Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-02-10
LINCOLN'S
THE ONE STRIKING WORD THAT CoWED THE IMPER-
IOUS
Original Lincoln Stories by George T. Ferris, Who Spoke From the Same
Platform al Lincoln-John Wilkes Booths Blazing Eyes.
BY George T. Ferris in Columbian Magazine

Nicolay and Hay, the most authentic
s~iographers of Abraham Lincoln, have
aiken assiduous pains to minimize as
lar as possible the impression as to
ais utter lack of physical comeliness.
Eicolay aid of the great war presi-
Tents personal appearance: president
lincoln was OF unusual stature, 6 feet
Ninches, and of spare but muscular
5uild; he had been in youth remark
ably strong and skilful in the athletic
names Of the frontier, where, how
sver, his popularity and recognized inn
9artiality oftener made him an umpire
han a champion. He had regular n
brepossessing features, prominent
cheek bones, deep set eyes, and bushy
Black hair turning to gray at the time
Of his death"
AS a young man, scarcely more than
> boy, recently emancipated from the
holsters of an eastern college, saw him
Sor the first time in 1853, this descrlp-
don seems in memory q little highly
olored. The tall, gaunt figure was
)omewhat round s~houldered II bent,
essening the great stature, the face
,ot regular in outline though bold II
talient in features with q crag-like
prehead. The mouth large with rather
din lips and sunken checks with their
can, strong jaw certainly did not COM
Ilete an ensemble which may be called
fgood looking" in it's conventional
meaning. But the eyes were magnifi-
jent and would have redeemed a much
palmer face. Large, bluish-gray in col
or, deep set under the cliff-like brows,
softly brilliant as those of a stag,
>ld ceutered with a piercing light,
.heir tradition was magical, especially
when he smiled. A scraWny neck, all
5inew; large, bony hands and big feet
were accented by great carelessness Of
- Z, l-IIEk F,,,yy, ,vhtph M I fT,nn1n
IN the days of his anchored greatness
WAS never graduated.
On the occasion referred to the man,
whose rising fame was beginning to
nake the west clamOrous and the east
equally inquisitive, was CARRIED in a
style that would have made a New
York macaroAi sniff. Large, baggy
trousers that did not come we'll down
ater the instep, an alpaca coat, rather
short sleovcd, with nankeen waistcoat
end a Wilted collar exposing the brown
corded neck. certainly did not alleviate
What at crude glance was ar ungain-
g exterior. How in later conversation,
IN which the writer took q very humble
bart, Mr.. Lincoln slipped easily into q
TRANSFORMATION which stripped from
him everything of the commonplace,
was like the effect of an e~nchanter's
wand. This did not so much appear
at that time in his platform talk as
IN the familiar touch-and-go CONVERSE
lion with a group of friends, when the
individuality of the man cleaned at so
many facets and prisms. 1t is impos-
sible to recall details of what was said
on an occasion more than a half CEN
hurry since, but the impression left
was intensely vivid.
1t was at an independence day fes-
sival at an Illinois town in 1859 hat
she writer first saw "Old Abe" as the
man encased in that homely chrystalis
destined soon to burst into immortal
Fame was generally known to the peo-
ole of the state. Hon. Over LoVeioy,
Che conorass REPRESENTATIVE from the
district and an intimate friend of Mr..
Lincoln, had been scheduled as the ora
.or. But impending illness prevented,
and Mr.. LovejOy had persuaded his
good natured friend TO take his place,
a change which was more than well
coined. Mr.. Lovejoy's brother a
been killed and his printing press de-
stroyed the year before at an "Egyp-
xian' town by an angry 'pro-slavery"
mob. The natural radiCalism OF tenn
permanent and CONJUNCTION inherent in
Mr.. Lcyeioy's mental habit had been
~embittered into gall by this political
rhine, and some of the more prudent
republicans had dreaded a firebrand
touch in his Fourth Of July talk. When
it was known hat Mr.. Lincoln was
coming the feeling of satisfaction was
something like a relief, for the repub-
Ncanism Of that day was tentative and
elieved in making haste slowly. Lin
coins wonderful public debate with
he "little giant" the year before had
yet him in the limelight, as n who
embodied the terms of an memorable
logic with an Illuminating force, which
was also tolerant and fair minded. If
any one ever united the ~'suaviter in
modo" with the 'fortiter in re-" it was
that glorified country pumpkin" as
many OF his opponents were in the habit
of calling him.
The audience numbered some thou
Rnds who had streamed in from the
contiguous portions of three counties,
Tor there was to be a grand barbecue
after the platform exercises; and the
beautiful green was alive with happy
folk attired in all styles from broad
cloth to jeans and cowhide boots, with
.heir women folk in progeny. Horses
and mules picketed at a great Gordon