The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-09-08
BOOK THREE
CHAPTER XVII.

Wherein Young Mr.. Lincoln Betrays
Ignorance OF Two Highly Important
Subjects.
There were two subjects of which
Mr.. Lincoln had little understanding.
They were women and finance. Until
they had rightly appraised the value
of his friendship, women had been
wont to regard him with RANT curl
osity. He had been aware Of this, and
for years had avoided women, save
those of old acquaintance. When he
lived at the tavern in the village, often
he had gone without a meal rather
than expose himself to the eyes of
strange women. The reason for this
was well understood by those who knew
him. The young man was an exceed
ingly sensitive human being. No
doubt he had suffered more than any
one knew from ill-cOncealed ridicule,
but he had been able to bear it with
'comp0sure in his callow youth. Later
nothing reused his anger like an at
tempt ito ridicule him.
Two women he had regarded with
great tenderness-his foster mother,
the second wife of Thomas Lincoln,
and Ann Rutledge. Others had been
to him, mostly, delightful but inscru-
table beings. The company of women
and of dollars had been equally unfa-
miliar to him. He had said more than
once In his young manhood that he felt
embarrassed in the presence sof either.
and knew mot quite how to behave
himself--an exaggeration in which
there was no small amount of truth.
in 1885 the middle frontier had en-
tered upon a singular phase of its de-
vel0pment. Dmigrants from the East
and South and from overseas had been
pouring into 1T. The summer before
the lake and river steamers had been
crowded with them, and their wagons
had come In long professions Out of
the East. Chicago had begun it's phei
nemenal growth. A frenzied speeula-
tion in town lots had been under way
In that cornmanity since the autumn
OF '35. 1t was spreading through the
state. Imaginary cities were laid out
on the lonely prairies and all the cor
ner lots sold to eager buyers and paid
for with promises. Millions of CONVEX
sational, promissory dollars, based
upon the gold at the foot of the rain
bow, were changing hands day by day.
The legislature, with an empty treas
ury behind it, voted twelve millions for
river improvements and imaginary
railroads and canals, for which neither
surveys nor estimates had been made,
to serve the dream-built cities of the
speculator. !. If Mr.. Lincoln had had
more experience In the getting and use
Of dollars and more acquaintance with
the shrinking timidity Of large sums,
he would have tried to dissipate these
illusions of grandeur. But he went
with the crowd, every member Of
which had like inexperience.
In the midst Of the session Samson
Iraylor arrived In Vandalia on his
visit to Mr.. Lincoln.
II have sold my farm" said Samson
to his old friend the evening of his ar
rival.
did you get good priceY' Mr.. Lin
coin asked.
SAll that my conscience would allow
me to take" said Samson. 'aThe man
offered me three dollars an acre in
cash and ten dollars In notes. We
compromised on seven dollars, all
cash."
what are you going to do now that
you have sold out?"
II was thinking Of going up to Taze-
we'll county"
why don't yoH 60 to the growing
and prosperous town Of Springfield n
Mr.. Lincoln asked. ''The capitol will
be there, and 90 will /. 1t 10 going to
ben big city Men who are to make