything to hurt the country. A
great many Of the older men from among
the staunch democrats supported him in
the region Of his home, though Of course
the younger ones. among whom party
feeling ran high, did not allow them.
selves to be changed by his personal pop
ularity.
IT was largely through our confidence
in Mr.. Lincoln that my father and en-
listed near the beginning Of the war, be
ing in the Twenty-f,st Of the 247 regi-
meuts from Illinois. I was with Sher.
man on his march to the sea, and was
captured and thrown into Andersonville
| prison for few days. I was well treated
there. being in the principal pen only
one night. In less than week / was
exchanged by General Sherman. Near
the close Of the war had erysipeias
about the eyes and was obliged to leave
active service. was then q captain,
having risen from the ranks. was al
Washington for the big review, and went
to Ford's theater the night Presiden,
Lincoln was shot. The management Of
the thester advertised that the president
and entire cabinet would be there. and
went more to see them than the play
called on Mr.. Lincoln that evening, moi
six hours before the tragedy, and he
spoke very pleasantly to me. as he al.
ways did to everyone
"When the shot was cred in the theatei
supposed for. second it was . part q
the show. did not zee it, and ques
ton whether anyone did. Booth jumped
from the box. seven or eight feet, shoult
think. onto the stage. noticed hin
catch in the busting and sort Of fall whei
he reached the stage. Then he ran onts
the stage and assumed theatrical pos,
- he shouted out loudly and clearly
T"Sic semper tyrrsnnis!' A woman raj
across the stage as he left and screamed
Booth has shot the PRESIDENT Tibet
the lights were turned ont.
1.-THE guards came in and did't dar,
open my mouth for fear ofbeing arrested
The soldiers were angry and suspicious
and acted like they would like to XII
somebody. A great many arrests wer,
made. Everyone was frightened ana