davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

to him, he realized when still young
boy that pleasant way and a good Joke
do wonders for making life easier and
sweeter. He loved to listen to a good
joke and loved to tell one. He had
wonderful memory, and this helped him
In making other folks stories his own
Good stories were so highly priced by
him that he stored them away In his
memory with jealous care and used them
as the occasion presented itself. As he
himself said: 81 believe that genuine
humor is a plaster that heals many a
wound. / remember a good story when
l hear 1t, but ! never invent anything
original. / am only retail dealer.
pinch of mental snuff
When his friends complimented him on
the way he looked or something he had
done he loved to laugh it away with a
joke, to show that he appreciated their
friendship and still that he refused to be
spoiled by fattery.f The following is a
story In point One day friend shook
hands with him and said: ''Mr. Presi-
dent. it is sometime since i saw you In
Illinois" Yes came the jovial answer,
II am about the same as the old horse
who was put In pasture to Craze.
neighbor seeing the horse after she had
been there sometime said: Well, you put
this horse in here to recuperate, but she
looks now about the same as when you
first put her In. She neither recupes nor
decupes1 That's just about the way 1t
is with me-"
Two qualities kept him the same I'M
assuming man after he was made presi-
dent of the United States that he was
when he began to make a career for him.
self. One was his sense of humor, which
never allowed him to become selfcon-
scious, and the other his wonderful faith
In God and In his fellow men. His friends
never hesitated to approach him to ask
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

predicament of two gentlemen who had
been waiting at the White House for some-
time in order to obtain from the president
a permit to pass through the Union lines
to Petersburg, Va. 1t was the theater
hour and Mrs. Lincoln was already seated
In the carriage, but the ever-obliging
president paused a few minutes to write
few lines explaining that no pass WINS
necessary to go to and return from Pc
tersburg and Richmond. and that people
go and return just as they did before the
war" He handed this to the steward
reiterating verbally the statement made
in the penned memorandum. The steward
realizing that the written explanation
was really superfiuous and, seizing a
long-sought opportunity to secure Il tro-
ply of the beloved president, retained in
his own possession the bit OF handwriting
and repeated to the waiting visitors the
presidents oral assurances on the sub
ject. Later, after the death Of Lincoln,
the steward induced the physicians in
charge to allow him to have the lock of
Lincoln's hair, which now reposes with
his last written words-the two forming
a unique relic
OF the relics identified with the life of
Lincoln before he entered the White
House, one of the most interesting is the
family Bible-considerabl more than 100
years old-which contains the family
chronicle usually recorded In the spaces
provided in such book. From this we'll
worn volume, Lincolns mother read the
Scriptures to him when he was boy
and on the inside cover is the autograph
of Abraham Lincoln, written when he
was nine years Of age. The cookstoye
used by the Lincoln family in the home
stead at Springfield, H., and the cradle
in which all the Lincoln children were
rocked have likewise been carefully pre-
served. Equally significant is the old
armchair which Lincoln used for years
in his law office at Springfield.
The collection In the house where Lin
coin died now contains Is pieces of fur
niture from the Lincoln homestead at
Springfield ILL.,, and included among the
number is Bincoln's favorite rocker
mute evidence that this great man shared
in the proverbial American fondness for
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

