Mary Hazelton Blanchard Wade

“ The clouds of war were now fast scattering and the President had reason to be happy. Through his love and patience and wisdom the country would be saved.
"Take better care of yourself," his friends kept saying to him. "The times are full of danger. Bad men are everywhere about us, and may work you harm unless you are protected."
But Lincoln would not heed them. With his great kind heart, he would not let thoughts of enemies enter his mind.
He went in and out of the White House and through the streets of the city as simply as a common workman might have done. ”

“ Hannah Armstrong, the boy's mother, enters by another door, shaking with excitement, and rushes towards Lincoln, after the jury have all shaken hands with her.
Lincoln (tears running down his cheeks) ,—Hannah, what did I tell you? The boy is as free as I said that he should be, and I pray to God that he may be a good boy hereafter, and that this may prove in the end to be a good lesson to him and to others.
Hannah,—May God reward you as you deserve, Mr. Lincoln. You have a great heart, as well as a wise head. May you live to do great deeds for your country. ”

“ His work had been done and his country saved.
He might not live to enjoy with his people the peace which he had prayed for so earnestly. He had entered forever into a greater peace where war and hate could have no place. Great was the sorrow in the land. In the homes of rich and poor, the white man and the black, could be heard the sobs of women and children. Even strong men were not ashamed to weep. ”

“ Lincoln had scarcely time to get used to his new duties before the war burst forth,—a terrible war. Then it was that the new President showed how great he was,—how wise and strong, how loving towards all, whether they believed as he did or not.
No other man in the whole country could have filled his place, for no other had such a great heart and farseeing mind. Night and day he was busy planning how the war might be ended and the country saved. ”

“ War, fierce and bitter, sweeps our land,
Death and disaster's on every hand,
But Lincoln, now our President,
Shows wisdom great and calm judgment,
While even now, though cares of state
Bow down his mind with heavy weight,
His heart with pitying love takes heed
Of everyone who is in need. ”

“ Men and women were tried there for wrong-doing, and they were often defended by great lawyers who had come from the cities far away. Abraham listened carefully to the speeches which he stored away in his mind. At such times the log-house in the backwoods, the hum-drum ploughing and wood chopping were forgotten, for the young fellow was living in thought in the big, outside world.
After such days in court, Abraham could often be seen standing in the middle of the field, when he should have been at work, repeating the speeches he had heard to a crowd of neighbors. ”

“ In this kind of life, so full of danger, the boy Thomas grew up. There was no school where he could learn to read and write. The days were spent out of doors, cutting down the trees of the forest near by, hunting wild animals, and tending the little garden.
When Thomas became a young man he married a girl named Nancy Hanks who had been brought up in better circumstances than he. She had been to school, and though she had always lived in the "backwoods," she had the gentle and beautiful nature of a true lady. ”

“ Whenever he could spare the time, President Lincoln would ride out to the hospitals near Washington to visit the sick and wounded soldiers. He had kind and tender words for each, and the sight of his sorrowful face, so full of love for all, gave courage to many a suffering man. ”

“ Lincoln,—Gentlemen of the jury, I came here to-day to defend this young man, William Armstrong, not for pay, but because I owe a great debt to his parents. They were kind to me when I was poor, and had but few friends. The father of this boy who has been unjustly accused, has gone to his long rest. His mother, now a weak, gray-haired old woman, is broken down with sorrow. But, years ago, when young and happy, these two welcomed me to their humble log cabin. They were poor, but they gladly shared what they had with the homeless boy who came to their door. ”

“ The sky at last begins to clear,
No longer is great cause to fear
That North and South divided be.
Our President the end can see
Of cruel war; his hope is high,
His heart grows merry; though death be nigh
He knows it not. ”

“ He thought often of the words in the Declaration of Independence, "All men are created equal."
And yet he would say to himself, "Americans hold slaves."
Whenever he spoke of slavery in public he gave such good reasons against it, that all who heard him were moved. Now there was a certain senator of the United States, whom Lincoln had known when he first started out in Springfield as a lawyer. This man, Stephen A. Douglas, had become famous throughout the country, and had won for himself the name of "The Little Giant." ”

“ When the Black Hawk War came to an end, Lincoln went back to New Salem, reaching his home just ten days before the time to elect men for the state legislature.
He was, as we know, a great favorite in the town. "Why not let the people use my name for representative?" he thought. "I shall lose nothing if I fail to be elected."
His many frends were pleased, and when the election day came, all the men in New Salem except three voted for "Abe." The rest of the district, however, favored another man more strongly, and Lincoln lost the election. What should he do now? He had no money and no work. ”

“ One of them had died there, but there were still three little sons to enjoy the new life of the big city, and President Lincoln was never so happy as when he could frolic with his boys in the White House gardens. Heavy cares, however, began to press upon him and kept him very busy. There was great trouble in the land. Clouds of war were fast spreading over the blue sky of peace. The question Lincoln had asked himself when a young man must now be settled.
Should there be slaves in the country or not? ”

“ Abraham was tall and strong for his age, and he worked hard, helping his father clear the land for a farm. From morning till night his long arms were busy felling the trees or ploughing the ground for a garden. ”

“ William Armstrong, you may speak in your own defense.
Armstrong (speaking to the judge) ,—I am charged with a terrible deed. I am innocent, sir, indeed I am. It is true that I struck Metzger in anger. I struck him with my fist. But the blow was not a hard one. It did not harm. I am sure of it.
Crowd (jeering) ,—Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! ”

