In practicing his speeches on political and other subjects, he made them so amusing and attractive that his father had to forbid his speaking during working hours, "for," said he, "when Abe begins to speak, all the hands flock to hear him."

He attended court at Boonville, the county seat of Warwick County, to witness a trial for murder, at which one of the Breckenridges, from Kentucky, made a very eloquent speech for the defence. The boy was carried away with intense admiration, and was so enthusiastic, that, although a perfect stranger, he could not refrain from expressing his admiration to Breckenridge. He wished he could be a lawyer, and went home and dreamed of courts, and got up mock trials, at which he would defend imaginary prisoners. Several of his companions at this period of his life, as well as those who knew him after he went to Illinois, declare that he was often heard to say, not in joke, but seriously, as if he were deeply impressed, rather than elated with the idea: "I shall some day be President of the United States."1

At

In March, 1826, Lincoln was seventeen years old. that time, from specimens of his writing in the possession of the author, he wrote a clear, neat, legible hand, which is instantly and easily recognized as his by those familiar with Lincoln's handwriting when President. He was quick at figures, and could readily and accurately solve any and all problems of arithmetic up to, and including, the "rule of three." He studied, at about this time, the theory of surveying. Afterwards, and after his removal to Illinois,

1. I have myself heard from many of Lincoln's old friends, that he often said, while still an obscure man: "Some day I shall be President " He undoubtedly had, for years, some presentiment of this.-Author.

2. I have in my possession, a few pages from his manuscript "Book of Examples in Arithmetic." One of these is dated March 1, 1826, and headed “ Discount," and then follows in his careful handwriting, first; "A definition of Discount," second; "Rules for its computation," third; "Proofs and Various Examples," worked out in figures etc.; then "Interest on money is treated in the same way, all in his own handwriting. I doubt whether it would be easy to find among scholars of our common or high schools, or any school of boys of the age of seventeen, a better written specimen of this sort of work, or a better knowledge of figures than is indicated by this book of Lincoln's, written at the age of seventeen -Author.

as we shall see, he became like Washington, a good practical surveyor.'

In the spring of 1828, young Lincoln, in the employ of the proprietor of Gentryville, and in company with Allen, a son of Mr. Gentry, made a trip to New Orleans. They made the descent of the Mississippi in a flat-boat loaded with bacon and other farm produce. This was his first opportunity of seeing the world outside of the little settlement in which he lived. Having disposed very successfully of their cargo and boat, the young adventurers returned home by steamboat.

Living thus on the extreme frontier, mingling with the rude, hard-working, simple, honest backwoodsmen, while he soon became superior in knowledge to all around him, he was at the same time an expert in the use of every implement of agriculture and woodcraft. As an axe-man he was unequalled. He grew up strong in body, healthful in mind, with no bad habits, no stain of intemperance, profanity or

He used neither tobacco nor intoxicating drinks, and thus living, he grew to be six feet and four inches high, and a giant in strength. In all athletic sports he had no equal. His comrades say "he could strike the hardest blow with axe or maul, jump higher and further, run faster than any of his fellows, and there was no one, far or near, could lay him on his back."

Among these rough people he was always popular. He early developed that wonderful power of narration and storytelling, for which he was all his life distinguished. This, and his kindness and good-nature, made him a welcome guest at every fireside and in every cabin. A well authenticated incident illustrating his kindness occurred while he lived near

1. I have also in my possession, the book from which he learned the art of surveying. It is entitled, **The Theory and Practice of Surveying, by Robert Gibson." It was published by Evert Duyckinck, New York, in 1814, as appears from the title page. Lincoln's name, in his own handwriting, appears in several places and on blank leaves of the book.-Author.

2. "He could strike with an axe," says old Mr. Wood, "a heavier blow than any man." "He could sink an axe deeper than any of his fellows."

Gentryville. Going home with a companion, late on a cold night, they found an acquaintance dead drunk in the road. Although his companion refused assistance, young Lincoln would not leave the drunken man, but, lifting him in his long, stalwart arms to his shoulders, he carried him a considerable distance to the cabin of Dennis Hanks, and there warmed him and brought him to consciousness. The poor fellow often afterwards declared: "Abe Lincoln's strength and kindness saved my life."

CHAPTER II.

LIFE AT NEW SALEM.

THE LINCOLN FAMILY REMOVE TO ILLINOIS.- ABRAHAM'S SECOND TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS.-LIFE AT NEW SALEM.-JACK ARMSTRONG AND THE CLARY GROVE BOYS.- BLACK HAWK WAR.— LINCOLN ACQUIRES THE NAME OF "HONEST ABE."-POSTMASTER AT SALEM. TRUST FUNDS. STUDIES LAW.- A SURVEYOR. STORY OF ANNE RUTLedge. ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATURE.

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IN the spring of 1830, the Lincoln family removed from Indiana to Illinois, and settled near Decatur, in Macon County. The family and their personal effects were transported by an ox-team, consisting of four yoke of oxen, which were driven by the future President.

Young Lincoln helped to build a cabin for his father, and to break up, fence, and plant a portion of the farm-splitting the rails for the enclosure himself. He was now in his twenty-second year, and living in the land of the Illinii, which signifies the land of full grown men; as an example of such in size, strength, and capacity, one might search the country through and not find his equal. Up to this time all his earnings, with the exception of his own very frugal support, had gone to the maintenance of his father and family. Ambitious to make his way in the world, he now asked permission to strike out for himself, and to seek his own fortune.

His father, after several changes, finally settled near "Goosenest Prairie," in Coles County. There he made his home, until his death, in 1851, at the age of seventy-three. He lived to see his son one of the most prominent lawyers,

During

and one of the most distinguished men of the state. his life this son was continually performing for him acts of kindness and generosity. He shared in the prosperity, and his pride was gratified in the rising fortunes of his son, who often sent money and other presents to his father and mother, bought land for them, and always treated them with the kindest consideration.

When, in 1830, Lincoln became a citizen of Illinois, this great commonwealth, now the third or fourth state in the Union, and treading fast upon the heels of Ohio and Pennsylvania, was on the frontier, with a population a little exceeding one hundred and fifty thousand. In 1860, when Lincoln was elected President, it had nearly two millions, and was rapidly becoming the center of the republic.

Perhaps he was fortunate in selecting Illinois as his home. Touching on the northeast the vast chain of lakes through which passes to the Hudson and to the St. Lawrence the commerce of the valley of the Mississippi, and having that river along its entire western boundary, more than five hundred miles in length; on the south the Ohio, reaching eastward to the mountains of Pennsylvania and Virginia; while from the west comes to its shores the Missouri, bringing for three thousand miles the waters of the springs of the Rocky Mountains; this was the Illinois in which he settled; then a wilderness, but destined to become in the near future the keystone of the Federal arch. Being thus situated, the National Union was to this state an obvious necessity, and Lincoln, as we shall see, early and always recognized this fact. He realized that his own state, with its vast products, must seek the markets of the world by the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as by the Great Lakes and the Hudson, but never through foreign territory. He early declared that no foreign flag or custom house must ever intervene between Illinois and salt water. To these lakes and rivers encircling her with their mighty arms, is Illinois indebted for her prosperity. Her rich soil, her emerald prairies, her streams fringed with stately forests, have made her