The bee., 1909-02-11

rival reached the Lincoln cabin on
Feb. ~, 1909 the last dream that
could have entered the mind Of the
father was one comprehending the
glory that had thus come to these
barren acres. What shall the pawn
say when the Master moves 1t, or
what can IL know of the result Of the
mover Most parents think their sons
may become president, except those
whose sons actually do become presi-
dent They are frequently so poor
they think little about It. The wind
bIoweth where It listeth, and q soul
that comes into the world is blown by
the wind Of the spirit to what heights
or depths 1t may please him who
sends the wind. As for the rest of
Ms, we cannot foresee one single hu.
man destiny, and It is just as well
that we cannot When we plant an
acorn we know an oak viii grow,
and when we SOW corn or wheat we
can foretell what the crop will be.
But when a man-child enters the
world we know naught Of the harvest.
whether 1t is to be OF shame or OF
glory. There are no signs to tell of
the coming Of genius. The deity that
presides at the birth Of great souls
may miss all the homes Of wealth and
culture to light at stable or cabin
IN the wilderness. The wind bloweth
where 1t listeth, and none can tell
where the spirit will carry the germs
Of Gods purposes.
lincoln was born on the very outer
rim of civilization, yet the spot is now
near the center Of population Of the
United States. That shows how far
zach century goes ahead to pitch its
tents; 1900 stopped with Kentucky,
and 1909 has moved on to Manila; 2009
may go around the world and come
back to Kentucky again. Who knows?
There is little to that Kentucky farm
except the fact that Lincoln was born
there. 1t is not much for crops or
scenery. There Is rock spring on 1t
and a creek. The muse Of history has
very little eye either for fertile soil or
landscape effects. Battles are usually
fought among most uninviting sur
Koundings, and the immOrtals are liza
BILE TO be born almost anywhere except
where we would expect them to be
horn II we were choosing a spot for
enc OF the great ones to come into the
world we would seek all the modern
conVeniences and a combination OF
aeashore and mountain to furnish In
SEPARATION. That merely proves that we
know how to raise crops and blooded
stock. but we do not know how to raise
great men. This Is branch of garden
ing that God does not leave to bum
glers- Hothouse methods may be all
right Tor forcing plants, but they are a
failure for forcing genius.
The preservation Of this shrine to
the memory Of Lincoln was made pos.
sfbIe by the generosity Of Robert J.
Collier OF Golfers Weekly. There
were several enterprlsing gentlemen
who desired possession OF the farm fer
advertising purposes and had 1t not
neen for Mr.. G9llier one of them prob
ably would have succeeded in his
shameless design. Among the bidders
MAS liquor firm that had already
prepared posters announcing HLincoln
Birthplace Whisky" The agents of
this firm imbibed too freely Of. their
0wn wares, which permitted Mr. Col \
Hers representative to steal a march
on them and bid In the place before
they arrived ON the scene for II is a
and and humiliating fact that the farm
On which our greatest president was
horn was allowed to be sold for taxes.
This, coupled with the further refec-
tlou that but for the interest and pa.
triotism shown by one man this price
Aass shrine would have been used for
selfish and base purposes, should make
the American people feel quite proud.
When Il was too late there would
doubtless have been raised a great cry
Of indignation which would have In
creased In pitch as the centenary OF
ntr. LincOln's birth approached. We
are saved from this humiliation by the
thonghtfulnass OF one man-rather OF
two. for Rev. Jenkin Lloyd Jones had
advocated buying the shrine before
Mr.. Collier took the matter up. Two
men out Of over S0,O0O,OO0I 1t is so
Sod fnds his agents. even though men
arc bind.
AAAR VA ihRAoNN AoA 10 AV1 AhC NAAy
Hincoln shrine saved from degrad-
ing use. The old log building at New
6alem in which lincoln lived and had
dis store, together with the ground on
which the historic village stood, was
purchased by Mr.. William Randolph
Hearst and made a present to the Old
Salem Chautauqua, the second largest
(shortfauOua an Amarioa A whisky
arm was also bidding for this to ad-
Vertlse some OF fits wares II would
seem that the whisky men appreciate
the great liberatOr. whatever may be
said for the rest Of US.
II Is a romantic fact that the only
building left OF the New Salem IN
which Mr.. lincoln spent his young
manhood is that which he himself oe-
cupled. Allithe rest Of the town has