Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-02-13

der and sympathetic as to often
make him appear melancholy. No man ever felt
the responsibilities nation had intrusted to
his care much he did, and president ever
succeeded in acting according popular opinion
without being swayed by popular whims and
caprices better than did he. Though often COM
pletely weighted down by the and trials of
the nation during the most critical period of it's
history, he succeeded in cheering himself those
about him and the people.
There are many charming and humorous stories
intertwined with his early boyhood. several told
by the colored nanny who worked for thell
She says that he often sprawled himself out on
the floor and worked to write his name. He was
more easily satisfied with these early efforts
than with his later undertakings. But after he
had worked and struggled and knew he had done
his best, he got up and began to criticize work
Den he SEE me many time Look at that
will you, Abraham Lincoln. Don't look a blamed
bit like me- And he'd stand an study 1t SPELL"
Though he did not mind hard and while
still young boy could swing with the ease
of grown man, he happiest when he had a
book him. AS his nanny says: Seems to
now never seen Abe after he was twelve that
he didn't have a book some er round He'd put
a book inside his shirt and fill his pockets with
corn dodgers an go off to pillow hoe. When
came he'd set down under tree an read
an eat An when he come to the house at night
he'd take a cheer back by the chiIhbly, put his
feet on the rung. set on his backbone and read
Aunt Sairy'd never let the children poster him
She always said that Abe goin' to be a great
some day and she wasn't goin' to have him
hindered'
When Lincoln started to make living
and a name for himself, he soon learned that life
is not all sunshine for the boy girl who must
accomplish everything by their hard con-
scientous effort and work Though the situation
often looked exceedingly dark and his work often
resulted in failure, he had more friends help
him on than he at first knew. He was wonder
fully strong. What exhausted other seemed
to act on him as tonic. Once he was working
In small town where there was man by the
name of Armstrong. When new man came to
the place his strength and courage to
be tested with Armstrong The newcomers were
mutt 10Th nc o7d he
the rest Much to the surprise of both camps
Armstrong defeated Everybody of the
opinion that Abe Lincoln the best and
strongest man that ever broke into the camp To
show that there pride and boast in this
victory. he became friend of the Armstrong
family Mrs Armstrong soon grew so fond of him
that she treated him a relative, and the chill
dren loved to climb onto his knees and brush away
the sadness from his face by hugs and kisses
Abe Lincoln did not have to work long to dis
cover that he was an exceedingly poor business
man One failure came after another These
showed the real strength and character of the
man. He never complained fretted because
success was not coming his way.
He determined. however much luck turned
against him. to be honest and keep his ledger
clean He often told his friends that he preferred
TO go without square meal than to lose nights
rest disturbed by annoyed conscience. The
following story is of the many Illustrations
that he lived up to this statement 1t was while
he was doing business merchant that farm
er's wife bought something of him which needed
weighing and computation She had come some
miles from home. 1t only after she left
discovered that he had overcharged her thirty
cents and he walked miles to correct the mis-
take friend hearing of the incident joked
with him about 1t, when the humorous Abe an
swered. This is not a joke but serious matter
I know that this customer needs the thirty cents
more than do L."
Though this sense of humor was natural to him.
he realized when stfll young boy that pleasant
way and a good joke do wonders for making Life
easier and sweeter- He loved listen to a good
joke and loved to tell He had a wonderful
memory and this helped him in making other