Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-09


folded, new worlds we're opened. ambition was
fired, and the greatest sorrow of his life came
to him.
Lincoln arrived at New Salem when he was
a gangling country boy Of ~. New Salem at
that time contained not more than a hundred
inhabitants
Nevertheless there were suficient opportuni-
ties In this tiny country town to enable Lin
coin to discover himself and lay the founda-
tons for his subsequent matchleSS fame.
In this little backwoods town in just few
years he rose from unknown stranger TO one
of the most popular and reliable citizens In
the town and county.
1T was in this settlement that he met, loved
and lost his first sweetheart-the lovely and
gentle Ann Rutledge. It was here that he was
postmaster, surveyor and storekeeper. Here he
had his first experience as a candidate for .
political ONCE.
The Lincoln family had moved to Illinois
from Indiana in 1880 and settled about 10 miles
west Of Decatur Bad health had beset them
for several years, and they had gone Illinois
ward IN search Of a healthier locality.
man named Denton Of1ut responsible
for LincolnS FIRST view Of New Salem and its
people. Offut who was hustling young BUSH
ness man Of that section Of Illinois. was
bilious to do q little specializing by sending
a cargo Of produce down to New Orleans in q
hatboat and selling It to the people Of that
far-away metropolis After careful inquiry he
decided to employ Dennis Hanks his young
nephew; Abraham Lincoln and John D. john
Ston, Lincoln's stepbrother. to pilot the boat
down to the big city. Hanks, however, was
only to go as far as st. Louis. These three
young men reported to Offut when the Winter
SHOWS began to melt. They cut down trees
and built the boat from lumber thus secured.
BY the middle of April the boat was completed
and loaded with o cargo Of cured meat -four,
wheat and other products of the surrounding
farms.
The cruise was most delightful until New
Salem was reached. Here the young sailors
struck a little temporary hard luck. All Of q
sudden they found their boat stuck on the
dam which had been built at this village. It
q tense situation. The bow stuck high
in the air and the stern where the cargo had
shifted filled with water. Pretty much
the entire population of New Salem including
the adorable Ann Rutledge, assembled on the
river hank to watch the excitement. The cargo
was quickly transferred to small boats and
saved from damage. Then q tall, raw-boned
member Of the crew began to do a little boss
ing. He borrowed an augur from one Of the
villagers, bored Q hole in the bow of the boat.
tipped up the craft and let the water run out,
whereupOn the boat slid over the dam and
everything was lovely and serene. The bored
hole was plugged. the produce reloaded and
the journey resumed. But every little while, as
the boat progressed down the Father of
Waters" q sweet face would appear before the
vision Of that extra tain boy. I doubt If day
ever passed until the day of his death that
that same beautiful vision did not appear before
him.
A month passed. happy, exciting month
before the boat reached New Orleans. Here
another month slipped by while Lincoln and
his mates were dispoSng Of the cargo, and Incl
dentally taking in the sights of this immense
town. An auction sale of slaves was witnessed
by Lincoln for the first time in his life He
was deeply impressed with the sadness and
roughneSS Of the proceeding. When leaving
the scene he said to his companions, IF ever
get chance to hit that thing I'll hit it hard"
ON the return trip Lincoln stopped off in
Coles County, Illinois. to make little visit
with his father and stepmother. This STEP
mother, by the way, loved young Lincoln as
real son, and was Of great help and encour-
agement to him. In the latter part of July,
1881, he started for New Salem, where he had
contracted to clerk In a store that was to be
started by his friend Offut. While putting in
time around the town waiting for construction
work on the store building to get under way
incident happened that started Lincoln on
his career of popularity. On election day early
in August Mentor Graham, the school teacher,
asked Lincoln If he could write. ct can make
few rabbit tracks," he smilingly replied He
was asked to keep tally the regular clerk hav-
ing failed to put in an appearance. Now and
then, when there was q lull in the voting
Lincoln RECALLED his companions on the cleo
ton board with amusing tales Of his past ex-
periences and thus won new friendships. The
fact that he possessed sufficient learning" TO
Officiatc at an election attracted the attention
Of substantial citizens
From this time on Lincoln was a regular
New Salemite. He was lone of them" He
helped Offut build his new log store and as
sisted in putting the goods on display. William
Green, "a likely lad of 10 years." was made
assistant clerk to Lincoln. He knew the finan-
cial standing Of the countryside and could tell
Lincoln whether to trust or ask cash