Is the flag. now as then the property of
the government. which was draped inI
'front.' of the Presidents box Mt Ford's
Iheater the night when Lincoln was shot. |
Inc nag shows plainly the rent made
Dy Booths spur when it caught In theI
folds as he essayed to leap from the boxI
10 the stage. In the possession of Coll
rector Oldroyd is the spur itself-the In
strument of Booths undoing-for It was
this spur which, catching In the folds of
the nag caused the assassin to fall heay-
ny, breaking his leg and so hampering
MS Hight that escape was impossible
The key of the prison in which the other
Lincoln conspirators were incarcerated Is
also preserved, as is also an original
reward bill offering 100000 for the cap
ture of Booth Herold and Surratt.
Or present-day interest and also oil
immense value to future generations areV
the life and death masks of Lincoln.|
A mask, 1t will be understood, is pas-
ter cast of a countenance which repro
duces its every detail faithfully and BY
aid OF which sculptors can produce count
terfeit presentments that are absolutely
perfect likenesses. 1t is comparatively
simple matter to make a death mask,
but the making of a life mask requiresI
not only skill but ability to work rap-|
idly. since the molten plaster completely
straws that admit air to the nostrls)
and must be removed just as soon as i'll
has hardened sufficiently to retain tbeI
desired impression. One of the life masks
that have been preserved was made in
1860. just after Lincon's first nomination
for president, by a sculptor who accom-
panied the notification committee to|
Springfield. Casts of Lincoln's hands
were made Mt the same time and theseI
are displayed side by side with the facial
mask. Another life mask was madeI
about a month before Lincon's DEATH
and shows a distinct contrast in appear
ance. This is due in great measure tol
the circumstances that the earlier masl,
shows the famous man smooth shaven,
whereas the later impression has a por-
traysASof the beard, which was q dis
tinctive feature of Lincoln's appearance|
in later years The death mask Is, oil
course, very similar to this last life hask.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

examine the document hereafter will say
he has hesitated.''
This sense Of humor gave him wonder
full faith aud courage. He was one of the
last to advocate drastic measures In de-
Gliding the slave question. But when
once begun he never gave up hope. There
were times when situations looked ex-
tremely dark, he could not see clearly
which waF was the best, but when his
reason failed him his sublime faith guided
him right. He believed that God would
be on the side of the just and the right.
The Hon. George Curtis tells this story
which shows the mans sublime faith:
lone day l called on the president
with representative from Congress Mr..
Lincoln received us in his Office, the large
room on the second floor. He was
dressed in black and wore slippers On
a table at his side we're maps and plans
Of the seat of war, and pins with blue
and gray heads representing the posi-
lions Of the soldiers on both sides.
when we arose to leave he shook my
hand with paternal kindness and said
good-by with a paternal kindness and
evident proud conviction. we shall beat
them, my son; we shall beat Them But
the air and tone with which he said the
words were so free from any unworthy
feeling thnt the most resolute and con-
fdent of his opponents would have been
deeply impressed He believed in prayer,
he believed 1t eased the troubled mind
and soul, and changed failure to success
as much as does n healthy sense of humor.
One day General Sickles called on him
and asked the President If he had not
been anxious during the Battle of Get
tysburg?'
The president thought some minutes
and then answered: Yes, but did not
givAup my faith. l went into my room
one day and locked the door and got
down on my knees and prayed to Him
nightly for victory at Gettysburg.
told Him 1t was His war and our cause
His cause but that Fredericksburg or
! Charlottesville could not hold out nh
other day And then / made solemn
vow to Almighty God that II He would
stand by our boys at Gettysburg l would
stand by Him, and He did, and l WILL
1t WIS this faith In God and in all his
children that made Lincoln work, struggle
and die to free the slaves. Az he once
told a friend, when he was making trip
from Louisville to st. Louis by boat.
there was dozen slaves on board.
shackled together with irons, so they
could not get away. He explained: II
knew that this was all wrong. God had
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

the rocking chair. Various relic colec
tors have from time to time gained pos
session Of what purported to be fence
rails that had been split by the famous
Rail Splitter" However, candor COM
pels the admission that only few of
these have been well authenticated. In
deed, almost the only ones whose origin
can be youched for are the rails that
were carried into the convention Mt which
Lincoln was nominated for the presidency.
The rail In the possession of Collector
oldroyd is black-locust rail which was
split by Lincoln in 1880 and that 1t is
the genuine original is guaranteed by an
affidavit by John Hanks, attested to by
Governor Oglesby.
Two OF the most interesting Lincoln
relics in existence present the famous
olvll War president to the public in a
little known role-that of an inventor
one or these now in the possession of the
national government Is small wooden
model of boat which Lincoln built with
his own hands and which accompanied,
as required by law, an application for 4
patent which he filed when O member
OF Congress from Illinois In the year
1919. The invention for which Lincoln
was granted a patent was not, strictly
speaking. a boat, but rather "expansblc
buoyant chambers" which beliows-like
compartments were designed to enable
vessels to raise themselves several feet
above their ordinary draught and thus
glide over shoals or through shallow chan
nels. The invention proved mpracticable
and Lincoln never reaped any financial
benefit from it. A perhaps yet more in
teresting testimonial to his inventive pro-
pensities Is found in another model that
represents his own handiwork This is
designed to illustrate nm innpnious nech-
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

