The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-02-11
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

1t is highly fitting that the nation
shall celebrate the birthday of one OF
its greatest commoners. Not a single
man or woman, it is safe to say, looks
upon the pictures and busts of Lincoln
which are everywhere displayed on this
occasion, with anything less than
reverential admiration.
Here was one man who did right as
he saw it, let the consequences be what
they may. Not many men lived just
like him, in his time, nor to-day are
such men any too frequent.
The rugged face of Lincoln tells a
story of stress and strain. 1t breathes
somewhat of melancholy, though they
say of HIM that he was real humorist.
Some historians declare that Lincoln
said, 81 have always been a fatalist.
What is to be will be or rather, as
Hamlet says,
There's a divinity that shapes our
ends,
ANOuSH iIC" luGIll HOW we WILL
Yet shoulder to shoulder with this
utterance one remembers the words of
Navalis when he says that Character
IS fate. Lincoln's character did in
deed cause his future to be predeter-
mined long before the event, for his
character was set lmmutably toward
the leading of right.
lnseparable with the thought of Lin
coin is the memory of his mother.
Nancy Hanks, that 'angel mother as
he called her, who bequeathed to her
neglected half starved little lad, such a
rich dover of faith in good, of persist
ence and determination. Who can de-
clare that the great love which Lincoln
had for his mother had no small in
tluence in his trend of thought toward
anti-slavery? 1t is related of him on
one occasion as he journeyed on a flat
boat to New Orleans that he happened
to be at place where young slave
woman was being sold at auction. She
was exhibited and inspected by the
prospective customers just as if she
were a piece Of horsefesh. Lincoln
saw this and is saidEto have uttered at
that time these memorable words: eff
| ever get chance to hit this thing, I'll
hit it hard. "
To "hit it hard was indeed his char
acteristic in whatever he undertook.
Such characteristic is not usually
found with anything else than a per-
sonality or rather individuality which is
unusual. When the time came Lincoln
did hit slavery and hit it hard, and
doubtless would have acted just the
same could he have foreseen the fate
that was melted out to him for his
action.
Lincoln's birthday is a day which
should be a favorite with all men.
Lincoln loved and reverenced women
kind, but he was mans man, as the
saying runs.
In his day it was time of stress and
strain yet men somehow looked to him,
leaned on him. He is pictured by one
writer as being tall, large featured,
shabbily dressed man of uncouth ap-
peance, in much-kneed, i'll fitting
trousers, yet this same man, as de-
scribed, was then President. He was,
as Emerson expressed it, called to the
helm in tornado, but he grasped it
firmly and unfalteringly held the ship
to her course. There were tops then
and dandies, just as today, but the
slouchy, uncouth figure was beautiful
In its own way, the rugged face glori-
GUS from that light which shined from
within.
Such beauty is the true beauty, as
everyone knows. The wonder arises,
if Lincoln lived today, when appearances
seem to count for ninety-fve per cent.
out OF the hundred, would he have been
just as uhcafing and defiant of outward
looks, as he Was then? Perhans en-
but it might be THAI Lincoln could
only live then, in that enN,-,,,or+ ,,,h;aL
called.him into existence and =.
he would have grown up and dew" o~
in a different way. Certainly the me.
of today, all men know that 1t "doe
not do to neglect the appearance, tol
many reasons and not all of them Ugh
ones. .s.
The men of today who will succee
cannot take any chances in being re
garded as slouchy or slovenly, careles
and unkempt either in clothing
facial appearance.
"Other times. other manners" tn
must be the explanation of much TIL
we wonder at now. as we read OF LII
coin and his neglect of carefulness
attire. Those times have gone by al
t this date, man is not thought lie