davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
The
Religion of Lincoln

kNURPkiSE has often been expressed
- that SO many of our public men are
unprofessed Christians. Lincoln I'M
til the last days of his life was such, and
yet he believed. no doubt, the principal
tenets of the Christian faith, at least
those he expressed in the Apostles creed.
His life was pure and if black spot
ever stained his character the historical
cynic has failed to put it on his printed
pages. During his administration as
president one of the lady members of
the Christian commission had several
interviews with him in regard to certain
government matters concerning the
cause she represented. At the close of
one of these interviews Mr.. Lincoln
said to her:
Madam, 1 have formed a high opin-
Ion of your Christian character. and
now, as we are alone. have a mind to
ask you to give me. in brief. your idea
of what constitutes a Christian"
Her reply was at some length. but, in
substance. she said that it consisted of
a conviction of ones own sinfulness and
weakness and the personal need of
Christ as a Saviour. She said that views
in regard to doctrine might and did diff
fer, but when one was really brought to
feel his need of Divine help. and TO seek
the aid of the Holy Spirit for strength
and guidance, it was satisfactory evil
dence Of his having been born again.
Mr.. Lincoln listened to her with deep
attention and visible signs of emotion.
and when she had concluded said: IF
what you have told me is really a correct
view of this great subject, think can
say. with sincerity, that | hope that l
am a Christian. / had lived. until my
boy Willie died, without realizing fully
these things. That blow, however, over
whelmed me. 1t showed me my weak
ness as l had never felt It before"
In many of his utterances, and in
many of his documents, the president
showed his trust in Divine providence
and his religious nature. In a cabinet
meeting during the darkest days of the
war he said to Secretary Chase: 81
made a solemn vow before God that il
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20

curiosity on the part OF the women to
see old Abe" at close hand, and TO
hear his voice. The demand upon his
time was a matter that probably had not
occurred to them.
The Youths Companion says that
each one of the women, as she shook
hands with him, had tried to say some
pleasant thing, and he had gravely and
perfunctorily replied with an express
sionless Thank you" The moments
were getting fearfully long, and trying
to the president
Gould we not get out ?" lady asked,
in a whisper.
Just then dear old Quaker LADY took
the long-suffering giants down
stretched hand. She had to rise on tip
toe, and as she did it her sweet voice
uttered some words difficult to catch.
But their effect was easy to see. AS
when the lights suddenly blaze behind a
cathedral window, so the radiance il
lumined those rugged features and
poured from the wonderful eyes. The
gaunt form Strengthened. The mouth
became beautiful in It's sweetness. II is
not possible to give the words of either
exactly, but this was their support:
Yes, friend Abraham, thee need not
think thee stands alone. We are all
praying for thee. The hearts of all the
people are behind thee, and thee cannot
fail. The Lord has appointed thee. the
Lord will sustain thee, and the people
love thee. Yea, as no man was ever
loved before. does this people love thee.
We are only few weak women. but we
represent many. Take comfort, friend
Abraham. God is with thee. The peo-
pie are behind thee"
Il know it." The great. soft voice
rolled solemnly and sweetly forth from
the trembling lips. 'Tf / did not have
the knowledge that God is SUSTAINING
and will sustain me until my appointed
work is done, / could not live. IfIdid
not believe that the hearts of all loval
people were with me, l could not endure
It. My heart would have broken long
ago.
You have given a cup of cold water
to very thirsty and grateful man
Ladies, You have done me a great kind
ness to-day. / knew it before. knew
that good men and women were praying
for me, but l was so tired had almost
forgotten. God bless you ALL"
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
THE BOY AND THE COON

