Gilpin observer., 1909-03-18
LIFE OF ABE" LINCOLN
The Essay ON the Subject by Mis-
Ruth Wiley.
Which Won for Her the First Prize in
the Contest.

/
ces Mayhem, county superintendent Of
schools offered a prize to each of the
eighth grades in the county, for an es-
say on Lincoln, and contestants from
this city. Nevadaville and Russell
Gulch entered. The prize was hand
some book entitled, The Life of Lin
coin," and the awards have been made
in this city and Russell Gulch during
the past week, and the winner of the
Nevadaville schools will be announced
during the coming week. Miss Ruth
Wiley was the winner in the local
schools, although Florence Henderson
and Viola Oliver are reported to have
been close seconds, while in Russell
Gulch the winner is Kenneth Lewis.
The winning essays are given as follows:
| Abraham Lincoln was born in Har
din County, Kentucky, February IL
1909, in rough log cabin, with
out windows and only one door. Moth
ing could be more humble than the
beginnings of his life. He was the
second child, Sarah being the first.
| Although his father had had nc
schooling, his mother found a way
to send him to school for a few
months, when he was five years old.
| He walked two miles to school
every day. His first teachers were
Riney and Cabel Hazel, the former
an old priest, the latter Bap
list minister. His mother often
passed the evening by the freight
telling his sister and himself, fairy
tales. but more often, stories Of her
own childhood, for she had sect
better days. When he was eigh,
years old, his father talked about
western country, and finally made
trip to locate a new home for
them. Every thing was excitement
for short time as "Abe" helped
his mother pack the few things they
FELT were necessary. No furniture
could be taken as they had to de-
pend only upon two horses, one
for his mother and sister, the 9th
er for the household utensils. When
they reached Spencer county, Indi-
ana which was to be their new home
they camped out in pole shed with
only three sides, until they could
erect their new cabin which ABE
helped his father to build. They al
hill f,,rp Of G
"Abe's" bed was made Of dried
leaves in the loft of the cabin. AS
the country was wild, there was plen
ty of deer, fishing was good, so they
did not want for plenty of food. He
had a very sad experience in dig
ging his mothers grave, for it was
in this state that he early lost his
mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln; she
was dreamer, and would dream
of great things but would never dc
them. Not long after this, many
friends were surprised when sensi
BILE Sally Johnson became his sec
ond mother, for his father was al
: ways a shiftless fellow. ABE" be
came very fond of his second moth
er, and through her. he became al
earnest, capable scholar. She recog
nized in a way his future greatness
and never put any obstacle in hi.
path when his ambitions led him tt
read all the books he could get, or t
cipher at night. Among the book,
: he read were. The Bible. an alma
nae, Pilgrims Progress. Arabian
Nights, Life of Washington, and Stat
utes of Indiana. This last named de
termined him to be lawyer. One II
lustration of his early thirst 70
knowledge is. he heard of farme
who had copy of the Life of Wash
: ington, so he walked a good distanc,
: to borrow it. He took it to bed witt
him in the loft, and when his candl
: burned out. he put it between tn
logs, that he might get it the firs
thing In the morning. During tn
: night terrible storm came up ant
spoiled 1t. He took 1t back to tn
farmer the next morning and told hir
j. what had happened and said that h
would work to pay for 1t. TIL
farmer said he could pull fodder 70
three days and then keep the book
This was the first book ABE" eve
owned. His desire to be Of SOM
value and to help the family, LEI
him to build boat and to row tw,
men and their trunks across the rive
; The men without even thanking hin
walked away but Lincoln called t.