Show I IL I YOUNG YOUNG LINCOLN a. a r By Edwin Markham L Lr L am II I i r re e l a i r it IT t s j aY or 1 j 9 a au 4 u s c 4 o y a aI at I t r L n kfir r N A 2 f t tSy r Sy i t Y H L. L 1 p t I v r 4 h 3 d j R A 4 ti w r s' s JT A hitherto unpublished unPuNished photograph of ot Abraham Lincoln taken by M M. B Brady the famous Civil war photographer for tor whom Lincoln made a 11 number of ot sittings This photograph obtained through J. J G G. Gessford New York City Dedicated to tho the Living Memorial to Abraham Lincoln the Lincoln Memorial university Cumberland Gap Tenn 11 I. I I Men kIen saw no P PA portent on that winter night A hundred years ago No omens flared 1 Above Aboy that rail built cabin with one door door- l And windowless to all the peering stars 1 They laid him in the hollow of a log l Humblest of cradles save that other one one The manger in the stall tall at Bethlehem i Tf 1 No portents lyet yet with whisper and alarm The Evil Powers that dread the nearing feet Of Heroes held a council in m that hour r And sent three fates to darken that low door I JJ heaven child To baffle and beat back the sent t. t Three were the e fates gaunt fates gaunt Poverty that chains hains' i Gray Dru Drudgery gery that grinds the hope away j jAnd And gaping Ignorance that starves the soul I r f The They came with secret lau laughters to destroy L Ever they dogged him counting every step fIt 1 I Waylaid his youth and struggled for his life lifeE life 1 f he made mado them 4 i f They came cameto to master but serve ser ej serve fAnd And from the wrestle with the destinies He rose with all his energies aglow w. w t iI t f j J Jj i For God upon whose st steadfast shoulders rest rest These governments of ours oUis GUIS had not forgot r He voice oice 1 needed for His purposes a A voice to be be bea a clarion on on the wind f v I i I Crying ry g the word ward of freedom to dead dead l-ea l hearts l' l f The word the centuries had waited f for r. r l l' l So hidden i in the West God shaped His Ills man man I There in the unspoiled solitudes he grew by culture and by cre creed d' d Keeping his course courageous and alone As goes he the Mississippi to the sea His daring spirit burst the narrow bounds Rose lose resolute and like the sea called stream He tore new channels where he found no way t The tools were his first teachers stern sternly y kind I. I The plow the scythe the oar the echoing ax Taught him Mm their hom homely ly wisdom and their peace He e h had d the plain man man s geni genius genius common s common sense sese Yet Let Y et rage for knowledge drove his mind afar He fed his spirit with the l bread of books l lAnd And slaked his thirst at all the wells of thought j But most he read the heart of common man Scanned all its secret pages gages stained with with tears 1 K Saw Sawall all the guile saw sawall all the piteous Pal pain tj And yet could keep the smile about his lips l rl t j Love and forgive see all and pardon all i His only fault the the fault that some of old he was ever wont Laid Laid- even on God that God that To bend the law to let his mercy out Copyright 1923 United States Canada Great Grea Britain by bye Ed Edwin win Markham All rights reserved reserved Released by Women's 11 News Service Inc I exclusively through the North American Newspaper Alliance |