The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-02-15

HOW LINCOLN HELPED A
BOY.

Through the Great Mans Rec
ognition the Boy is Now One
of the Most Prominent Citizens
of Little Rock-Story of the
Friendship of the Two Reads
Like Romance.
Little Rock. Ark. Special 11th.
Because Abraham Lincoln
condescended to notice a little
boy who was selling campaign
buttons with the future emanci-
pator's picture on them, tired
out from his work, was sleeping
on a chair in a hotel office, and
did not feel it below him
to lift him and carry the
lad to his own room to
sleep out his WEAKNESS, that boy
is to-day one of the most respect
ed citizens Of Little Rock, and is
secretary of the board of trade.
George Russ Brown when a
boyin the late SOS and early SOS
lived in Galesburg, Ill. At that
time Abraham Lincoln was MAX
ing his first campaign, and the
little Brown followed him from
town to town selling campaign
buttons with Lincoln's picture in
a tinfoil frame. Brown knew
the candidate we'll and whenever
he passed he always got a nod
and a kindly word.
At that time Illinois was a hot
bed of politics and Galesburg was
seething with the excitement oil
the presidential campa g n
Farmers fiocked into the city
and marched in parades through
the streets. At these time.
Brown reaped a small harves
from the sale of the campaign
buttons, many of which he wor,
pinned over the front of hi
coat. He allowed the purchase
to select his own button and pa,
whatsoever he desired therefor.
At one time a stranger wa
buying a button when Lincoll
passed near. He approached
the pair just as the man hande,
the Brown lad SO cents in pay
ment.
Give it back" said Lincoln
''The button is not worth that. ,
The boy started to do as h,
was hidden, but the purchase
would not have it, and with
complimentary remark for thu
candidate, he bought another
paying so cents for it also.
''You could have heard Mr.
Lincoln laughing at least
block" says Mr.. Brown, i
speaking of the incident, now.
But that was his custom. H
was always in a good humor.
remember him best as a long
legged, boisterous story-tellin
young man, without beard o
mustache."
In those days the coming Pres
ident called the Brown la
"Ottawtromie" and when h
failed to pronounce it correctl
Mr.. Lincoln never failed to dem
onstrate his mirth i'll loud shout
of laughter.
During the heat of his secon
campaign, when the boy wa
. following him to Knoxville
Bloomington, Monmouth, Free
port, Springfield and othe
Illinois towns, selling the button:
Lincoln was always saying chez
full things to him. At one tin
. young Brown, tired out, thre'
himself into a chair in a hot
Office, and while the nigf
speaking was going on, fe
= asleep. Some time later Linco
I passed through on his way
4 bed, and seeing the little fello
curled up in the chair, picke
him up and taking him to h
own room, laid the little tire
form on his own bed, where Il
future citizen of Little Ro'
was allowed to finish his nap
peace and quietude.
While a page in the Visions
Legislature young Brown sc
Lincoln The Madison Journ;
and also had a paper route viii
included Camp Randall, whe
the Federal troops Of Visions
were mobilized just before goi
to the front. These days Broy
saw the President many times
day:
Il never realized. howev,
the greatness of the man
= those days. said Secrets
- Brown, while discussing
p plans for celebrating the mart
" ed Presidents birthday Frid: