The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1919-02-13
Abraham Lincoln
Confined from page one)

the book when he returned it and insisted
on him working three days to pay for it. 1t
is doubtful if many young people of the
present generation would perform like
task. When Lincoln was seventeen he
walked back and forth from school, dis
lance of nine miles each day. He easily
led the declaiming classes on Friday after
noon. One of his boyhood essays on tenn
perance received recognition from the
press of that date. a close study of the
Bible and Esops Fables furnished the bulk
of his education. He would often walk
fifteen miles to Boonville, the county seat,
to hear Lawyer argue case.
In 1880 the Lincoln family again moved,
this time to Illinois and settled near SPRING
field. In 1882 an Indian uprising occurred
in Southern Illinois apd young Lincoln was
among the first to enlist. His company
made him captain, but when they reached
the scene of action, hostilities had ceased.
On his return he entered politics and was
defeated for the Legislature, but this, how
ever, did not deter him from his aim and
purpose. He was finally successful in OBJ
tanning an appointment as postmaster. BIZ
ographers relate that he carried the mail in
his high hat, which is conspicuously shown
in photographs.
He was elected to the legislature in 1884
and succeeded himself for three terms, or
until 1910. Studying law in his spare time
and icing admitted to the bar, he decided
to hang up his single in Springfield, the
state capital of Illinois. He gained the Sob
riquet of ''Honest Abe'' while practicing
law. Would that we had more of that cali
bre today.
1t was in 1910 that Lincoln met little
Mary Todd to whom he was married.
Four children blessed this union, one Of
whom. Robert Todd Lincoln grew to man.
hood. Steven A. Douglas and Abraham
Lincoln were rivals in politics and rivals in
love. When asked why she had chosen this
lanky, awkward youth in preference to the
young debonair Douglas, his friends stated
that, as she was ambitious and proud, she
preferred Lincoln because he wonld un-
doubtedly become the president of the
United States.
The representations were true; and
when he received the message in 1860, no.
tifying him of the nomination, he is said to
have replied: "There's little short woman
down at our house who would like to hear
this. I'll 60 down and tell her.
The abolition of slavery was the topic of
the day, and the republican party contain
ed clauses to this effect.
Forty-eight hours previous to the depar-
lure of Abraham Lincoln from Springfield
for Washington, Jefferson Davis was elect.
ed President of the Confederate States of
America, and on his way to the capital at
Montgomery, Alabama. War was newt
able, a number of states had declared them
selves to be independent of the Union 1t
was time that called for patience and for
titude, but Lincoln was equal to the occa-
sion, and master of the situation.
The morning of April IA, 1861 is new
er-to-be-forgotten one. The news had
reached every city, town and village in
America: ''Sumter has been fired on! Sum
ter has fallen!''.
In those days, as in April 1917, the flag
had ceased to be mere symbol and was a
sacred thing; to be loved, to be fought for,
and if need be, die for.
At Lincoln's first Inauguration it was nee
essary to have military escort. Four years
later he walked to the same spot, unaccom-
panied, leading little Tad by the hand. His
enemies had become friends and for the first
time in Americas history, negroes, soldiers
and civilions whom he had freed, were
gathered to pay him homage.
Peace descended on the populace on Sun
day, April 9, 1865, when General Lee sur
rendered at Appomattox.
The arrival of victorious General Grant
at Washington was the cause of much mer-
ry making. 1t was passed from mouth to
mouth, and heralded in the newspapers that
Lincoln and Grant would be present at the
Fold Theatre. Grant declined the invita-
ton at the last moment. The president,
rather than disappoint the public, accom-
panied Mrs. Lincoln and two guests to the
state box of the theatre. Everything SEEM
ed to be progressing nicely, when suddenly
cowardly assassin, unnoticed, made his
way into the box and fired the fatal shot
that made of that honored and humane
president, martyr to cause for which he
had labored SO increasingly.
Loved and honored and trusted, he died
as he had lived with deep understanding
of his fellow man, and q career that speaks
for itself. With all his opportunities for
enrichment. he died comparatively poor
man, caring not for material wealth, but
looking forward to that eternal life, he re-
turned to his Maker, prepared to wear the
crown that is promised to all who faithfully
serve.
John Wilkes Booth, the assassin was a
second-rate actor suffering from congenital
insanity. He was of q very nervous dispo-
sition and labored under strange hallucina-