The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1911-02-10
AYc0xWH01 NJ COZkJ cOWYIX IL.

thew stuaied-so hard to memorize tho AS. BIS
and C's-and with what doting fondness she
must have trained little Abe's tiny hano 10
trace the letters on a slate!
Dearly Nancy Lincoln loved the Blble' ana
there were readings from the sacred book;
there was told the old, old story. And these
stories Lincoln never forgot. When, IN a1ter
life, he electrified the world by his eloquence,
his mastery Of pure and perfect English and
his tempestuous oratory, he retold the same
stories-the stories he heard at his mothers
knee.
Life was not prosperous with the father. He
left Kentucky and went prospecting In Illinois.
where he took up land on Little Pigeon creek.
in Spencer county. And again the hard worked
wife was called upon to move her home.
With their furniture packed In a wagon and
their cow behind, the family started on their
long pilgrimage in 1916. During the winter of
1916 and 1917 the family lived in a camp. The
winter was rigorous.
OVERWHELMINGLY the tender. gentle woman
bore her lot, but her health slowly gave way.
her face became more wan. A rough cabin was
begun in the spring and life opened anew. Land
was cleared. Thomas Lincoln piled his trade
among the scattered inhabitants Of tho solitary
region. They began to prosper. But the life
had been toe hard for the tender. loving wife
and she sank under the burden.
One day in October, 1918, as she lay IL her
bed In the little cabin, she called Ter two chill
dren to her.
she took the hands of Sarah and the thin,
serious-faced boy. 'Be good to one another"
she said, brokenly, with infinite tenderness.
Then she closed her eyes. The wonderful
smile deepened. The sunlight faded into even.
ing, and little Abe. leaving Sarah kneeling by
the bed, crept away and climbed the pegs in the
wall to the garnet, where he flung bilnself on
the mattress Of leaves.
Night fell, and from the loft came a stiAed
sound Of sobbing-sobbing repressed. checked
restrained, yet SO poignant, SO keen, SO heart
forlorn that the father, returning home. paused
hearing it, his heart sinking. He knew the sun
light Of the boys life had departed.
Many years afterward people wondered a,
the sorrow moulded indelibly on the face Of
Lincoln-llke agony craven on a figure of stone
Before the next December Thomas Lipcoln
married Sarah Bush Johnston. a widow. who
it is said, had rejected him many years before
In later years. when Lincoln. again shroude6
in sorrow, sat by the bedside of his little son
Willie, who was dying, he cried In despair
This is the hardest trial OF my life. Why II
1t? Why is it," A nurse who had lost her hus
band and children told him of her loss. adding
But ! trust in God. l rely upon his will" Lin
coin shook his head sadly.
On the day of the funeral he asked the nurse
and some friends to pray for him. II will tr,
to go to God with my Sorrows" he said. II wish
had that childlike faith you speak Of I trus,
God will give it to me-"
Then his memory travelled back over thu
years and his first loss by death cane to his
mind. He told Of his mothers confident belle,
in the wisdom Of God. Il remember her prav
ers," he said in a low voice, and they have
always followed me. They have followed me al
my life"