ALL DOI AMI Ink OOON
C'Don't You See That He IS Gnawing His
Rope On?'O
imagination, using his name to give
force to their attempts at wit Mr..
Lincoln was the purest-hearted man
with whom 1 ever came in contact"
After the confederacy had been
crumbled into ruins and Jefferson
Davis, its president, had been cap
tured. and confined, the govern
ment was worried with the Ques-
ton as to what they should do with him,
and it came to be a pretty general re-
mark that I'VE had an elephant on our
hands" He was guilty of treason and
hanging was the punishment for this
crime, but there were few of our states
men who favored that, although it was
hard to see how they could consistently
give him his liberty. One day leading
minister called on Mr.. Lincoln and
asked him what he was going to do with
JEFF Davis.
Well" said Mr.. Lincoln, CT believe
l can answer that question by telling
you story. There was once a boy in
Springfield who bought coon, which,
after the novelty wore of, became a
great nuisance. One day, after he had
been dragging the coon through the
streets with rope attached TO the ami
mails collar, he sat down on the curb
stone completely tagged out and dis
consulate. A man passing by stopped
and asked him what was the matter
Oh was the reply, the coon is such a
trouble to me- Why don't you get rid
of him, then?' said the gentleman.
HUSH replied the boy, don't you see
that he is gnawing his rope Off? | am
going to let him do il. Then I'll go home
and tell the folks that he got away from
me-"
During the course of the war friend
asked MIR. Lincoln one day how many
men the confederates had in the field.
Twelve hundred thousand" was the
prompt and decided reply. The inter
rogator in amazement exclaimed: us
1t possible that they have that large
NUMBER" Yes, sir, said Mr.. Lincoln.
Il 200, 900; there is no doubt of
it You see all of our generals.
when they get whipped, say the
enemy outnumbered them from three
or five to one. ! must believe them
Now we have 100000 men in the field
Three times four make twelve. Don't
you see? 1t is simple problem in
arithmetic"
In the beginning of the war. Meth
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20

Gen. Lee should be driven back from
Pennsylvania l would crown the result
by the declaration of freedom to the
slaves" That he believed in prayer
comes as a confession from his own
lips. When the fearful cares and re-
sponsibilities of his office were pressing
him most, he said:
81 have been driven many times to
my knees by the overwhelming convic-
ton that had nowhere else to go My
own wisdom and that of all about me
seemed insufficient for that day. ]
should be the most presumptuous block
head upon this footstool If for one day
thought that / could discharge the
duties which have come upon me since
l came into this place without the aid
and enlightenment of One Who is wiser
and stronger than all Others"
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
MARTHA WASHINGTON

were disappointed. Whilst our hus-
bands and brothers are examples of pa
triotism,' she would say to her country
women, we must be patterns of indus
try She did not hesitate to wear a
brown dress and a speckled apron when
receiving fastidious and elegant Wis
itors at Morristown. 1t was said after
ward that she acquired her inveterate
habit of knitting in her zeal at Valley
Forge to relieve the barefooted men
around her. On every fair day she
might be seen walking through the rude
streets of the town of huts with basket
in her hand. Entering the hut of SER
geant, she found him dying on a pallet
of straw, his wife beside him in the an
guish of final separation. She minis
tered to his comfort with food prepared
by her own hands. Then, kneeling, she
earnestly prayed with her sweet and
solemn voice for the stricken couple.
All day long she was busy with these err
rands Of grace, or in the kitchen at the
stone house. or in urging other women
to lend helping hand. And when she
passed along the lines Of the troops she
would sometimes hear the fervent cry:
God bless Lady Washington or Long
live Lady Washington Well. indeed,
might the men feel that they could fight
to their very last drop of blood with a
commander whose wife, who was for
merly the belle and leader of her set
among the danes and damsels of Vir-
ginia. was not ashamed to be seen darn
ing his and her own stoclings!"
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20

