The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-12

Thus the talk went on until sup
per time. After the meal the man
of the house remarked: 1T must be
pretty dull here for you young fell
neighbor girls and boys in" He did
so-and seemed to enjoy the games
and fun as much as any of his young
guests.
Lincoln Refuses Pay.
In this way the boys were enter
tanned for five days. When they left
their host would not take any pay.
| However, a short time afterwards the
| boys together bought several chairs
and sent them to the place of enter
tainment by the exDressman without
any word of who had given the fnrni-
ture. But the man of the house knew
| and wrote a note of thanks to his one
| time guests.
A few years later he was elected
president of the United States. His
neighbor. the Corbin boy, had enlisted
in the Seventy eighth infantry. He
served through the war, taking part in
the battle of Missionary Ridge and
other important engagements.
After the conflict was over he lived
at Quincy. Ill, for some time, and
then. thirty years ago, went to Great
Bend, Kan. Eight years ago he came
to Topeka. Today, the 1O1st anniver-
who lives at 1o4 Stephens street, is
telling the story related above. besides
many other anecdotes of Lincoln s
early life
Lincoln used to play with US boys
quite often,'' said Mr.. Corbin. 81 was
a little fellow at the time. Lincoln
was in his teens-and tall for his age.
1 think he was six feet or over then.
He was as homely as could be, but we
all liked him. He was so good ma
tured and kind. 1 do not remember
of him ever having single fight with
any of the boys.
Rescues Rain-Soaked Birds.
kind hearted, did 1 say? He was
the best hearted fellow / ever knew.
remember one incident that is a good
illustration of his kindness. One time
he was over at our house when it be-
gan to rain. The shower washed some
young birds out of their nest to the
ground. Lincoln saw them futtering
around in the yard.
His great heart was touched. Pick
ing them up in his big red hands, he
tenderly carried them to a sheltered
place and cared for them until they
were dry. Then, still carefully hold
ing the birds in one hand. he climbed
the tree and placed them in their
nest.
He was as full of fun as he was
of kindness. He used to play pirates
with us and prisoners base I tell
you, with his long legs he could run
some. He enjoyed playing with us
while my father and his uncle talked
politics in the house. His uncle, Joshua
Hanks, lived in a log house in the CEN
ter of a forty-acre field about two
miles east of US. We lived about eight
miles west of Quincy then. in Adams
county.
Il was never at Lincoln's boyhood
home, but I used to see him studying
law. At that time he was clerking in
a log store on the banks of the I'LL
nois river in a little Illinois town.
can see the place yet. A cord of wood
was piled up on the west side. On
sunshiny days, if trade was dull, he
would sit Derched on that wood study
ing a law book. People used to make
fun Of him then. because he was sc
fond of books and study. No one evel
dreamed that he would one day be
president of the United States.
GAS grew I'D I lost track of Lin.
coin until met him at Springfield a:
have described. Then he was prac-
ticing law. [ saw him again when he
debated at Springfield with Stephen A
Douglas. At that time he recognized
me, and when the speech was over he
: said: That furniture is as good as i
ever was.
again I caught a glimpse of hin
when he was president. 1 think HI
was visiting at Springfield. Was
shocked at his death Indeed I was
think Lincoln was one of the great
est heroes of the age"
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