Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1906-09-26
CONTINUED

~looNTINUED.]
In the fright and confusion. was about
to yield them, but Lincoln said they
had not won the money and they should
not have 1t. and, although he was OPP
posed to fighting. If nothing else would
do them he would fight Armstrong,
Clary or any of the set"
just ut this juncture James Rutledge,
the original proprietor Of New Salem
and q man of some authority. rushed
into the crowd md exerted himself to
maintain the peace. He succeeded, but
for a few moments a general fight was
impending, and Abe was seen with his
back against Offutt's store undismayed
and resolute, although surrounded by
enemies.
Abe and Jack Cronies.
Jack Armstrong was no bad fellow
after all. He was stout and rough, but
great hearted, honest and true. His big
hand, his cabin, his table and his purse
We're all at the disposal Of a friend In
need. He possessed a rude sense of
Justice and felt an incredible respect
for n mar who would stand single
handed, stanch and defiant in the midst
of prosecutors and foes. He had never
disliked Abe and had, in fact. looked
for very clever things from him ever
before his title to responsibility had
been made so incontestably clear, but
his exhibition of pluck n muscle on
this occasion excited Jack to n degree
of admiration far beyond his power to
conceal 1t. Abe's hand was hardly re-
moved from his throat when he was
ready to grasp 1t in friendship and
swear brotherhood and peace between
them. He declared him, on the spot,
1.-THE best fellow that ever broke into
their settlement" and henceforth the
empire was divided. and Jack and Abe
reigned like two friendly Caesars over
the roughs and DULLES of New Salem.
If there were ever any dissensions be-
tween them it was because Jack. in the
abundance of his animal spirits. was
sometimes inclined to be an oppressor.
while Abe was ever merciful and kind;
because Jack would occasionally incite
the "boys" to handle a stranger. a wit
less braggart or n poor drunkard with
q harshness that shocked the lust and
humane temper of his friend, who was
always found on the side of the weak
and the unfortunate. On the whole,
however, the harmony that subsisted
between them was wonderful. Wher-
ever Lincoln worked Jack did his
loafing," and when Lincoln was out of
xrva,Ir Do oYNopf Ioxy9 md xrAnIo tOnnthar
at Jacks cabin, where Jacks jolly
wife, 'old Hannah" stuffed him with
bread and honey, laughed at his ugli-
ness and loved him for his goodness.
Abe rapidly grew In favor with the
people In and around New Salem, until
nearly everybody thought quite as
much Of him as Mr.. Offutt did. He
was decidedly the most popular man
that ever lived there. He could do more
to quell a riot. compromise a feud and
keep peace among the neighbors gener-
ally than any one else, and these were
of the class of duties which 1t appears
to have beer the most agreeable for
him to perform.
The Peacemaker.
One day a strange man came into the
settlement and was st%raightway beset
by the same fellows who had meditated
a drubbing for Abe himself. Jack Arm
strong, of course. had a difficulty with
him, called him a liar, coward and
various other names not proper for
print, but the man, finding himself TAX
en- at a disadvantage, backed up to a
wood pile, got a stick and struck Jack
a blow that brought him to the
ground. Jack wanted to whip the man
badly, but Abe interfered and, manag-
ing to have himself made arbitrator,
compromised the difficulty by a practi-
cal application of the Golden Rule.
swell. Jack" said he, what did you
say to the MANI" Whereupon Jack re-
peated his words.
"Well, Jack" replied Abe, "if you
were n stranger In a strange place, as
this man is, and you were called a
id liar, etc, what would you do?"
"Whip hint"
'Then this man has done no more to
you than you would have done to him."
well, Abe" said the honest bruiser,
ITS all right ana, taxing MS oppo-
nent by the hand, forgave him heartily
and treated.
Abe's duties in Offutt's store were not
of a character to monopolize the whole
of his time, and he soon began to think
that here was a fine opportunity to
remedy some of the defects In his edu-
.y.AY M
NMa< +