Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-02-12


bear poverty lightly. Elegant surroundings dlo
not appeal to him; he as content in the log
cabin where he was born as in the White house
The plainest suite pleased his tastes. Greedlness
of wealth was wholly unknown to him; If he was
greedy about anything it was knowledge and notn'
ing more. The following story is told about MIN
and we'll proves this point. He was asked to give
a lecture in the Illinois college for the library
fund. When the lecture was over and the people
passed out he went up to the librarian ana salu.
81 notice that there are not many listeners mere
tonight; don't think we made much on tnls iec-
ture' In reply the official said: when we pay
for the rent of the hail. music and advertising ana
your compensation there will not be much left for
the library Mr.. Lincoln replied: Well boys
be hopeful; pay me my railroad fare and the nity
cents that my supper cost me and you can nava
the rest
This joyiality was largely because he felt the
sorrows and hardships that, come to most men
and women, and he did everything in his power
to tighten their burden. AS he said to frleno.
ssWhen am dead wish my friends to remember
that always pluck thorn and plant rose when
possible
He was beloved by thousands and thousands OF
people Many who believed in slavery appreciated
the grand character of the man. And 1t was ms
strong and courageous personality that converted
thousands of men to believe that slavery was
wrong But no one loved him SO well as the col
ored people his words were always on their lips
An old colored man said at meeting IN
South Carolina: ''Brederin', you don't know nosen
what you'se talkin' about. Now you just listen to
me- Massa Linkin he's everywhere. He know
eberyting He walk de earf like de Lord
When his soul was most troubled he would try
and ease himself by joke There was SO much
sadness in his makeup that he found this the best
safety-valve
This sense of humor gave him wonderful faith
and courage. He was one of the last to advocate
drastic measures in deciding the slave question
But when once begun he never gave up hope.
There were times when situations looked ex-
tremely dark he could not see clearly which way
was the best, but when his reason failed him his
sublime faith guided him right. He believed that
God would be the side OF the just and the right
The Hon. George Curtis tells this story. which
shows the mans sublime faith:
zone day called on the president with repre-.
sentative from congress. Mr.. Lincoln received
us in his Office the large room on the second floor.
He was dressed in black and wore slippers On
a table at his side were maps and plans of the
seat of war; and pins with blue and gray heads
representing the positions of the soldiers both
sides.
when we arose to leave he shook my hand with
paternal kindness and said good-by with paternal
kindness and evident proud conviction. We shall
beat them, my son; we shall beat them. But the
air and tone with which he said the words were SO
free from any unworthy feeling that the most
resoute and confident of his opponents would have
been deeply impressed" He believed in prayer, he
believed it eased the troubled mind and SOUL and
changed failure to success much as does q
healthy sense of humor. One day General Sickles
called on him and asked the president If he had
not been anxious during the battle of Gettysburg?
The president thought minutes and ther
answered.: "Yes, but did not give up my faith
I went into my day and locked the dool
and got down on my knees and prayed to hin
nightly for victory at Gettysburg. / told hin
it was his and cause his cause but tha
Fredericksburg or Charlottesville could not holt
out another day. And then made solemn vow
to Almighty God that If he would stand by oul
boys at Gettysburg would stand by him, and hi
did, and WILL
It was this faith in God and in all his children
that made Lincoln work, struggle and die to fre'
the slaves. AS he once told a friend when h,
was making trip from Louisville to ST. Louis b,
boat there dozen slaves on board, shackle,
together with irons, so they could not get away
He explained: 81 knew that this was all wrong
God had never intended that any of his children
should be shackled and I knew the time woul
come when 1 should be given a part in freein
them"
These stories and humorous incidents help t
analyze character that might otherwise seer
strange and inconsistent Lincoln loved his Crea
tor and humanity. He believed that with patienc
all things turned out right in the end, and tha
with humor and love the trials and hardships bs
come easier and far more bearable.