Our agony OF glory, the war of indie
pendeuce-our great victory of peace.
the formation Of the union, and the es-
Establishment of the constitution-he is
all, all our own. Washington is ours"
The foregoing was written by Daniel
Webster in regard TO the Father of His
Country. the anniversary of whose
birth occurs February %, an occasion
that is ever freshly remembered by
American hearts. He was the first
man of the time in which he grew"
wrote Rufus Choate. His memory is
first and most sacred in our love; and
ever, hereafter. till the last drop of
blood shall freeze in the last American
heart, his name shall be spell of power
and might There is one personal, one
vast, felicity which no man can share
with him. 1t was the daily beauty and
towering and matchless glory of his life
which enabled him to create his coun-
try. and at the same time secure an I'M
dying love and regard from the whole
American people. Undoubtedly there
were brave and wise and good men be-
fore his day in every colony. But the
American nation, as a nation, / do not
reckon to have begun before 1874, and
the first love of that young America
was Washington. The first word she
ifsped was his name. Her earliest
breath spoke II. 1t is still her proud
ejaculation. II will be the last gasp
of her expiring life. About and around
him we call up no dissentient, discord-
ant md dissatisfied elements. no sec
creed, no dogma of politics. None of
these shall assail him. Yes, when the
storm of battle grows darkest and RACES
highest, the memory of Washington
shall nerve every American arm and
cheer every American heart 1t shall
reillume that Promethean fire. that sub
hme fame OF patriotism, that devoted
love of country which his words have
commended, which his example has
consecrated"
The story OF George Washington's
life is an old one. but the salient facts
Will bear repeating He was born at
Wakefield. Westmoreland county. Va
February %, 1872. lived from l735 to
1888 at what Is now Mount Vernon. and
when he was seven years old he was
taken 10 an estate on the Rappahannock,
almost opposite Fredericksburg. The
rather was one of the prosperous plant
ers OF Virginia, able to give his children
what education the times could afford
Ihe hrst teacher of George is reputed 20
nave deem convict, whom his father
oousht1orth the purpose. All of Washing
Eons schooling ended before he was lS.
HIS long and brilliant career as a SOL
oler and statesman has given to history
some OF Its most interesting pages.
II was strange" wrote Thackeray.
mat IN a savage forest of Pennsylvania
young Virginia officer should fire a
ehos. and waken I'D a war that was to
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
The
Humor of Lincoln

lNCOLN was remarkable for his
IL humor and his fund of anecdote.
both in his conversation and his
public addresses, used to illustrate
some point or argument he was en-
deavoring to impress upon the mind of
MS hearers. He has often been ac-
cused of coarseness, sometimes vul-
garity, in this respect Secretary
Seward once said in reply to this
charge: L am convinced that Mr..
Lincoln has been greatly wronged in
this regard. In all his intercourse
with men. embracing governors, sena-
tors, congressman and others | never
heard him utter remark that would
have been out of place il uttered in
the presence of ladies. The trouble is
that many foul-mouthed men in the
country have put these vulgarities in
Mr.. Lincoln's mouth in their own
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
The
Strength Of Lincoln

90 women connected with the SAM
tary commission met in Washing
ton to talk it over" After the business
had been concluded. about half the
delegates decided to call upon President
Lincoln. To one of their number, at
least-Helen Evertson Smith-the in
terview offered wonderfully impress
sive illustration of Lincoln's trust in
God, and the strength and comfort he
derived from it.
There was no special reason for the
call, except, perhaps. a pardonable
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
THE FATHER of
HIS COUNTRY
Why We Delight to Celebrate
Washington's Birthday.

GID ORN upon our soil-of parents
ID also born upon it-never for a
moment having had sight OF
the old world-instructed according to
the modes of his time, only in the spare,
plain, but wholesome elem entary knowl-
edge which our institutions provide for
the children of the people-growing up
beneath and penetrated by the genuine
influences Of American society-living
from infancy to manhood and age
amidst our expanding. but not luxurious
cfvilization-partaking in our great
destiny of labor, our long contest with
uDreclaimed nature and uncivilized man
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
Making an Impression.

Mrs. Strongmind-I really believe
that l am at last beginning to make an
impression upon the public.
Mr.. S.-Have the papers praised your
last lecture?
Mrs. S.-N-o, but to-day heard you
mentioned as the husband of Mrs.
Strongmind."-N. Y. Weekly.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
Her Modest Wish.

Sometimes" said the poet. 81 almost
get to thinking | would rather have
been born rich than a genius"
"Oh, DEAR" his wife replied, 81 don't
20 to such eXtravagant extremes. IL
ou'd only been born with longing to
% out and get a job somewhere I'd be
,atisfied. "-Chicago Record-HC- laid. d.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
What He wanted.

ga tall bride is the best looking, don't
you Think"
''Well," replied the titled English.
man who had caught on to a little
American slang, so far as am person
ally concerned certainly am not look
ing for one who is short. Chicago
Post.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
Martha Washington
THERE was ready response of
good and prominent women in
both England and America to

both England and America to
the call for nurses during the late Span
ish-American and South African wars.
This brings to mind the kind and help
fui attitude of Martha Washington DUR
ing critical period Of American his
tory. long since happily superseded by
the good feeling, based on mutuaI UNI
Outstanding, that both countries now
seek constantly to foster. William Per-
rine tells the story:
Martha Washington was then As
years of age, and those who went to the
camp and expected to find her arrayed
in the gowns which they had supposed
would be worn by the generals wife
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
Modern Way.