“ Abe (sternly now) ,—What will you tell mother? How will you explain about getting hurt?
Matilda,—I'll tell her that I did it with the ax. Isn't that the truth?
Abe,—Yes, Tilda, it is the truth, but it isn't the whole truth. Be a brave girl when you go home. Tell your mother the whole truth, and leave the rest to her.
Matilda (looking up into her brother's kind but firm face) ,—Yes, Abe, I reckon you are right. I'll do what you say. (She limps away) .
Abe (talking to himself) ,—Poor Tilda! it is hard to be brave, even in little things. ”

“ While Abraham was working for Mr. Offut, he was sent on another flat-boat expedition down the Mississippi. He carried bacon, flour and other things raised on the farms near by, and traded them off to the plantations along the river, just as he had done before. This time, however, he travelled as far as New Orleans, where he saw something that seemed very terrible. It was an auction of slaves. Little children were taken from their mothers' arms and sold as so many pieces of furniture. Women were parted from their husbands. The young man was deeply troubled at the sad sight. ”

“ Now it happened that the war came to an end before Lincoln's company was called upon to do any fighting, but the men were in camp for several months, where they were drilled daily and stood ready to fight if called upon. They had much spare time, however, in which they ran races, had jumping and wrestling matches and other sports, and Abraham enjoyed the good-natured companionship of so many young men. ”

“ He loved his studies so much, that after working hard on the farm all day, he used every spare minute of the evening reading the few books he was able to borrow from his neighbors, or doing "sums" with bits of charcoal on the wooden fire shovel.
There were no lamps nor candles in the house. The boy, however, would stretch out on the floor before the fireplace, and by the light of the burnings logs, he managed to do his sums and his reading. Abraham's stepmother soon discovered that he had a bright mind and she encouraged him to study. ”

“ But I have a great hope. We shall hear good news shortly. I am sure of it. I had the same dream last night that has come to me before when great things were to happen. It was this (he speaks almost in a whisper) : I was in a strange ship that I cannot describe, and I was moving fast, very fast, towards a dark shore beyond. ”

“ Mr. Douglas believed so strongly that slavery was just, he succeeded in winning the right to own slaves for two states where they had not been held before. Just after he had done this he came back to his old home in Springfield, and made a great speech there defending slavery.
Lincoln answered this speech so well, that he won the greatest praise for himself. After this Mr. Douglas made other speeches, but every one was followed by a still greater one from Lincoln. ”

“ Lincoln, talking on, as he glances at one telegram after another,—I have just come from a lively talk with one of my advisers. (Laughs and looks keenly from one officer to the other.)
First Officer,—Yes?
Lincoln,—You see, he blames me for being too soft-hearted. Too many pardons, he declares. The soldiers aren't held up to their duty. If they get scared and run from danger, they think that a word from me will save them. ”

“ Only a short time before there was constant danger from the Indians, who were likely to attack the white people at any moment. Abraham's own grandfather was killed by one of these savages while he was busy with his two older sons making a clearing about his home. The youngest son, Thomas, who was afterwards Abraham's father, was playing near them. When their father fell, the older boys ran off to get help, telling Thomas to watch his father's dead body. ”

“ When these had been attended to, and the furniture set in place, Abraham was more comfortable than he had ever been in his life.
The stepmother had a loving heart, and though she had three children of her own, she treated Abraham and Sarah very kindly and did all she could to make them happy.
"Even if we live in these backwoods, they must have book learning," she declared. "They shall not grow up ignorant." ”

“ The fame of the young lawyer was now growing fast, and more people sought his services every year. The time came when a man was willing to pay five thousand dollars for his help in a single case. How different this was from those first days in Springfield, when Lincoln was satisfied to receive a fee of five dollars. ”

“ When Abraham was twenty-one years old, his father decided to move once more. He learned that farther west in Illinois, there was rich prairie land where it would be easy to make a comfortable home. Two other families decided to go with the Lincolns. Heavy ox-carts were loaded with furniture and supplies, and the party started out with hearts full of hope. ”

“ A great chief named Black Hawk entered Illinois with his braves and led them in several terrible massacres against the white people. The settlers fled from their homes in fright, and an army was raised to rout the Indians. ”

“ No matter how large a sum was offered, however, he was never willing to help anyone who seemed to be in the wrong. Nor was he ever too busy to aid those who had been his friends in his early days of sadness and struggle.
In this time of success, he was able to repay the kindness of the Armstrong family who had been good to him when he was a poor clerk in New Salem. ”

“ Years have passed by; the backwoods boy
Has grown to manhood, now, forsooth,
No longer poor, with fame unearned,
But Lincoln the lawyer, great and learned,
Wise in his craft, given honor and praise,
Yet never forgetting the friends of old days.
Scene Three
⁠Time,—1858.
⁠Place,—A court room in Beardstown, Illinois.
Judge, jury, Lawyer Lincoln, William Armstrong, accused of murder, witnesses, crowd of on-lookers.
Crowd (excitedly talking together) ,—Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!
Man in the Crowd,—Look at Armstrong's face. He turns away his eyes. Of course he is guilty. ”

“ While Abraham and his friend Allen were away, they had an exciting adventure. One dark night, after they had drawn the flat boat up to the shore to rest till morning, seven negroes made a sudden attack. They meant to kill the young men, and then steal the cargo of goods. ”

“ But Abe wouldn't hear to it. Leave a helpless man there to freeze to death! That warn't in Abe's makeup. Without saying anythin' more, he bent over and lifted the man up with them long arms of his, and started off with him. He didn't drop him, either, till he reached Dennis Hanks' cabin. Then he built a fire, and set to work rubbin' and warmin' the man up. It was mornin' before he dared to leave him alone. I'm proud to call Abe Linkern a friend of mine.
The Crowd,—Three cheers for honest Abe! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
First Farmer,—How the women folks do like the rail splitter! ”