Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-04-17

was an ne asKeu Junn RANKS nalvery
observed that happiness was the end
of life with him. The purchase of the
Knob creek farm must have been a
mere speculation, with all the pay
ments deferred, for the title remained
in Lincoln but single year. The deed
was made to him Sept. 2, 1913, and
Oct. q, 1914, he conveyed 200 acres to
Charles Milton, leaving thirty eight
acres Of the tract unsold No public
record discloses what he did with the
remainder. If he retained any interest
in it for the time it was probably per-
mitted to be sold for taxes. The last
of his transactions in regard to this
land took place two years before his
removal to Indiana.
Young Abe's Close Call.
In the meantime Dennis Hanks en-
deavored to initiate young Abraham,
now approaching his eighth year, in the
mysteries Of fishing and led him on
numerous tramps up and down the
picturesque branch-the branch whose
waters We're so pure that white peb-
bic could be seen in a depth of ten
feet. On one occasion when attempting
to 'coon" across the stream by swing
ing over on a sycamore tree Abraham
lost his hold and, tumbling into deep
water, was saved only by the utmost
>eXertions Of the other boy. But, with
all this play, the child was often seri-
GUS and sad. With the earliest dawn of
reason he began to suffer and endure,
and it was that peculiar moral train
ing which developed both his heart and
his intellect with such singular and as
tonishing rapidity.
It is not likely that Thomas Lincoln
cared a straw about his education. He
had none himself and is said to have
admired muscle more than mind.
Nevertheless, as Abraham's sister was
time he was sent along, as Dennis
Hanks remarks, more to bear her COM
pany than with any expectation or de-
sire that he would learn much himself
One Of the masters, Zachariah Riney,
taught near the Lincoln cabin. The
other, Caleb Hazel, kept his school
nearly four miles away, on the
Friend farm, and the hapless chill
dren were compelled to trudge that
long and weary distance with spelling
book and dinner" the latter a lunch
ing and writing after fashion, and q
little arithmetic. But his great qualifi-
cation for his office lay in the strength
of his arm and his power and readiness
to whip the big boys"
But as time wore on the infelicities
Of Thomas Lincoin's life in this neigh
borhood became insupportable. He was
gaining neither riches nor credit and
being wanderer by natural inclina-
ton, began to long for a change. His
decision, however, was fastened by GER
tain troubles which eliminated in a
desperate combat between him and one
Abraham Enlow. They fought like saw
ages, but Lincoln obtained a signal and
permanent advantage by biting off the
nose Of his antagonist, so that he went
bereft all the days Of bis life and pub
lished his audacity and its punishment
wherever he showed his face. But the
affray and the fame Of it made Lincoln
more anxious than ever to escape from
Kentucky. He resolved, therefore, to
leave these scenes forever and seek a
rooftree beyond the Ohio.
The lives Of his father and mother
and the history and character Of the
family before their settlement in In
diana were topics upon which Abra-
ham Lincoln never spoke but with
great reluctance and significant re-
serve.
Ito be Continned.)