Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1921-11-04
cnAPTIER xvI.

Passes Two Great Danger Polnts
and Turns Into the Highway Of HIs
Manhood.
For days thereafter the people OF
New Salem were sorely troubled. Abe
Lincoln, the ready helper ID time Of
need, the wise counselor, the friend Of
all-"old and young. dogs and horses"
as Samson was wont to say-the pride
and hope OF the little cabin village,
was breaking down under his grief.
He seemed to care no more for work
or study or friendship. He wandered
out In the woods and upon the prairies
atone. Many feared that he would
lose his reason.
There was q wise and merry-hearted
man who lived q mile or 30 from the
village. His name was Bowlin Green.
Those days when one Of middle age
had established himself in the affec-
lions Of community, its members had
way Of adopting him. So Mr.. Green
had been adopted into many families
| from Beardstown TO Springfield. He
was everybody's "Uncle Bowlin." He
had q most unusual circumference and
the strength to carry 1t. Bis rudy
| cheeks and curling locks and kindly
/ dark eyes and large head were details
| Of importance. Under all were heart
| with the love OF men, a mind of I'M
| usual understanding and q hand
skilled i'm all the arts Of the Kentucky
| pioneer. He could grill a venison
steak and roast grouse and broil a
chicken In way which had filed the
countryside with fond recOllections Of
his hospitality; he could kindle a fire
with a bow and string, pine stick
and some shavings; he could make
anything from q splint broom to q
rocking horse with his jack-knife. Abe
Lincoln was one Of the many men who
knew and loved him.
On a warm, bright afternoon early
In September, Bowlin Green was going
around the pasture to put his fence in
repair, when he came upon young Mr..
Lincoln. The latter sat In the shade
of a tree on the hillside. He. looked
terribly peaked" as Uncle BOwlin
n
"Why, Abe, where have you been2"
he asked. "The whole village is
scared. Samson Traylor was here last
night lookin' for ye."
tT'm like a deer that's been hurt,
said the young man. Il took to the
woods Wanted to be alone. You see,
had lot OF thinking to do-the kind
l 90 AhAnkwenr, 4y,oA o~zavvu man vnr1c,k 10
for himself, I've got the brush cleared
away, at last, so can see through. ]
had made up my mind to go down to
your house for the night and was try
ing to decide whether have energy
enough to do It."
"Come on; it's only short STEP
urged the big-hearted Bowlin.
'What I feel the need Of, just now,
is a week or two Of Sleep" said Mr.
Lincoln, as he rose and started down
the long hill with his friend.
Some time latar Bowlln Green gavd
Samson this bEiaf account Of whal
happened in and about the cabin:
"He wouldn't eat anything, Ell
wanted to go down to the river for b
dip, and went with him. When wt
got back, induced him to take on hi
clothes and get into bed. he was fast
asleep In ten minutes. When niglli
came went up the ladder to bed. He
was still asleep when came down ID
the morning. / went out and did my
chores. Then / cut two venisdr
steaks, each about the size o. my hand
and half moon OF bacon. / pounded
the venlson to pulp with q little sal
and bacon mixed IN. / put 1t on The
broiler and over a bed o. hickory Goals
! got the coffee into the pot and III
next to the fire and some potatoes 1t
the ashes. basted a bird with bacDr
strips and put It into the rooster ant
set 1t back o. the broiling bed. Ther
made some biscuits and put 'en
into the oven. tell you, In a little
while the smell o that fireplace wohl,
have woke the dead-honestl Abb
!, began to stir. In a minute / heart
! him call:
II Say, Uncle Bowlin, I'm goin' t
get mp an eat you out o. house mi
home. I'm hungry and feel like
> new man. What time IL lt7'
D "Tt'll be nine o'clock by the tim
you're washed and dressed says
well, declare says he. I've ha,
:, about sixteen hours o. solid sleep. IN
. world looks better to me this morn
Ing. 49,
J "At the table l told him story AM
got 9 little laugh out Of him. H
] stayed with me three weeks, chorln
around the place and taking IL easy
He read all the books I had, until-yol
and Doc Allen came with the la,
: books. Then he pitched into them.
3 think he has changed q good deal sine
Ann died. He talks lot about Go
! and the hereafter"
j In October young Mr.. Lincoln re