Shall we notify the counts relatives
that he Is being held for ransom?" asked
the trusty lieutenant
81 should say not" replied the bandit
chief Advertise him for sale in one Of
those American journals devoted to the
interests of title-seeIing heiresseS
See?"-Chicago Daily News.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
A Near-sishteu citizen.

Citizen (eXcitedly)-Omcer. there is
a dance hall open arounu the corner.
| heard the music. And on Sunday
night. too.
Policoman-You must be nearsight-
ed You can see by the bills at the
front OF the house that it isn't dance
hall It's a sacred concert.-N. Y.
Weekly.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
Easy Enough.

Towne-That boss OF yours tells such
pointless jokes. / don't see how you
can keep in his good graces.
Browne-Oh. it's easy enough.
Towne-But he always expects you
to laugh at his jokes, and how can you
tell when TO laugh?
Browne-By laughing when he does.
philadelphia Press.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
A POsSlbiEifY.

do you believe that George Wash
ington never told lie?"
Its possible. He never was much OF
business man, anway."-Chicago
Post
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20

sGrne was o.. ~4-,-N .->.
friends of American Independence an
constitutional liberty. with that hilarity
and manual decorum attendant on the
sons of freedom. In the evening an en-
tertainment was given on board the
East India ship in this harbor. to a very
brilliant and respectable company. and
a discharge of 10 cannon was fired upon
the joyful OCCASION"
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
Early Celebrations
n HE origin of Washington,s birth
j day as a holiday is stated as fol-
lows: On February %. 17S3.

lows: On February %, 1888, 9
number of gentlemen met in a New
York tavern to celebrate the great gen.
erals birthday. They then agreed to
assemble in future on that day. cele-
brating it with odes and toasts. Wash
ington's ascendancy shortly after to the
presidency gave new zest to the IAN
nual," SO that In time it became general
and finally grew into legal holiday"
the people demanding it from a custom.
The first public celebration of Wash
ington's birthday occurred on February
IL, 1874, and the anticipated occasion
was thus alluded to by the Pennsylvania
Packet of February Il, same year:
"Wednesday last being the birthda,
OF his excellency, Gen. Washington, the
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20

OF the Right.D
odist friend once said to him: 'T bons
that the Lord is on our side" 81 arn not
at all concerned about that" said Mr..
Lincoln, for l know that the Lord q.
always on the side of the right. But IL
is my constant anxiety and prayer that
and this nation should be on the Lords
side"
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20

Teacher-Why should ali good little
boys like Washington's birthday?
Chorus of Five-'Cause they amt no
school that day!-Chicago Chronicle.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20

Washington each year reminds us
That ii really is sublime
To. departing. sink your Ratchet
In the cherry-tree of time.
Puck
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
The Cheerful View.

Joel Grump-Well, see our boodlin'
common councils gone an voted 5000
fer Washington birthday doin's-an-
other sheer waste O. good money.
Hiram Pond-Mebbe it'll turn out a
lucky investment, Joel. like three
years ago, when the cannon busted
an killed four on 'em.-Judee.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20

Teacher-The first thing the Puritans
did after landing on Plymouth Rock was
TO fall upon their knees. What was the
next thing they did?
Little George Washington-They fell
upon the aborigines.-Boston Budget.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
Intact this wonderful LUOMRN
is the Greatest on Earth.
Now Tourist Sleeping Car Line to
California.

Commencing December 9th, tho
Frisco System will inaugurate through
Pullman Tourist Sleeping Oar service
between Birmingham, Ala, and San
francisco, California. Cars will leave
birmingham at 1920 p. m, every Tues
day, and will be routed VIA: the Frisco
System to Kansas City, Rock Island
System TO Pueblo, Denver and Rio
Grande and Rio Grande Western to
Ogden and Southern Pacific TO San
Francisco.
Requests for reservations should DO
addressed to
w. L. SAUNDERS, General Agent,
Pass. Deps.
Corner Pryor and Decatur SITS
Atlanta. Ga
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20

The Most Mendncious Pastime.
They tell US how George Washington
Made truth his constant mission
He must have missed a lot OF fun
By never ''goin' iishin'."
w as hington Star
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
Southern Women Wanted.

