Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-02-08
LINCOLN AS HIS
EIGHBOR KNEW HIM

NEl0H0OI
The near neighbors Of a great man
usually discount him. He is k a high
mountain. which requires distance and
perspective to grasp its true grandeur.
1t was a sorrow to Washington that
those VINO lived near him. in his own
state. were against him for a third
term of the presidency. though all the
unanimously. A testy little Scotch
a named Davie Burns voiced the
partial neighbor spirit n day. when
he asked President Washington:
Where would we hav bean,
Meesther Washington, if ye hadn't
merried he Weedow Custis, with all
her naygurs? Ye'd "a bean aething
one at that"
The same was true, but in less de-
gree. of Lincoln's neighbors. 1t was
the women who first a~pprehended the
r grandeur of Lincoln's soul. for
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
story. I was b~uttonholed right here
Springfield. while walking abound the
square," that scene of some Of Lin
coins triumphs. by a resident Of this
city who deprecated Lincoln In words
which almost scorched my resentful
ears:
Nj Lincoln wasn't such a great
man after all. He was just a common
lawyer-lots of smarter men practisin'
here. There was a 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
w city! 1t is a cas- of surrounding
foothills hiding the lofty peak from
those who live too near.
But is was Lincoln's very commen-
ness thai 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, ''The Lord loves
n common people-that's why He
made SO many of them" In this he
showed the greatness Of heart which
made him "The Great Heart of the
White House."
Yet the old neignbors who still live
in and around Springfield not only love
and revere his memory, but they seem
to have caught his kindly spirit and the
very flavor Of his quaint and homely
humor. There is John w. Bum. who
gave me a 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 a tails fluttering behind
him.
MI. BUM spoke with deep feeling of
the misrepresentation of millions of
people. because Of the mistakes and
~falsehoods Of reporters and ever biog-
AnhQrS Of I{nCnon Goph1oA orA i,
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 and 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 benefit of posterity. this quiet
netghbor 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:
It's downright mean. h way people
they know better. l believe-do lie
about the Lincoln family! Mrs. Lin
coin was a pretty. cultivated, witty
woman; a model Of motherly devotion
and the soul of southern hospitality.
She came here from Louisville, KY.
you know, but her sympathies were not
with the south. as has often been
stated. She married Mr.. Lincoln in
stead of Judge Douglas. Her self-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 that
seemed strange. 1t must be remembered
thai she died insane, and that malady
may have existed in an incipient stage
even before Mr.. Lincoln's assassina-
tlon, which alone was enough to shat
ter the reason OF any wife. Here. take
this book n deny that; you may do
so on my authority. Mrs. Lincoln was
q charming woman It's outrageous!
No wonder Robert Lincoln will never
speak In public OF say anything for
publication about his father, OF 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 on ignorance. The
people of Springfield knew him only as
Mr.. Lincoln He was a young lawyer
when he came here. in the spring of
~. He had been a member Of the
state legislature two terms, and as
leader OF the Long Nine had done
more than any other man to bring the
removal 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 n youth, but not in
Springfield. Naturally, many have
wished to make 1T appear that they