The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-07
SOME NEW BOOKS.
Abraham LincOln.

s'so S'''f ~" /"
R~ccoucctions Of Abraham Lincoln
UPutnams). The reminiscent was
t:yur.s: ~. n the SangamoI Vale,
at \ I'm. wnei memory OF pioneer
lie was FRESH and not a few first set
tiers .xe~s Sin iiving. and from his
familiarity with the country and the
Dcoc'S hs endcGvors to make palmer
the e,ect pom Lincoln's career of
the influences Of his early environ
ment. For several years Mr.. Rankin
was a student in Lincoln and Hern-
dcn's law office. lie tells " Lincoln's
appearance and experiences. his
moods and his inner of his en-
sagement to Ann Rutledgc, of Mrs.
Lincoln in the Springfield days and at
Washington; Of the circumstance
attending some Of the Illinois poiitl-
cis.,s ~~p-sshes. OF his early photo
graphs n OF his religion. IN trying
to clear up some misapprchensions
he rcviyes matters which are nearly
forgotten and might better rave been
permitted tn 90 ulnoticed on their
way to oblivion. There is hardly at
this late day need Of a defence" OF
Mary Todd Lincoln as "A wife or
uSdihSt tId '" ~ BeIiOu III lEp
great Presidents life OF religious inf
deity. But Mr.. Rankin does add
here and there a new and humanizing
stroke to the familiar portrait. He
saw Lincoln for many years with n
family background" for Lincoln was
a frequent visitor to the home OF the
authors parents. at Salem. ana Il
was there that he met Anne Rdtledpa ,.
The authors mother contributed much
OF his material used in this book.
On the occasion of their first meet
ing in 1876. when Lincoln was prac-
Using law In Springfield in partner
ship with Major John T. Stuart. four
years after his marriage to Miss Todd
MS appearance was not what il was
IN the last decade before the war: He
was In his physical prime. He had
the we'll developed muscles and the
fresh color of one leading an active
outdoor life II overlooking with
physical vigor and health. The g
lar form, the long. 81. low face and
swarthy complexion of later years do
not come back To- me out Of tho sixty
zine years ago of boyhood memory.
lie was at that time, In personal APP
pearance. h best looking lawyer at
tending tn" Petersburg Circuit Court"
MIR. Rankin does not like the leseni
Of uncouthncss: He had no hoorish
or awkward manners. H. possessed
q namclcss grace of dcpor, mont that
Kept him se,f-pu.scd. self-Sustaincd.
an any and all new and UNEXPECTED
Situations"
In lSi2. says tho author. "i.incnln's
"'"' Ut the huWIih: fre'Hc
'uiN'"i hr"uSnt out some OF his char
actefistics 81 Wildly that g.ve the
scene as had IL from tvo az i,c,,u.s
n,oet intimate friends who wer" at the
49,, -. He'N"'S "er" CON
49,, Nv "a"S' anu 'heE had
~, ..n :" .i'"" On inc NE
""u '"''''''r OF GREENE;
'"e m'S,'r % ceremonies ~ me propn-
m r ,.'.r Lincoln Nh' 'am" in and
,,ou, Co.,, y ." ''NN'' '' in"Ned
friend. Ms vhat. wv ." "''
bling With suppressed .m,,io, 10 ,,o,
turned m! faced he friend, VII, nm, 4
the room ard crowded the doo-vays and
s,'"u "n's'"" around tho opsn windows
p"N " "" ""rds-h'ok"u sentence
no ,onnh 81 s,'ohs OF me thought
ron,Iv. T,,,s nIet =. zone
struggled to rossin ma, se,,,,n,.
under which hr had always held his f,el.
inss h'for" these friends. Tho
e"t'"u", rove ana grief expressed IN the
...' " u, emotions Interpreted to ali
any vorI. ~, W ''"S muir imam
seiz,ng his h,, no ht.,,, ~, N"'up'E
ment IN his handkerchIa, tho, 80
to Mrs Grcen.'s side. who a-cs. ana ,ooL
ms arm. After a short inter,a
~ t'sainei his composurN, and with 4
u.Sn',y m"'ioned those in charge "a
NV NV
Mr.. Rnnkin's informants assured
nm that neither during nor after ris
failure Ia perform the part assigned
to him did Lincoln show self-con-
seriousness or embarrassment.
Near the raves Of the Bow.liuc
Greene family At Petersburg. ILL.,. saws
the author Of these "reminiscences.
rests an unpublished buuldcr-rock ,ba,
vas selected from the banks of g,
nearby stream" and on it is cary, Il
the name Ann Eutiedgc: This onI
nothing more appears on her gray
70 chronicle the life and death OF bo,
whose Influence and name will never
fade from the annals Of our nation.
history" TIT language is n little on
t~ravaIant. hut Mr.. Rankin il worry
iuil of his subject. Not every 90,
american. not every American who
considers himself well read in tho hi,