Show I I Found a Friend in In L. L Lincoln Lincoln 1 l 7 n f WHEN HEN coming from the reunion reunion re re- re- re union banquet of the One OneHundred OneHundred Hundred and Thirty Thirty-sev Ohio volunteer infantry IT 1 try which took place at atthe atthe atthe the Grant hotel Louis P. P Bentley of ot Ludlow K Ky after atter hearing bearIng eulogies of ot the war heroes and especially especially espe espe- daily of Abraham Lincoln remarked to o Alexander Hlll Sr You did not know enow that for some months I was once a member of ot Abr Abraham hani Lincoln's lam fain fly ity ly did you 1 No how did that happen asked Mr Hill eagerly Then In a burst of patriotic pride and confidence Mr Bentley told the story tory which he has always kept to himself and fa family nUy from froni an undue sense ense of ot modesty which explains why Miss Ida Tarbell did not find him In inI I writing her book Ho He Knew Lin- Lin coIn oln It was in 1858 said Mr Bentley the le other day repeating his story and andI I was a oy oy of 18 who had learned the printing minting business and was staying In Decatur Decatur Ill then a town of about i Inhabitants and could not find work I Iwas was boarding at the Ogelsby house louse the only hotel In town and had paid mid my last 5 5 for board and was feeing feeling feel teel ing ng about as a's blue as any anyone one can feel teel under those circumstances Stephen A. A Douglas Douglas' then the Democratic senator senator sena- sena tor or from nUI JB was a candidate for election re-election an an and his Ills opponent a young lawyer awyer named Lincoln from Springfield Springfield Spring Spring- field and he were having a series of five ve addresses which have since become become be- be come ome so famous Both parties were were In tin the he hotel at that time to h hold ld a debate deate de- de bate ate that night and Douglas the man manof manof of f the hour was upstairs in the h hotel tel parlor arlor with a bottle of whisky a box of Df f cigars and surrounded by admiring friends who came to call caU upon him There was great excitement In the town own and it centered in the hotel but buti i was feeling too blue to care about It and nd sat In the office downstairs not caring aring to sp speak alt to any anyone one A tall raw boned man sat near me as much unnoticed as myself all hunched up In his liis chair whittling a little piece of wood Do you belong here he asked 0 No NoI I 1 replied N 4 How long have you been here 4 About a year U What are you doing I Nothing That Is not a good thing for a ayoung ayoung young oung man of your age to do Can you rou find work U rebellIous rebellious rebel- rebel No I 1 replied feeling very lIous ous against fate U What do you do when you are working Have you OU a trade 4 Yes Yea I am a printer I answered wishing this ills man would stop his ques- ques ons I U Well VeU young man he said kindly I have an Interest In a newspaper In ll I Springfield and if it you come back with me tomorrow I will wm see If it the foreman of Df f the printing room Toom cannot you give L 5 job Will wm you come I I 1 do not know I will see I tan tan- answered an- an i l feeling more kindly toward I thIs his curious gentleman i 4 Dont you want a a. job he ho asked quickly II II I Yes I do I answered but I did not tell him the reason for my not accepting accepting ac- ac his o offer tle r. r I had no means to togo togo togo go to Springfield miles mUes away It t was the first time that I was broke and nd I hated bated to own ItHe itHe itHe it He said nothing more and that after 0 the ie 16 debate where there w wee e as man mans mans' as a a. halt half million people present In proportion to the size of the he town I came face to face with him ilm again In the hotel office 4 Well young man he said are you FOU going with me l' l Then I confessed the reason why I could notI notI not I 1 knew w then that my friend was Abraham Lincoln the young Republican Ican lican candidate for senator who had bad debated with Stephen Stevhen A. A Douglas It was near midnight and the steamboat was due to leave In a short time ime U I with said You come me anyhow Mr Lincoln and tand I will take toke care of you I I I 1 did not require much urging and went to my room to collect my ray small email belongings and joined his party We arrived In Springfield the next morning and Mr Lincoln took me to toUs o ohis his Us home giving me the tho only vacant room In his house and I 1 ate breakfast breakfast break break- fast tast with the family After that t he took me mo to his law office and had a talk with Ith his partner Mr Herndon then we went to the printing office of or orthe the Illinois State Register the paper In which he had an interest and we had a talk with the foreman The latter after atter asking mo me to write something something something some some- thing said ho he was sorry he saw I knew the work but there was no position position po po- that he could give me at present pres pres- tnt ent promising me however the first firs hance of work At that my spirits which had risen lisen dropped down again to a stilt still lower liwer ebb until my benefactor tor said Now I am going to be away a great deal on this campaign and Mr Herndon will wUl be very busy so how would you like to stay In the office and answer the questions of visitors for 4 a week That was before belore the tho day of 0 stenographers I 1 did not think there was so BO much money In the world so BO I accepted the offer gladly and remained a resident of ot the tho Lincoln household for tor nine nina weeks Mr Mrs Mra a. a Lincoln's aunt was WM go go- ing lag to make them a visit and that as asI asI 5 I had the only vacant room In the house he would make Arrangements for tor me to stay with a n. lady across the street who had two young men boardIng boarding board board- Ing with her if it I 1 did not care 1 I could not object and moved and 1 I suppose Mr Lincoln paid my y board all aU the time I was there thero as well as my salary salar for I know I 1 did not pay any Then one day the foreman sent for forme forme forme me to work on a brief and when It was finished to my great delight paid me full journeyman's wages Altogether Altogether Altogether Alto Alto- gether I remained in Springfield four months going from there thero to StLouis St St. Louis where I went Into a printing office but I I soon returned to Cincinnati Cincinnati Cincin Cincin- nati and to Ludlow where I have lived for nearly sixty years Mr Bentley Dentley never had bad an opportunity opportunity to renew his acquaintance with Abraham Lincoln but never forgot the helping hand which ho extended extend d to the lonely r despondent boy that night In Decatur which played such an n Important important im Im- Im part in the history of the gre great t president himself |