Year: 1870

On n little farm near where formerly
stood the town of New Salem, there lives
| an Old man named Graham. During the
| first settlement of this region he was a
school teacher, and taught Mr. Lincoln
grammar. He tells me he knew Mr.. Lin.
coin, when bog, in kentucky. ~ vas
going one morning with my father to bring
load of hay some distance from our house,
| when we overlook some neighbors, who
told US a murder had been committed. An
Englishman who had moved into the settle
ment, in a drunken frenzy, had killed his
wife, handsome, cultivated woman, the
mother Of two chiIjren-lit,le girls. The
father and h sband became jealous of
wealthy neighbor, on whose estate they
lived. At breakfast, being frantic at his
| abuse and vile accusations, she clutched a
knife and rushed at him. He raised
chair to keep her from reaching his person,
and, thrustng it against her temple, killed
her instantly. AS came out of the house
where the murdered woman lay, boy
stood at the door talking to the two little
girls, speaking words OF comfort, trying to
| console them for the loss OF their mother
| asked who he was, and was told his name
was I.incoln--Abraham Lincoln, son of
Thos. Lincoln, who h.d settled near this
place.


After I came here to Salem, was stand
ing at my door one d,y, saw a tall boy or
young man coming up the street carrying a
bundle in his hand. lie stopped close by
to talk to neighbor. looked at him, his
appearance was familiar certainly; where
had | seen before? Suddenly the tragic
scene in Kentucky flashed upon me. 1t
was the same boy l saw standing at the
door Of that stricken house talking with
those little girls. l went up to him, related
the circumstance, asking if he was not the
person. He said he was, and had come
here to live, ard was going to work for
Denton Offut. We became very intimate,
ard taught him grammar.


About the time of his first election to
the Legislature, he occupied little log
house at Salem, as an Office. quit school
teaching, and came out on this farm to try
farming. But | was no farmer, and the
season was a lad one-so wet nothing
scarcely was raised. We had to live on
corn meal-there was no wheat, and what
little there was, was kept for seed. | be-
came very poor, and to add to my troubles
sickness set in-one, Ellen, a br ght little
girl or seven summers, sickencd with the
rest. She was great favorite with Lin
coin, and he would ask about her every
time be saw me.


One morning | started with a sack to
mil, to see if l'could get little wheat
-four. My child was very sick, and we had
nothing in the world to give her but milk
and corn meal, and she coull not bear the
sight of milk. | had no money, and if
there was any -four at the mill vas unable
to obtain it. | was proud--too proud to
tell the actual condition we were in. As
walked back up the street, my sack on nv
arm and head down, thinking over my sad
lot and the disappointment there would be
at home my little girls wan face uprose be-
fore me, and tears gathered in my eyes,
falling thick and fast. Just then felt
something touch my hand, and looking
down there lay a ten dollar bill Turning
quickly saw Lincoln slipping into his Office
door, glancing furtively toward me,