The Snowflake herald., 1921-10-07

this when / saw Webster and heard
him speak at Plymouth
what kind of a looking man is
hep Abe asked.
"A big erect, splendid figure of
man. He walked like ram at the
head of his flock"
Abe who since his story had sat
with a sad face looking into the fire
now leaned forward, his elbows on his
knees. and shook his head with inter-
est while his gray eyes took on a
look of animation. The diary speaks
often Of the 'veil of sadness" on his
face.
"He is very great man." Abe ex-
claimed.
"Have you learned that last noble
flight of his in the reply to Haynes,
as you promsed?" Kelso asked.
'I have" said Abe, land the other
day when I was tramping back from
Bowlin' Green's l came across drove
of cattle and stopped and gave 1t to
them. They all let go of the grass
and stood looking"
"GoOd Now stand up and let us see
how you initiate the great chief of
the Whig clan," said KelsO.
The lank and awkward youth rose
and began to speak the lines in high
pitched voice that trembled with ex-
citement. 1t lowered and steadied
and rang out like noble music on a
well-played trumpet as the channel
of his spirit filed with the mighty
current of the orators passion. Then,
indeed, the words fell from his lips
''like the winter SHOWS"
.'They shook our hearts as the wind
shakes the branches Of a tree" Sam
son writes in his diary. ''The lean,
bony body of the boy was transfgured
and as l looked at his face in the fire.
light I thought it was handsome.
"Not a word was spoken for a min
ute after he sat down. / had got
my first look at Lincoln. 1 had seen
his soul. / think it was then l began
to realize that a man was being made
among us more precious than fine
gold; even a man more precious than
the golden wedge of Ophir.'"
The Doctor gazed in silence at the
boy. Kelso sat with both hands in
his pockets and his chin upon his
breast looking solemnly into the fire.
"Thank you, Abe" he said in low
voice. Something unusual has hap
pened and I'm just little scared"
"Why?" Abe asked.
For fear somebody will spoil 1t
with another hog story. I'm a little
afraid of anything I can say. 1 would
venture this, that the man Webster
is a prophet. In his Plymouth address
he hears receding into never-returning
distance the clank of chains and all
the din Of slavery. 1t will come true"
do you think SOP" Abe asked.
"Surely-there are so many of us
who hate it. These Yankees hate it
and they and their children are scat
tering all over the midlands. Their
spirit will guide the West. The love
of liberty is the salt of their blood and
the marrow of their bones. Liberty
means freedom for all. Wait until
these babies, coming out here by the
wagonload, have grown to manhood.
Slavery will have to reckon with
them"
81 hate it, too," said Abe. eff live
I'm going to hit that thing on the
head some day."
do you still want to be lawyerT
Kelso asked
Eyes, but sometimes I think I'd
make a better blacksmith" said Abe.
I'm trying to make up my mind
what's best for me-"
mo, you're trying to decide what
is best for your friends and your
country and for the reign of law and
justice and liberty"
"But / think every man acts from
selfish motives" Abe insisted.
Doctor Allen demurred as follows
"The other night you happened to
remember that you had overcharged
Mrs. Peters for jug of molasses and
after you had closed the store you
walked three miles to return the mon
ey which belonged to her. Why did
you do it?"
"For a selfish motive" said Abe.
II believe honesty is the best policy"
"Then you took that long walk just
to advertise your honesty-to induce
people to call you Honest Abe as they
have begun to do"
II wouldn't want to put it that
way" said Abe.
"But that's the only way out" the
Doctor insisted, land we knowing ones
would have to call you 'Sordid Abe"
There's a hidden Abe and you
haven't got acquainted with him yet,"
Kelso interposed. eve have all caught
glimpse Of him tonight. He's the
Abe that loves honor and justice and
humanity and their great temple of
freedom that is growing up here in
tho now world He loves them hpttpr