Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1921-09-30
BOOK TWO.

CHAPTER X.

In Which Abe and samson WrestIs
and Some Raiders Come 70 Burn ard
Stay - Repent
Within q week after their return the
: ection came or and Abe was defeat
ed, although in his precinct two hun
dFed and twenty-sssen out OF total Of
three hundred Votes had been cast for
him He began to consider which way
to turn MAJ John r.. Stuart, Law
yer Of Springfield who had been his
comrade In the @wmx-had encOur-
aged him TO study law and. further.
had offered to lend him books. So be
looked for an occupation which would
give him leisure for study OffuL his
former employer. had failed and clear
ed ont The young giant regarded
thoughtfully the scanty opportunities
Of the village. He could huri his great
strength into the axhead and make o
good living, but he had learned that
such q use Of ii gave him better APP
petite for sleep than study.
John Mcneil, who for q short time
had shared his military adventures,
had become . partner Of Samuel Hill
in d store larger and better stocked
than any the village had known. But
Hin and Mcneil had no need Of clerk
Roman Herndon and William Berry
had opened a general store. Ar.
Herndon offered to sell his interest to
Abe and take notes for his pay. IL
was not q proposition that promised
anything but loss. The community was
small and there were three other
stores, and there was no other "Bnl"
Berry. who was given TO drink and
dreams. as Abe knew.
Abe Lincoln had not been trained TO
weigh the consequences Of q business
enterprise. The store would give him
leisure for study and New Salem could
offer him nothing else save consuming
toll with the AZ Or the saw. He could
not think Of leaving the little cabin
village. There were Ann RuEledge and
Jack Kelso and Samson Trayior and
Harry Needles. Every ladder climb.
er In the village and on the plain
around IL was his friend.
Upon these people who knew and
respected him Abe Lincoln based his
hopes. Among them he had found his
vision and failure had not diminished
or dimmed IT. He would try again
for : place In which he could serve
them and IL he could learn to serve
Sangamon county he could learn IL
serve the state and. possibly, even tbs
republic. with this thought and 3
rather poor regard for Ills own In
terest his name fell Into bad company
on the signboard Of Berry and Lin
coin. Before he took his place in this
store he walked TO Springfield and
borrowed a law book from his friend
Major Stuart.
The career Of the Arm began on {
hot day late In August with Bill Berry
smoking his pipe In : chair on the lit
tie veranda Of the store and Abe Lin
coin sprawled IN the shade Of Q tres
that partly overhung it's roof. reading
q law book. The face Of Mr.. Berr,
suddenly assumed q look OF anIma
ton. A small. yellow dog which hat
been lying In repose beside him ros,
and growIed. his hair rising. and witt
q little cry OF alarm and astonlsh
ment fed under the store.
"Here comes Steve Nuckies on hi
old mare with lion following him,
said Berry. IF we sat careful wei
git prayed for plenty
IL the customers don't come taste
reckon wen need t." said Abe.
"Howdy," said the minister as b,
stopped at the hitching bar. dismount
ed and lied his mare. Don't b
skeered o. this ere dog. He were tie,
when left home but he chawed hi
rope an come alter me. ] reckon 1
nobody feeds him he'll patter back 20
night Any plug tobaccoT'
"A baekIead Of Il" said Berry, 10
ing into the store 10 wait On the min
IgleF.
VIC 'ie9 a.fnp out the latte
eHrstl u @er..rf II the plug viii
1. sek "a =. ni.t /, - his rnouti
80 1.s.si-steu.