of them. Prominently the greatest col
lection of Lincoln relics-and probably
the greatest relic collection ever compiled
by one man In tribute to popular hero
is that which represents the life work of
Osborn II. Oldroyd, a veteran of the
Civil War and a most devoted admirer of
Lincoln. Mr. Oldroyd began to collect
Lincoln relies sometime before the Spring
field lawyer was nominated for presi-
dent, and he has kept at the labor OF
love ever since, with the result that he
now has considerably more than 5000 ar
ticles pertaining to the martyred presi-
dent. When Congress some years ago
bought for $4,000 the house, opposite
Ford's Theater, in Washington, where
Lincoln died. Collector Oldroyd was in
vited to occupy the building, rent free,
as q museum for his relics.
Among the relics that crowd the old
fashioned building where Lincoln spent
his last hours on earth is one which has
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

him; IL he was greedy about anything 1T
was knowledge and nothing more. The
following story is told about him and
well proves this point. He was asked to
give a lecture in the Illinois College for
the library fund. When the lecture was
over and the people passed out he went
up to the librarian and said: II notice
that there are not many listeners here to-
night; ! don't think we made much on
this lecture" In reply the official said:
When We pay for the rent Of the hall.
music and advertising and your compen-
sation there will not be much left for
the library" Lincoln replied: We'll
boys be hopeful, pay me my railroad fare
and the 30 cents that my supper cost me
and you can have the rest"
This toviality was largely because he
felt the sorrows and hardships that come
to most men and women, and he did
everything in his power to tighten their
burden. AS he said to a friend: when
am dead 1 wish my friends to remem-
Der that l always pluck thorn and plant
a rose when possible"
He was beloved by thousands and thou
sands of people. Many who believed In
slavery appreciated the grand character
of the man. And 1t was his strong ana
courageous personality that converted
thousands Of men to believe that slavery
as the colored people, his words were al
ways on their lips. An old colored man
once said at a meeting in South Caro-
lima ''Brederin' you don't know nosen
what youse talkin about. Now you just
listen to me. Massa Llnkin he's every
where. He know eberyting He walk
de earf like de Lord"
When his soul was most troubled ne
would try and ease himself by joke.
There WINS so much sadness In his make
up that he found this the best safety-
valve. Had others considered serious
moments in light vein they might have
been condemned for this mental attitude.
But everybody knew 1t was part OF
Lincoln's temperament. Such an incident
happened when the roll containing the
Emancipation was taken to Mr.. Lincoln
at noon on the first day of January, 1858,
by Secretary Seward and his son, Fred
erick. As 1t lay unrolled before him MI.
Lincoln took pen, dipped 1t in the Ink,
moved his hand to the place for the sig
nature, held it a moment and then re-
moved his hand and dropped the pen. Il
have been shaking hands since 8 o'clock
this morning and my right arm Is Al.
most paralyzed. If my hand trembles
when / Sign the proclamation all who
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

from $50 TO $50 each, and lock Of Lin
coins hair was recently sold for $500.
Most of the collectors of Lincoln relics
are private individuals who have taken
up the work purely because of admiration
for the great ruler, though both the fed
eral and Illinois state governments are
now arousing to the Importance Of estab-
fishing memorial relic collections and the
Lincoln Farm Association, which has as
its object the creation of a national park
at the old Lincoln farm in Kentucky,
proposes to display such relics as can be
assembled in conjunction with the log
cabin in which Lincoln was born. Scat
tered about the country are many note
worthy Lincoln relics, in the possession
of private individuals who, though they
do not aspire to rank as collectors them
selves, yet think enough of their keep
sakes to refuse to sell them at any price
to collectors. 1t Is known, however, that
many of these individuals stand ready to
turn their relics over to Uncle Sam IL
the present plan is carried out to have
the government establish great Lincoln
museum as a part of the memorial which
is to be provided to the memory of the
savior of the nation.
Presumably some of the most impor-
tant Lincoln relics are in the possession
of Mr.. Robert Lincoln, only living son of
the martyr presidentA However, Mr.. Lin
coln who as president of the Pullman
Palace Car Company is very busy man
of affairs, has always been somewhat re-
served on the score of family history,
has never taken the public into his con-
fidence as to what heirlooms he possesses
or what disposition he proposes to make
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

