La Junta tribune., 1915-05-29
"REMINISCENCES OF LINCOLN.
Some Of Lincoln's Sayings and Stories
and Very Appropriate for Decor.
alton Day Reading.

Some OF ltncOIu's Sayings and Stories
and Very Appropriate for Decor.
alton Day Reading.
After my return from trip
through England. Ireland. Scotland
and France In 1875. l was sent to
Athens n pastor Of the NJ. E. church
for the year 1876. Athens Is twelve
miles northwest OF Springfield. Ill.
Athens had a population OF about
1000 when was there. That
whole country. from Springfield on
the east to the Illinois river on the
west. was Abraham Lincoln's early
stamping round.
When the people of Athens learn
ed that was one Of Lincoln's boys
In the Civil War. they became inter-
ested In me and that year met many
persons who had personal ac-
quaintance with "honest old Abe
and who took great pleasure In tell
Ing me what he said and did in
their presence. Athens is an older
town than Springfield. They told
me Of Lincoln's horse trade aud his
election as captain Of a company in
the Black Hawk war In 1882.
A man came to Athens one day
with u very poor horse which he Of.
fered to sell for IS. or he would
trade II for another horse Just as the
boys used TO trade Jack knives "un.
sight and unseen" The horse
could scarcely stand up he was 20
poor. A man saw Lincoln coming
down the street and told him OF the
mans offer to trade horses and ask
ed Lincoln II he had horse to
trade. Lincoln paused a moment
and then said:
why. yes. 1 believe I can accom-
modate him.
II was araigned that they should
appear on. 5he street with their horses
At certain sign. The man arrived
there first and soon Lincoln emerg-
ed from behind . barn with wood
en- saw horse upon his shoulders that
could b made for 10 csnts. and the
crowd Of spectators roared and yen.
ed themselves hoarse over I.incoin'a
originality and wit.
When the volunteers for the Black
Hawk war met there 20 elect officers
for the company. LIncoin's friends
urged him to run for captain. but he
told them he did not know q thing
about military tactics. They would
not take no for an answer. however.
and finally he consented.
His opponent was . military man
and Il was arranged that each Of
them should stand on opposite sides
Of the street and the men should
arrange themselves In line on the
left Of the one they preferred for
captain. aud when they had done NO
and Lincoln looked down the line he
saw that his line was twice ~ long
NJ the line Of the military man.
Lincoln afterwards said that he
was more pleased aud delighted over
that election than he was when In.
formed that he WAS elected prcsident
Of the united States.
New Ralcm In southwest Of where
! lived and In another county. Here
II where Lincoln spent = winter split.
ting rails and afterwards kept . gro.
ccry store. In that early day whis.
key. or corn juice. ~ they called u.
was sold In groceries by the quart
and gallon the same ~ We sell kero.
sene oil. Only = little Of Il was
drunk In the store. There were no
saloons. ~ We now have them u
Swink. and other places. In ths
great debate between him and Doug.
lass In isss. when the Temperance
revival began 10 spread over the
land. Douglass twitted Lincoln ol
having been . iiquor seller and de-.
bauchiag his fellow man. Lincoin
replied ~ follows: "Yes. ssatlsmsu
I admit ! sold whiskey. o. Douglass
says. kept . grocssy store aad alI
grocery stores q that time kept and
sold vhisksy. Now I'll tell you ths
oaly diffsesscs between Douglas
aud me at that time. NJ. Douglas
taught school near who're kept q
grocery store aad every morning q
he passed ~ grocssy 70 his school
he used 10 drop II 70 81 . siass ol
whiskey for Bic stomsch's saks.
suppose. He stood o. ths outside oi
The counter ssd 1raak ne whisks,
aad pald over The neasy 70 ns. With
! stood % he lnslds Of ths eouatsi
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