The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-02-19

LINCOLN CENTEN-
AIRY CELEBRATION.
At Hodgensville as Seen by
One Of Our Citizens
The Red Hills, The Cabin and the
Spring all that There Nowis
OF The Historic Place.

Hditor Republican, shall appre-
ciate the privilege OF tellinsas saw
It, your readers OF the lincoln day
celebration at Hodgensyilie Friday
Feb. 18th
THE focus Of the eyes Of 1.-The nation
for a day. Hodgensville is but an
ordinary old county seat town not
quite so large nor nearly so preb-
ty as old Hartford
Arriving at the Hodgensvillel depot
at seven in the morning the only
spectacle presaging the great event
was about two acres of vehicles pack
ed sardine fashion on the common
near THE depot. Buggies. Surveys,
traps. runabouts, spring and road wag'
ons Of every type Of make and repre-
senting every stage of decay we're
ready to answer the rod call OF du-
ty. Horses of every conceivable des-
cription from the capardsonedl tho
roughbred to the windgal,ed and
SPAWN jointed plugs, alike awaited
patiently this service. On account of
cold rain falling the early nrrdva' s
showed no haste to depart for the
farm three miles away, and five
hundred farmers sat impatiently in
their open wagons In a drenching
rain for several hours. About ten
~viclock the clouds thinned and the
exodus to The Lincoln farm began.
The road TO the farm had been newly
laid with cinders but was so mar
row two wagons could scarcely pass
except at intervals. Mounted police
from Louisville were s.a-ioned at re-
guar posts along tine road and SO per-
, fectly were the thousands of people
handled that no accident occurred.
My party arrived a. the gateway TO
the farm about twelve o'clock and
from an eminence paused to take a
first look over The historic grounds,
surrounded by beautiful level or I'M
dulating farms the lincoln farm re-
sembling the ocean driven by hur-
ricane seemed strangely out OF place.
Not level acre graces the Lincoln
homestead. These little hills rising
to a height of no more than fifty
feet are a score in number and the
beholder wonders whether the elder
lincoln was the latest conner TO the
neighborhood or chose the site
because of the >neverfaihng spring
Varied here and there by patches OF
sassafras or persimmon sprouts these
red hills are barren as a desert
The cabin a quarter of a mile from
the public highway is reached by a
cinder path whose serpentine course
along the crests of the string of red
hills reminds one of monster black
snake.
Except for the concrete base upon
which the cabin now stands the ar
tistic hand of man has not yet adorn-
cd the farm ahat history has already
raised 30 imperdshable fame. Requir-
ed in word to describe the Lincoln
farm / should write 'Desolation. :"
The history of the Lincoln cabin as re
lated TO me by an old man who was
born and reared on an adjoining farm
is briefly told. Until a dozen years
ago 1t stood where Thomas Lincoln
lett 1t nearly century ago, when a
Mr. Davenport bought l. not for its
historical but for It's practical value,
and moved 1t about a mile and half
away where it was rebuilt for a resi-
dence, where 1t stood until four years
ago when gentleman, the notation
Of whose name / have lost, appreciat-
ing the possible value OF this Lin
coin relic built the owner OF the cab
In a nice farm residence for the cabin
and at once put IL on exhibition in
various cities of the United States.
About two years ago Robert Collier
of Golfers Weekly. bought the his
toric cabin and organized the
Lincoln Farm Association, a cor
poration in which no one may con-
tribute less than twenty-five cents.
nor more than twenty five dollars
and every contributor whether he
pays the lesser or larger sum. will
receive an engraved certificate Of mem
bership and have his name entered
on scroll that will be forever pre-
served in the Lincoln museum Cmy
name viii be written thepe.)
The cabin is eighteen feet square
and high enough for the traditional
lott reached by a ladder through 9