The Wagner leader. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1912-1912, 1912-02-09

NSoy oioCOOll Llfu. ne 10 uhc AAA6A
mountain. which requires distance and
perspective to grasp its true grandeur.
II was q sorrow to Washington that
those VINO lived near him, in his w
state, were against him for a third
term OF the presidency. though all the
other states would have reelected him
unanimously. A testy little Scotch
man named Davie Burns voiced the
partial neighbor spirit n day, when
ne asked President Washington:
Where would We nave bean,
Meesther Washington, II we hadn't
merrted the Weedow Gusts, with all
her naygurs? Ye'd "a e aething
but a land surveyor today. and a pufr
n at that"
The same was true, but in less de-
gree, of Lincoln's neighbors. 1t was
the women who first a~pprehended the
true grandeur of Lincoln's soul. fo-
they could see. before the men could,
the greatness of his mighty heart. Even
today, while Lincoln's life story is be-
ing told around the globe, in all lands
and languages like a favorite bible
Springfield, while walking abound the
square," that scene of some Of Lin
coins trtumphs, by a resident of this
city who deprecated Lincoln in words
which almost scorched my ~resentful
ears:
MI. Lincoln wasn't such a great
man after all. He was just a common
iawyer-lots Of smarter men practisin'
here. There was q dozen bigger men
than him here in Springfield when he
was picked up and pushed for presi-
dent"
Truly a prophet without honor in his
own city! 1t Is a case of surrounding
foothills hiding the lofty peak from
those who live too near.
lint ia Ua Y{nro4t', xyarxv oNv, ~
ness that brought him in close touch
with all the people, and made him so
universally beloved. He was the great
est OF all "commoners." He revealed
himself when he said, 1.-THE Lord loves
the common ~people-that's why He
showed the greatness of heart which
made him THE Great Heart of the
White House."
Yet the old neighbors who still live
In and around Springfield not only love
to have caught his kindly spirit and the
very favor Of his quaint and homely
humor. There Is John w. Bum, who
gave me q friendly greeting in the
midst Of the hustle Of the anniversary
celebration, for which he is in constant
demand. in his office at the Marine
bank. facing the square across which
he often saw Mr.. Lincoln strolling leis-
urely sometimes striding rapidly, with
his long coat tails futtering behind
him.
Mr.. Bum spoke with deep feeling of
the misapprehensions of millions of
people. because of the mistakes and
raphers of Lincoln. CARRIED and un-
true stories ave been told of Mrs.
Lincoln, as we'll as Of her husband.
Those who have made sincere attempts
to rectify some of these have been mis-
represented n ridiculed. On these ac-
counts, and because of his native mod
esty, Mr.. Bum can seldom be induced
to talk for publication. 1t is hoped for
the sake of the Lincoln family, and for
the benefi of posterity, this quiet
%neighbor may leave an enduring rec
ord of his recollections Of Abraham
Lincoln as a professional man in
Springfield.
A lecturer on Lincoln had just sent
Mr.. Bum a book from which he read
me a reference to Mrs. Lincoln as an
ugly" woman. The banker-friend OF
Lincoln indignantly exclaimed:
Its downright mean, the way people
who ought to be in better business
they know better. I believe-do lie
o the Lincoln family! Mrs. Lin
coin was a pretty. cultivated, witty
woman; a model OF motherly devotion
and the soul of southern hospitality.
n came here from Louisville, KY,
you know, but her sympathies were not
with the south, Is has often been
stated. She married Mr.. Lincoln in
stead of Judge Douglas. Her s~elf-sac-
rificing ambition did more than any
other influence to make Abraham Lin
coin president of the United States.
If h ever said or did anything tina
seemed strange, it must be remembered
that she died insane, Inc that malady
may nave existed in an incipient stage
even before Mr.. Lincoln's assassina-
tion. which alone was enough to shat
ter the reason of any wife. Here, lake
this book n deny that; you may do
so on my authority. Mrs. Lincoln was
a charming woman. It's outrageous!
No wonder Robert Lincoln will never
speak in public or say anything for
publication about his father, or con-
corning family matters.
Let me say right here" continued
Mr.. Bum, that those who profess to
have been familiar with Mr.. Lincoln,
and speak of calling him Abe and so
forth, are ~presuming OF ignorance. The
people Of Springfield knew him only as
Mr.. Lincoln He was a young lawyer
when he came here. in the spring of
81. He had been a member of the
state legislature two terms, and as
leader of the Long Nine had done
more than any other nan to bring the
remova of the state capital from VAN
dalia to Springfield. They may have
called him Abe in Indiana and out
here in New Salem. where he spent
his boyhood and youth, but not in
Springfield. Naturally, many have
wished to make it appear that they
were quite intimate with Mr.. Lincoln