The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-16
HEARD ABOUT LINCOLN.
vincita Club Listened to a Talk By
Frank L. Fish.


The first of series Of smoke talks To
be held by the Yincitia club for its
members during the winter was held al
the club rooms last evening and was at.
tended BIZ q majority Of the members
and several guests. The speaker of ths
evening was Frank L. Fish OF Vergennes
former bank examiner and at present
representative from Vergennes to the
legislature.
Mr.. Fish was introduced by Frank l.
Small and he entertained the company
for an hour with an interesting extern
poraneous address, touching present day
subjects, including sketch of the life
Of Abraham Lincoln, and concluding
with some comic and pathetic French
Canadian dialect stories and poems. Mr..
Fish said that he promised the governor
that he would not talk in regard to the
legislature and its doings and began his
remarks by speaking Of the progress of
the country and the many innovations
that had taken place in common affairs
in the past century. A time is within
the memory of the older people of the
country when railroads, telegraphs, tsle-
phones, electric Lights and gas were un-
known.
Apropos the improvements of the
past century, the speaker said, it would
not be amiss to speak of that great Am
erican, Abraham Lincoln, the one hun
dIedth anniversary of whose birth oc-
ours on The 12th day Of February. Mr..
Fish said in part in regard to Lineoln;
Il suppose that be was the most remark
able typical American of the century.
No man stands on parallel plane with
Lincoln unless it was George Washing
ton.
"He was born Of poor parents in q one
room log cabin almost on the line over
which the North and South fought in
the Civil War His father was unable
to read or write and his mother had
but little more education although she
was able to teach the elder Lincoln to
sign his name. Abraham Lincoln had
absolutely no advantages and had only
twelve weeks in school in his life. When
Abraham was a boy his father sold his
little farm and few possessions and es-
tablished his family in new locality.
After q few years at tha new home
the elder Lincoln again sold his farm
and moved to southern Illinois and
cleared land for another farm and it
WAS shortly after coming here that
Abraham Lincoln reached his majority
and struck out for himself. He had
learned what he could by reading bis
limited supply Of books By the light of
the fireplace and as his opportunities
increased and he had access to more
books his reading increased.
He established himself as a store
keeper in small way and was after
wards appointed postmaster, during
which time it is related that the letters
were carried in his hat At this time
Lincoln was studying law and shortly af-
terwsrds was admitted to the Illinois
bsr.
Twenty years of practice on the cir
cults Of his own state brought him to
that point in his career where be took
up the slavery issue with Stephen A.
Douglas and was nominated for presi-
dent and elected 1t was in threshing
out the slavery question in Illinois that
Lincoln became really known through
cut the country. The speaker touched
on Inooin's inaugural address, his
ability in handling the reins govern
ment during the Civil War and pictured
him as he walked through the streets
Of fallen Richmond with his son By his
side. Then with oil accomplished he fell
BY the hand Of the assassin, fell as he
bad lived, simple and plain and loved by
sll
At the conclusion of Mr.. Fish's talk, |
4. w. Allen was called upon and gave a
souple Of eornic readings in his mimi /
table rnonner which caused a rear ef /
Isarhter. Music was furnished during /
the evening By 6ilbertson's orchestra /
md buffet lunch was served.