Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-02-27

place on the following morning, the
debts having been paid in the meant
time, and the married pair and all |
the goods which the widow had pos
|sessed. were placed upon a wagon.
and drawn by four horses, a journey
|of some days, to Thomas Lincoln's
cabin in Indiana. These goods were
OF considerable value. There was n l
bureau which had cost forty dollars.
and which Thomas considered sin
fully magnificent. and urged her 10
sell It. But she was no Lincoln and
refused to do this. There was a
table. a set of chairs. a large clothes
chest. some cooking utensils, knives
and forks. bedding, and other arti
cles essential to civilized living.
Abraham Lincoln never forgot the
wonder and delight with which heI
beheld the arrival and unpacking of
this wagon load OF unimagined treas
lure. Neither he nor his sister had
ever heard OF such things. The new
mother. on her part. was woefuilyl
! disappointed on seeing the wretched'
cabin IN which she was to pass her
days: for &c seems that Thomas Lin
coin had drawn upon his imagination
in describing his abode: and. indeed,
the rude hovel was a great advance
upon the half-inciosed wigwam In
which he had lived during the first
years residence in the wilderness.
She made her idle husband put
a foor in the cabin; then windows
and doors. welcome appendages in
/ that cold month of December. She
made up warm beds for the children.
now FIVE IN number by the addition
Il OF her three The little Lincolns,
even in that wintry season, were half
naked. and she clothed them from
fabrics saved from her own wardrobe.
They had never been used 20 cleanli-
ness; she washed them, and taught
them how % wash themselves. They
had been treated with hardness:
she opened her heart TO them. treated
them as she did her own children.
and made them feel that they had a
mother. Moreover. she had n talent.
not merely for industry. but for max
ing the most OF everything. She was
Ia good manager. n good economist
very neat in her own person. orderly
and regularly in her housekeeping
The whole aspect Of the home within
and without. was changed: even the
land was better cultivated. and
Thomas Lincoln was q somewhat less
idilatory provider.
/ Happily. too. she took a particular
liking TO Abe. then nine years old
utterly ignorant. wholly unimf0rmed,
but good humOred and affectionate.
He became warmly attached TO her.
and, as she often said. never once
/ disobeyed her. or gave her a disre-
spectful reply. She soon had him
| dressed in new clothes from head to
foot. and IL appeared to make a now
! boy Of him. Being now decently
clad, he could attend school
which he had never previously done.
and very soon he showed those in
dieations of intelligence which led to
fhts entering the profession Of the law.
Sometimes the boy had to walk four
miles and a half to school. and when
he reached il the instruction given
him was not of a very high quality
Every winter, however. added some
thing TO his knowledge and widened
his view
His gratitude to this excellent wo
man was pleasing 20 witness. He
used 20 speak OF her as his SANITY
mother" OF his angel OF a mother. "
OF the woman who first made him
feel like human being" who taught
him that there was something else
for him in the world besides blows.
ridicule, and shame After hts IA
theirs death he paid the mortgage on
his farm, assisted her children. ana
sent her money as long as he lived.
After he was elected 90 the presi-
/. dency, and before he started for
Washington. he paid her a visit. She
was then very old and infirm. and he
marked the change I'm her appear-
ance. She had been a very tail wo-
man, straight as an Indian. hand
some, sprightly, talkative. with beau
tifui hair that curled naturally; she
was now bent and worn with labor
and sorrow, and he babe her farewell
with presentiment that he should
see her no more. She, too, was OBJ
, pressed with a vague fear OF the
future. When Mr.. Herndon. the law
, partner OF Mr.. Lincoln, visited her
after the assassination OF the presi-
dent, she was not able to speak OF
him without tears.
Abe" said she. ''was a poor boy,
and can say, what scarcely one
woman can say IN n thousand. Abe
never gave me a cross word or look,
and never refused. in fact or anpear
ance' TO do anything requested him.
HIS mind and mine. what little had
i
son John, who was raised with Abe
Both were good boys; but, / must
say, both now being dead, that Abe
was the best boy I ever saw. di6
not want Abe to run for President.
did not want him elected; was afraid
somehow; and when he came down
TO see me after he was elected Pres.
ident, I still felt that somethinp
. would befall Abe. and that should
see him no more"
She died soon after. and lies
buried in an obscure grave. while
the son whom she rescued from
squalor, ignorance. and degradation
has a monument which pierces the
skies The much-maligned sister.
hood OF step-mothers might wei,
combine TO place a memorial over
the tomb.