Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-02-08
LINCOLN AND
THE DYING BOY IN GRAY

4 SalQ 20 the 1fenu telllnG me InlS
incident: Lincoln could not help be-
birds about his cabin could keep from
singing, o the sweet briar his mother
planted could keep from being fragrant.
1t Is easy to see how q boy who was
80 tender to his first pet might grow
to be the great man who said In the
hearing OF the centuries, With malice
toward none, with charity for ALL
L%tncoln'B love for his own was idol
airy. Half the world fell away from
him when his little "Taddie' died. His
affection for his country was stronger
thar his life. Literature contains no
record Of a sweeter o than he man
Tested in his release of offenders, par
don OF condemned soldiers, and intense
affection manifested for the people of
the south as for those Of the north.
Strength and Tenderness Combined.
Lincoln's moral sensibilities were as
strong as his affections were great.
Love and mercy Of themselves, I'M
mixed with other elements. would have
e weakness, inbecility. The just side
OF his nature was as strong as the love
side was tender. His veracity reminds
us OF Regulus, who counted his word
worth more than his life. Lincoln was
the symbol OF i~ncorruptible integrity.
In one OF the plays OF Aeschylus, when
the actor referred to Amphiraeus, all
the people in the theater arose and cast
their eyes toward Aristides as the ex-
preston OF integrity. The eyes OF the
ages will turn toward Lincoln as the
incarnation OF moral purity. Honest
Old Abe" Ia q title greater than any
king ever bore.
Lincoln was a %singularly religious
a Early In life he was skeptical.
But from the time he assumed the
heavy burdens OF his public office he
was strong In his faith and intense In
his spirituality. Few persons in the
nation were better students OF the
bible. from which he quoted in almost
every public message and address.
Lincoln On tho Battlefield.
A confederate boy, DAILY, OF Com
pany X, Tenth Alabama volunteers.
lay wounded, and. as he thought, dying
on the battlefield of Sharpsburg. A
stranger leaned owe him and said:
MY boy. you are very young." Yes,
send this bible to my mother, whose
address is on the fiyleaf?" The
stranger took it and said: We're not
going to let so nice a boy as you die,
and you yourself shall take the book
to our mother" AS the stranger
started to go away the boy said: who
is 1t that I am to thank for this kind
ness?" MY name,' the stranger said,
'is Abraham Lincoln"
The boy was stunned with the infor-
nation. The president had him taken
to the hospital at Frederick, Md. where
he convalesced. AS he started south
package wrapped in brown paper was
handed to him. Opening 1t he found
that 1t was his bible. containing a card,
On which was written: Take this
book of God to your mother. A. Lin
colin" Some verses We're marked with
the letter L. The boy said that the
precepts Of h book and the verses
marked had been the guide and in
%spiration OF his life.
His Faith in Divine Guidance.
DR.. Hill. a we'll known physician of
Buffalo. told me this incident illustrat-
ing Lincoln's faith in prayer and in
the divine guidance: The doctor, who
was Il member of the sanitary commits
sion. was at a meeting of that organ
and congratulated the president on
having originated such a gigantic
b~enevolence. MIR. Lincoln said to him:
YOU must carry your thanks to Il
higher being. One story night / tossed
on my bed. unable to sleep as i thought
OF the terrible suifer.ngs of u soldiers
and sailors. l spen. an hour in agoniz-
ing prayer to God for some method of
relief. and He put the sanitary COM
mission in my mind, with all it's de-
talis, as distinctly as though the in
strucrions had been written out by a
pen and landed to me. Hereafter, al
ways thank your Heavenly Father, and
moi me, for this organization, which
has eased so much pain and saved SC
many lives.'
Lincoln is not dead; no steel was
ever made sharp enough or bullet
swift enough to touch such a soul as
his. They could only tear the raiment
he Wore, or break down the house IN
which he lived. The sssassin's bullet
did not touch him-only crushed q shell
from hic an eagle came forth plum
ing his pinions for limitless realms. He
is not dead; his spirit hands are on on,
shoulders, the perfume of his breath is
on cheek, n by his presence W.
are inspired with n higher heroism, q
broader philanthropy, a deeper patriot
ism. a holier purpose, and a firmer faith
in the everlasting.
SO long as the Mississippi shall flow
or the Atlantic roll: so long as sow
capped mountain top shall speak IL
the blue sea and the blue sea 10 thu
mountain top; so long as the yiole
Shall speak of modesty. the lily O
purity, or the rose tell of love: so Iona
as there shall be appreciation of III,
true, the beautiful, the good, the grea
in IN conduct-so long will Lin
coins influence live in the institution.
ToLsTCY's TRIBUTE TO
ABRAHAM LINCOLN :
OF all the great national heroes an