delays were permitted to interfere with the immediate clearing of a site for a cabin. An axe was placed in Abraham's hands, and with the assistance of a neighbor, in a few days Mr. Lincoln had a neat log house about eighteen feet square. It had only one room, but slabs laid across logs overhead gave additional accommodations which were obtained by climbing a rough ladder in one corner. A bed, table and four stools were made by the new settlers, father and son. The loft was Abraham's bedroom, one coarse blanket his mattress and another being his covering. During the ensuing winter Abraham did not neglect his reading and spelling, and also practiced frequently with a rifle, becoming a skillful marksman, though taking part regularly with his father, in the severe toils which their forest life required.

About a year after the settlement in Spencer county Mrs. Lincoln died. Abraham was then ten years old. He was able to read the bible; his mother having patiently directed and instructed him. He could also write, and greatly astonished the neighbors by writing a letter inviting a minister to preach over his mother's grave. When he was eleven years old his father married Mrs. Sally Johnston, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, a widowlady with three children, and a superior woman, between whom and Abraham, a devoted attachment was cultivated, which was unbroken at the day of his death. When the young backwoodsman was about twelve years of age, a man named Crawford opened a school in Spencer county. Mr. Lincoln immediately sent Abraham. With buckskin clothes, a coonskin cap, and an old arithmetic which had been somewhere found for him, he commenced his studies in the "higher branches." His progress was rapid, and his perseverance and faithfulness won the interest and esteem of his teacher.

In that thinly-settled country a book was a great rarity, but whenever Mr. Lincoln heard of one he endeavored to procure it for Abraham's perusal. In this way he became acquainted with Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Esop's Fables, a Life of Henry Clay, and Weem's Life of Washington. The "hatchet" story of Washington made a strong impression upon Abraham, and was one of those unseen, gentle influences, which helped to form his character for integrity and honesty. Its effect may be traced in the following story, which bids fair to become as neverfailing an accompaniament to a Life of Lincoln as the hatchet incident to that of Washington:

Mr. Crawford had lent him a copy of Ramsay's Life of Washington. During a severe storm Abraham improved his leisure by reading his book. One night he had laid it down carefully, as he thought, and the next morning he found it soaked through! The wind had changed, the storm had beaten in through a crack in the logs, and the appearance of the book was ruined. How could he face the owner under such circumstances? He had no money to offer as a return, but he took the book, went directly to Mr. Crawford, showed him the irreparable injury, and frankly and honestly offered to work for him until he should be satisfied. Mr. Crawford accepted the offer and gave Abraham the book for his own, in return for three days steady labor in "pulling fodder." His manliness and straightforwardness won the esteem of all the neighborhood.

At nineteen years of age Abraham Lincoln made a trip to New Orleans, in company with a son of the owner of a flat-boat, who entrusted a valuable cargo to their care. On the way they were attacked by seven negroes, and their lives and property were in great danger, but owing

to their good use of the muscular force they had acquired as backwoodsmen, they succeeded in driving off the invaders, and pushing their boat out into the stream in safety. The result of the voyage was satisfactory to the owner, and Abraham Lincoln gained, in addition to his ten dollars a month, a reputation as a youth of promising business talent.

In 1830 the family moved to the neighborhood of Decatur, Illinois, the journey occupying fifteen days. Abraham was now twenty-one, but did not commence his independent life until he had aided his father in settling his family, breaking the ground for corn, and making a rail fence around the farm. Those rails have passed into song and story, and gave Mr. Lincoln, during the Presidential campaign of 1860, the title of the "Great Rail Splitter." After the first winter in Illinois, which was of uncommon severity, and required more than his father's care to keep the family in food, which was mostly obtained by hunting, Abraham Lincoln began life for himself. Sometimes he hired himself out as a farm-hand, and sometimes his learning procured him a situation as clerk in a store. When the Black Hawk war broke out in 1832, he joined a volunteer company, and was made captain. He is said to have been an efficient, faithful officer, watchful of his men, and prompt in the discharge of duty, and his courage and patriotism shrank from no dangers or hardships.

After his military life was over he looked about for something to do. He ran for the Legislature, but was beaten; though his own precinct gave him 277 votes out of 284. This was the only time he was ever beaten before the people. He bought a store and stock of goods on credit, and was appointed postmaster. The store proved unprofitable, and he sold out. All this time he pursued his studies. He had already learned grammar, and he

had now opportunities for more extensive reading. He wrote out the synopsis of every book he read, and thus fixed it in his memory.

About this time he met John Calhoun, since President of the Lecompton (Kansas) Constitutional Convention. He proposed to Lincoln to take up surveying, and himself aided in his studies. He had success as a surveyor, and won a good reputation in this new line of business. In 1834 he was sent to the Legislature, and the political life commenced which his countrymen's votes have ever since shown they fully appreciated. When the session of the Legislature was over he set himself to the study of law in good earnest. In 1836 he obtained a law license, and in April, 1837, he removed to Springfield and commenced the practice of the law in partnership with his friend and former colleague, Hon. T. Stuart.

An instance which occurred during Mr. Lincoln's early legal practice is worthy of extended publication. At a camp meeting held in Menard county a fight took place which ended in the murder of one of the participants in the quarrel. A young man named Armstrong, a son of an aged couple for whom many years before Abraham Lincoln had worked, was charged with the deed, arrested and examined, and a true bill found against him, and lodged in jail to await his trial. As soon as Mr. Lincoln received intelligence of the affair, he addressed a letter to Mrs. Armstrong, stating his anxiety that her son should have a fair trial, and offering in return for her kindness to him while in adverse circumstances some years before, his services gratuitously. Investigation convinced the volunteer attorney that the young man was the victim of a conspiracy, and he determined to postpone the case until the excitement had subsided. The day of trial finally arrived, and the accuser testified positively that he saw

the accused plunge the knife into the heart of the murdered man. He remembered all the circumstances perfectly; the murder was committed about half-past nine o'clock at night, and the moon was shining brightly. Mr. Lincoln reviewed the testimony carefully, and then proved conclusively that the moon, which the accuser had sworn was shining brightly, did not rise until an hour or more after the murder was committed. Other discrepancies were exposed, and in thirty minutes after the jury retired they returned with a verdict of "Not Guilty."

In 1836, in 1838 and in 1840 Mr. Lincoln was chosen as a legislator by the people of Sangamon county.

On the third of March, 1837, a protest was presented to the House of Representatives of Illinois and signed by "Daniel Stone and Abraham Lincoln, Representatives from Sangamon county," which is the first record the world has of the sentiments of the great emancipator on the slavery question. It was in opposition to a series of resolutions which had been adopted, taking an extreme Southern view of slavery, for which Mr. Lincoln refused to vote.

After 1840 Mr. Lincoln remained six years in private life, devoting himself to the practice of the law, displaying remarkable ability, and gaining an enviable reputation. In every campaign, however, from 1836 to 1852, he was a Whig candidate for Presidential Elector, and in 1844 he stumped the entire State of Illinois for Henry Clay; and then crossing the line into Indiana, spoke daily at large meetings until the day of election. In 1846 Mr. Lincoln was elected to Congress from the Central District of Illinois, by a majority of over fifteen hundred votes, the largest ever given in that District to any candidate opposed to the Democratic party. Illinois elected seven Representatives that year; and all were Democrats but