never i,ts,doa +hot 49, 90 Mt a,,,sro,
sbouIa ba sbaorlad sna ,,,,e.,,S ~,
time ,vo,,l5 ,.n,,a 10, sha,,,d ~ 80,
mart in fraa,na ti,a,,, >, 'nou'u D' FNen
simn,a and ns0a+;oai +,,, r,.
was r. al n,s p, ,,,aaa, .nousn l-ncoin
nlents os r,,na,aa 1870, ~. wu'
ro,nt 80, ny ~ nis enl,
odd for no ate,st 'usn .n.s Se N,.,,
wa,,,an p,,t ~ esps.lay VIII
n,eas,,r.s o.tua .s w. Az. .ap''
that - ,.s. M W 'uins
n,,,,,o. "u se me- q
roni - ~ si.as ne nheu, pu. .ne mrs.
a. 'o p.'4ies. .a"e WIN me ne1.'ns WIN
aa1,,s,,,tua ss,, n, ne ~ sooner pecanlc
az oi, .,, W., WI st, sm.n ne sousns ner
ha,, n.a . 10 s1lnn NC ac.eu ns
ner escort ana cailed on her frequently
uuring tne day' Which was unusual IN
.nose Gays. "hen her aeatn came snort
~ pe1ofe tney We're 10 nave Deen mar
rieu, ~ hiu,osI khieu young ape his
iIienos salu ina. there was no other
time throughout MS whoIe career when
ne looked SO perfectly respondent anu
hopeless. Many tnougnt ne mad lost pil
faith IN the divine justice OF things dad
MS tired' sorroW1ui countenance would
never again wear smile. IL took long
time ior MN 10 conquer TINS great grief,
and It was never Forgotten altogether
But ne later met MISS owens. His
snyness disappeared ana he followed her
about good deal, ana told her that
he found her charming. But when he
saw that she was really fond of him he
grew shy. and said: II am nor MT AalI
sure that I should make Won the Kind
of husband Won need"
Mt last romonca u,o, NTH Axor ross
.iis .as' -. WIS WIN mary louu'
VINO was po.n an attractlve ana Iascinat-
were almost sure that they loved each
other when Douglas. his political rival.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

sFT is rather remarkable when one stops
# to think of it that there are compare
M lively few collectors of Lincoln relics.
s. The historic objects used by, or asso-
ciated with the career of, one of the
greatest figures in the worlds history are
In the possession of limited number of
men. Moreover, the great majority of
the public is not even aware of the ex-
ktence of priceless mementoes of the
martyr president, much less knows the
repositories of such trophies. Many col
lectors, not only abroad, but also in the
United States, have made a speciality of
personal souvenirs of Napoleon, and relics
of George Washington were much sought
before the national government and GER
tain memorial institutions took to vir-
tually "cornering" the supply, but, oddly
enough, prominent men and the public
at Arge are but just awakening to the
Importance of permanently preserving the
Lincoln relics.
Perhaps one explanation of the restrict
ed number of collectors Of Lincoln relics
Is found In the difficulty Of securing Lin
rollins former belongings and the yet
greater difficulty of authenticating many
Of the objects that purport to be Lincoln
relics. The Civil War president rose, of
course, from the greatest obscurity, q
circumstance that has naturally made it
difficult to locate minor objects connected
with his early life. The further circum-
stance that his activities covered widely
separated localities in Kentucky, Illinois,
etc, has added to the difficulty Of tracing
his one-time belongings. However, any
Lincoln relic that can be proved to be au-
khentic is always eagerly sought when put
up at auction, as an occasional one is
now and then A Lincoln autograph in
variably brings a good price; damaged
and discarded pieces of the White House
china made for Mrs. Lincoln and used
on the presidential table during the Lin
coln administration command prices of
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

