The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-02-09
Found a Friend
in Lincoln
X y X y y y y \ X \ \


know that for some months l was once
member of Abraham Lincolns fam
lily, did your"
mo, how did that happen?" asked
Mr.. Hill eagerly.
Then In burst of patriotic pride
and confidence, Mr.. Bentley told the
story which he has always kept to
himself and family from an undue
sense of modesty, which explains why
Miss Ida Tarbell did not find him in
writing her book. "He Knew Lin
coin"
at was in 1885," said Mr.. Bentley,
the other day, repeating his story, "and
l was boy of Is who had learned the
printing business and was staying in
Decatur. ILL.,. then q town of about
1900 Inhabitants, and could not find
work. l was boarding at the Ogelsby
house, the only hotel In town, and had
paid my last SIS for board and was feel
ing about as blue as any one can feel
under those circumstances. Stephen
A. Douglas, then the Democratic sena-
tor from Illinois, was a candidate for
lawyer named Lincoln from Spring
field, and he were having a series of
five addresses, which have since be-
come so famous. Both parties were In
the hotel at that time to hold a de-
bate that night, and Douglas, the man
of the hour, was upstairs in the hotel
parlor with bottle Of whisky. box
-. he, trip
friends who came to call upon him.
There was great excitement In the
town, and 1t centered in the hotel. but
I was feeling too blue to care about 1t
and sat in the office downstairs, not
caring to speak to any one. A tall
raw-boned man sat near me rs much
unnoticed as myself, all hunched UP In
his chair. whiting a little piece OF
wood.
"Do you belong here2' he asked.
"'No,' l replied.
allow long have you been hereT
"'About year
"'What are you doing?'
"'Nothing'
"'That is not good thing for a
young man of your age to do. Can
you find work?'
ono I replied, feeling very rebel
lious against fate.
"'What do you do when you are
working? Have you trader
eyes; | am a printer l answered,
wishing this man would stop his ques-
tons.
"'Well, young man. he said kindly
4 have an interest in newspaper in
Springfield, and II you come back with
mo tomorrow will see IL the foreman
of the printing room cannot give you
job. VIII you conner
"T do not know, | will see,' / an
swered feeling more kindly toward
this curious gentleman.
Don't you want job?' he asked
quickly.
Eyes, do | answered but | die
not tell him tho reason for my not &C
cepting his offer. / had no means tc
go to Springfield, sixty miles away
1t was the first time that was broke
and l hated to own 1t.
He said nothing more. and that
night after the debate, where there
we're as many as half million people
present In proportion to the size of
the town, l came face to face with
him again In the hotel office.
"'Well, young man., he said, are
you going with me?'
"Then confessed the reason why |
could not
81 knew then that my friend was
Abraham Lincoln, the young Repub-
lican candidate for senator, who had
debated with Stephen A. Douglas.
ut was near midnight and the
steamboat was due to leave In a short
time.
"'You come with me. anyhow said
Mr.. Lincoln, and l will take care of
you
II did not require much urging. and
went to my room to collect my small
belongings and Joined his party
1--WE arrived in Springfield the next
morning and Mr. Lincoln took me to
his home, giving me the only vacant
room in his house, and ! ate break
fast with the family. After that he
took mo to his law office and had n
talk with his partner. Mr.. Herndon;
then we went to the printing office of
the Illinois State Register, the paper
in which he had an interest, and we
had talk with the foreman. The
latter, after asking me to write some
thing, said he was sorry. he saw I
knew the work, but there was no po.
sltion that he could give mo at pres
ent, promising me, however, the first
chance of work. At that my spirits,
which had risen, dropped down again
to still lower ebb, until my benefac-
tor said:
"'Now, | am going to be away a
great deal on this campaign and Mr.
Herndon will be very busy, 30 how
would you like to stay in tho Office
and answer the questions Of visitors
for 81 week. That was before the
day of stenographers.
81 did not think there was so much
money in the world, so accepted the
offer gladly and remained resident
Of the Lincoln household for nine
weeks. Mrs Lincoln's aunt was go
ing to make them a visit and that af
had the only vacant room In the
house he would make arrangements
for me to stay with a lady across the
street, who had two young men board
ing with her, II | did not care.
could not object and moved and
suppose Mr.. Lincoln paid my board
all the time was there as well as my
salary. for know did not pay any
Then one day the foreman sent for
me to work on brief. and when II
was finished, to my great delight. paid
me full journeyman's wages. Alto
gether I remained In Springfield -four
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