The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-02-10
LINCOLN WAS PATIENT.

Lincoln's solid worth as a boy and
young man is thus told by Frederick
T. HILL who is said to be the best post
ed writer on the life of Lincoln Of the
many who have sketched his life:
Those who picture Lincoln Us pre-
cocious youth OF angelic disposition do
not understand his character at all. He
was no more fond Of hard work than
| other boys of his age, and he amused
himself whenever he had the chance
But he did not waste his time. Dull as
| Gentryville, Ind was. 1t had one red
letter day OH It's calendar, and that was
the meeting OF the circuit court at
Boonville, fifteen miles away. Thither
Lincoln trudged to listen with rapt at
tention to the harrangues of the back
woods lawyers. and watch with keen
interest the drama of life as 1t was
portrayed on that mimic stage. and
impulse to fit himself for the profes-
sion of the law. But this dream neith-
er made him discontented nor restless.
The idea OF abandoning his home du-
ties never crossed his mind. Unques-
tionably he could have bettered his
chances had he followed his dawning
ambitions instead of continuing to help
his father amid discouraging surround
Ing and difficulties. Yet he remained
at home and gave his family the ben
eft of his services until he was 81,
up to which time he had earned prac.
tically nothing for himself
But from nothing Lincoln was slowly
but surely making something. and that
something was character. From depri-
walton and want he was evolving help
fulness and unselfishness; from lack
of opportunities he was developing
modesty and resourcefulness; from
sorrow and neglect he was acquiring
sympathy; from solitude and simple
ity he was learning the value of truth.
For dependency and discomfort he
was fashioning humor, for lack of ed
ucation he was providing a thorough
knowledge of men; for luck and favor
he was substituting courage.
THE little farm that raised a man."
was not enchanted ground. The seeds
that were sowed there are within the
reach Of all. Abraham Lincoln is an in
spring product of the soil He Is n
prophecy for those who belieye In their
native land
1t has been truly said of Lincoln that
''he never finished his education" and
learner, an inquirer a searcher after
knowledge-never afraid of asking
questions-never too dignj6ed to admit
that he did not know" The whole Of
Lincoln'S schooling amounted to less
than year In all, and the little In
struction he received from the five
schoolmasters, each of whom taught
him for few weeks at long intervals
during his boyhood, was extremely
elementary. He may therefore fairly
be said TO have educated himself, and
of this education came a man who de.
yined all the underlying motives of the
human heart, who with sincerity de-
ceiyed the deceltful." and who passed
through the flercest of political con-
troversles without leaving one word
of offense to even the bitterest of his
foes.
His reading was directed by chance
rather than by selection, and to what
extent he was Influenced by the books
which he eagerly borrowed Is an open
question Certainly the well-known list
of those that first fell into his hands
comprises strange assortment
"Aesop's Fables" and the Revised
Statutes of Indiana" pilgrims Prog
ress," and Weem's preposterous Life
OF Washington" Robinson CruSoe,"
the Bible and history OF the United
States. These and other volumes he
read at every portunity-sometimes
while walking to and from his work
sometimes in the woods and fields
while resting from the axe and plow.
and often in his home at nights. Here
too, he practiced writing. and worked
out sums on the wooden fireshoyel In
things and carefully outstanding his
slim resources.