Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-01-13
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 a 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 mar 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
cOmposure in his callow youth. Later
nothing reused his anger like an at
tempt to 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 dsllars had been equally unfa-
miliar to him. He had said more than
once in his young manhood that he felt
embarrassed in the presence of either,
and knew not quite how to behave
himself-en exaggeration in which
there was no small AMOUNT of truth.
In 1886 the middle frontier had en-
tered upon a singular phase of its de-
velopment. Emigrants from the East
and South and from overseas had been
pouring into it. 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 phe-
nomenal growth. A frenzied specula-
ton in town lots had been under way
in that community since the autumn
of 80. 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
Spectator. If MI. 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 a like inexperience.
In the midst of the session Samson
Traylor arrived in Vandalia on his
visit to Mr.. Lincoln.
Il have sold my farm" said Samson
to his old friend the evening of his ar
rival.
Did you get a good priceq" Mr.. Lin
coin asked.
All that my conscience would allow
me to take" said Samson. 'Tbe man
offered me three dollars an acre in
cash and ten dollars in notes. We
compromised on seven dollars, all
cash."
What are o going to do now that
you have sold out?"
I was thinking of going up to Taze-
well county"
why don't you go to the growing
n prosperous town Of Springfield?'
MIR. Lincoln asked. 1.-THE capitol will
be there, and so will I. 1t is going to
he q hiO 0ifu Afan xAo