Southern Women Wanted.
Young women to do plain cooking.
washing and ironing for families in
anu around New York. Nice homes
and good wages. We send you tickets.
Address,
HUNTER,
321 w. 59th St.,
New York.
Enclose stamp. ET Agents wanted
at once. 1m-l 1904
, 1904-02-17

But let them laugh; my strip is packed.
Sometimes. when things looked blue.
You slyly beat q night retreat
s~ympatkize with you.
, 1904-02-17

to reproduce the features of his illus
trious patron. The first portrait was
painted in 1875. Stuart was so dis
satisfied with it that he ultimately de-
stroyed it, though it was considered
by others so excellent a likeness hat
Lord L~ansdowne commissioned Stuart
to paint him a full length portrait of
Washington, which he took to England.
Shortly after this Washington himself
asked Stuart to paint his portrait as
well as hat of Mrs. Washington.
Stuart, driven by the press of visitors
from his home in Philadelphia to a
country retreat in Germantown, trans
formed his barn into a painting room,
and it was there that Washington sat
for the so called Atheneum portrait.
Stuart, with Washington's consent, re-
tanned the original of this picture and
the Martha Washington head, making
copies for Mount Vernon. the where
abouts of which are not now known.
1t was in 1894 that Mr.. Stuart first
met General Washington, and from
that time he devoted his brush almost
entirely to his illustrious patron. The
number of portraits of Washington
which he made is not known. He left
a list of thirty-nine portraits which he
had been commissioned to paint for
admirers of the president at home and
abroad, but he also painted five full
length Washingtons and twenty others
of different sizes, the proceeds of the
sale of which he invested in an estate
in Pennsylvania.
The originals of Washington and
Mrs. Washington were sold after the
artists death to an association of gen.
tlemen, who presented them to the Bos-
ton AthenRum in 1888. They paid
Stuart's widow 81 800 for them.
Gilbert Charles Stuart, the most emf
nent of Americas portrait painters and
the rival of the greatest English artists
of his day, was born in Narragansett.
r. l., in 1916, and died in Boston in
1923. He received his first instruction
from a Scotch artist named Alexander,
who took him to Edinburgh when he
was about eighteen. He subsequently
studied under Benjamin West, in whose
family he lived for some time. In 1871
he set up as Il portrait painter in Lon
don and achieved immediate fame. He
returned 10 America in 1893.
, 1904-02-17
His Sympathy
For George
CAS- Expressed by q Boarder
BY JOE LINCOLN

Copyright. 1904. by Joe Lincoln
CEORGE WASHINGTON, great Father
- George,
I've read the story dire
OF how you froze at Valley Forge
With little warmth or fire.
Ny lodgings are not fine or grand
They're four flights up. you see
I'm owing something for them. and
sympathize with thee.
know just how you felt. great man;
There'll be no heat for me.
I'll freeze until | pay my bill
%sympathize with thee.
, 1904-02-17

of which pass
now as S%tuarts,
have been paint
ed by lesser art
lists. 1t is also
the source of
the most popu-
lar ~engravings
of Washington
and has been
officially indoors
ed by the Unit
ed States gov
eminent, which
uses il on the
two cent stamp.
This portrait
W a S Stuart's
third attempt
, 1904-02-17
Stuart's Portraits
Of Washington

The "Stuart head of Washington in
the Boston AthenRum is regarded as
the standard portrait of the great pa
triot. From it nearly a hundred copies
were made by Gilbert Stuart himself,
while innumerable replicas of it, some
, 1904-02-17

VOUR food. they say. was pOor and
bad,
The quantity was small;
The Iuxuries were few you had
In fact. you'd none at all.
My tea is weak. my steak is tough.
The milk is pale and blue.
And. worst of all. there's o enough
sympathize with you.
know how thin you were, great
George;
My board is overdue;
On fowl they dine-it's meek" for
~sympathize with you.
VOUR congress plotted for your
fall
Whenever you turned about.
The friends you trusted most Of all
Were those that sold you out.
, 1904-02-17

Oh, hard is misplaced trust. great
sire!
owe her ma a ""
And so She smirks al cheap young
clerks
sympathixe with thee.
X y = = 4 4 \
IVES. Father George. I'm mopins here.
4 With but our Life" to read.
While down below they laugh and sneer
Nor give me little heed.