gained fame as perhaps the most inter
esting of all the Lincoln relics. 1t con-
sists of the last communication ever
penned by Lincoln, and attached to it
lock of Lincoln's hair. This souvenir
which was originally in the possession of
the man who was steward at the White
House during the Lincoln regime, is
valued at 5000, although it is doubtful
If even that sum would buy it today
Persons who have been ignorant of the
existence of this relic have designated
other communications as the final hand
writing of the martyred president, but
to this small white card with its few
hastily -penned lines belongs the honor.
The circumstances of its origin are most
interesting.
On the fated night of April IA, 1865,
when Lincoln emerged from the White
House to enter the carriage that was to
convey him to Ford's Theater, the stew
ard hurried after him to explain the
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

What exhausted other men seemed to act
on him as tonic. Once he was working
in small town where there was a man
by the name of Armstrong When u new
man came to the place his strength and
courage were sure to be tested with
Armstrong. The newcomers were always
put through this same ordeal, and Abe
with the rest. Much to the surprise of
both camps Armstrong was defeated.
Everybody was of the one opinion that
Abe Lincoln was the hest and strongest
man that ever broke into the camp. To
show that there was no pride and boast
in this victory, he became a friend of
the Armstrong family Mrs. Armstrong
soon grew SO fond of him that she treated
him as relative, and the children loved
to climb onto his knees and brush away
the sadness from his face by hugs and
kisses.
Abe Lincoln did not have to work long
to discover that he was an exceedingly
poor business man. One failure came
after another. These showed the real
strength and character of the man. He
never complained nor fretted because sue
cess was not coming his way. His faith
and his splendid sense of humor helped
him to believe that his affairs would bet.
ter themselves after a while.
He was determined, however much luck
turned against him, to be honest and
keep his ledger clean. He often told his
friends that he preferred to go without
square meal than to lose a nights rest
disturbed by an annoyed conscience. The
following story is one of the many illus
trations that he lived up to this state
ment. 1t was while he was doing busi-
ness as a merchant that q farmers wife
bought something of him which needed
weighing and computation. She had come
some miles from home. 1t was only after
she left he discovered that he had over
charged her 30 cents, and he walked four
miles to correct the mistake. friend
hearing Of the incident joked with him
about 1t. When the humorous Abe an
swered, This is not joke, but a serious
matter. know that this customer needs
the 10 cents more than do l."
Though this sense Of huinor was natural
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

TT IS difficult TO think of Abe Lincoln.
H born in a small log cabin, surrounded
ID by hardships and sorrows in early
u youth. who won success by hard
struggling, and whose last years were
hull of the most serious problems that
liver confronted any president. rs a
humorist. This is the more unusual be-
tause his countenance was extremely
worn and sad-looking, and his nature was
10 tender and sympathetic as to often
make him appear melancholy. No man
liver felt the responsibilities our nation
had entrusted to his care SO much as he
lid, and no president ever succeeded in
acting according to popular opinion, with
but being swayed by popular whims and
iaprices, better than did he. Though often
completely weighted down by the cares
and trials of the nation during the most
critical period of its history, he succeeded
IN cheering himself, those about him and
The people.
There are many charming and humorous
tories intertwined with his early boy
hood, several told by the colored nanny
who worked for them. She says that he
bften sprawied himself out on the floor
Ind worked to write his name. He was
10 more easily satisfied with these early
lfTorts than with his later undertakings.
But after he had worked and struggled
Ind knew he had done his best, he got
80 and began to criticise his work. Den
he SEE to me many n time. look at that
viii you, Abraham Lincoln. Don't look
| blamed bit like me-. And he'd stand
In study it a SPELL
though he did not mind hard work and
While still young boy could swing an
TX with the ease of grown man, he was
lappiest when he had a book near him.
maj 70 mo