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Show ffl UTTL 1 Idl I JlOX f of Democracy M L -L IC "yi Wt9 IRVING BACHELLER 3flK I CWTfttlH. IrrfcHt Bultlht Hi CHAPTER XV. fH 15 TJbPJ Wherein Harry and Abe Ride Up to ' M Sprlngdale and Visit Kelso's. UH Tlllnola was growing. In June scores H of prairie schooner, loaded with old f ffM nd young, rattled over tho plains nB' from tho Kast. There were tnuny JEW Yankees from Ohio, New York nnd - lflg New England In this lout; enrnvun. lBf There wcro n I most as ninny Irish, who JpB lind set out for this land of golden III iiromlse as soon ns they hud lieen llBj Mlile to save money for n lenm nnd . -jB ".tigon, nfter reaching the new world. XD There were some Germans mid Scan '; JmS elliinvlniw In (lie dust cloud of the CCH fc'ntfonnl road. Steamers on the till- 3f ools river scattered their living freight (-. ui along Its shiires. These were largely jjSSftiSwJ rrtmi Kentucky, southern Ohio. I'enn- plH Kjlvnnln, Maryland nnd Virginia. The plIBflB i 1 1 of the rich nnd kindly lands had H traveled fur nnd strennis of life were WBBE making toward them, to flow with In- ffiBBjj crenslhg speed and volume for many BfeBjH shears. E&jBBJ I'eopto In Snngniiion county had bc- SflBBj (Wrf to' learn of the thriving vlllngo rtlvJH "t Chicago In the north. Alio said JIH tlmt Illinois would he the l-.mplre 3??BBb MHtc of the West; that n new era i&jiR "t mpld development nnd great pros- iJt'tB Ixrlty was near. I. nnd was In great flH demand nnd there wcro many trans PPH fera of title. Abe hud more surveying SjHH Jo tnnn no wan u''e t0 ncrolnpllsh fc-B s,lat summer. Ilnrry was with him WHH r foine weeks. lie could earn two ''v'S -lollars n day with Abe, wlierenn Sam- '''' 'lB ton wns D,), to 'dec ii helper for hnlf ''! (list sum. Harry made a cnnlhfnnt of flBl ,llfl friend, nnd when (hey were work- "flK lnff nt tho norlhcin cud of the county 'SMB they borrowed a pair of horses and 'VMH r"Iu un tn (,'RO'H linuso nnd spent V-lfiV m Sunday there, -, BflE ,!l"i met them down the road a mile .'jm ur 80 fr01" Uopednle. She, too, was 3&H n thn back of a horse. She recog- II V1 "- bB X. osk vK'i . W,' H "Where Are You Qolna?" She Aeked. JV',H ateed them beforo they' wcro In hull- "siH dlstnnco nnd wnved her hand nnd jH kHrrled toward them with a hnppy , H "Whoro are you going?" she asked. " ' Bil 'a BC y0" Un'' i0Ur fn,,ler Ulltl ,Sfl MMthcr," snld Harry. ,. H 8a 'ooIc enmo Into her eyes. '!H "f I had a stnuo I would throw It 'MS At you," she said. t,Sn "WhyJ" Hnirr mked. H "Because I have to get used to being Kk (Miserable, nnd Just as I begin to bo 9R ''ff001 to " yl cinn ulong and W uuiko me happy, nnd I have It all to i, ' .MB d0 ovor Ctlu." v ,9B The yocig man stopped his horse. "',.' TB "I tindn thought of that." ho said, H rtth a Mi f"06- "" t8nt fnlr t0 yui H fn It? It's rnthor selfish." ', K "Why don't you go to nrlmstcnd's," '. ' HE Bliu suggested, "A beautiful girl over 1. .' H there Is In love with you. Honestly, V jHI Harry, there Isu't n sweeter girl In H all tho world." H "I ought not to go there, either," I ul(V the' young man. "Whr?" H "necnuse I mustn't let her think 9RB fJbnt l care for her." "'BtflH ,So " 'iupicnril that Harry went on 4HH with Him and Abe to tho llttlo house 9k (n Hopelale. '91 They put out the horses. The girl H csme nnd sat on her father's knee. . JHH Harry sat down by the sldo of Abe on H (lie gras In (he oak's Blindow, ; H "It's a Joy to have the little girl H wck ugnln," said Kelso, as he touched " hrr hr.lr with his hand. "It Is still as - i " H jellow ns a com tassel, I wonder It ,V f-ls't Kniy." -bKB "Her eyes look ha bright P 3Ttr ': today," said Hsrry. 'K "No compliments, please. I want ' ' '"Hlygu "' downright mean," Ulra pro 4 ' r- SS rted. I , " 9H Kelso tanked up with n smile: "My tf 5 .. "!H'tiy. it ns Leonardo da Vinci who " ' ' .' SB'ld thin n in iti could have nettlior a V BsbBb S WlaiWv-iaatm greater nor a less dominion than that over himself. I hold that If our yeung man are to be trained to tyr-nnny tyr-nnny In a lot of llttlo tilggcr kingdoms, king-doms, our democracy will die." Abe mode no answer. He was always al-ways slow to commit himself. "Tho North Is partly to Wome for what hns come," said Samson. "I guess our Tnukco cnptulns brought over most of the niggers and sold them to the planters of the South." 'There was n demand for them, or those Yankee pirates wouldn't have brought the niggers," Harry answered. "Until seller nm buyer wero committing commit-ting n crime." "They cslnhtlnhed n great wrong nnd now the South Is pushing to extend ex-tend and give It the sanction of low," snld Abe. "There Is the point of Irritation Irri-tation nnd danger." "I hear that In the next legislature an effort will he made to cudorso slavery," slav-ery," Bald Kelso. "It Is a dangerous subject," Abe nnswered. "Whatever happens, I shall not fall to express my opinion of slu very If I go back." "Tho time Is coming when you will Hike tho bull by tho horns," said Kelso. "There's no feuco that will keep him at home." "I hope that Isn't true," Abe answered- Soon Mrs. Kelso called Rim to sol tho table. .She and Hurry brought It out under the tree, where, In the cool shnde, they had a merry dinner. When the dishes wero put nway, ('ercy llrlmstcad nrrlvcd with his sister sis-ter Annabel In their buggy. Mhn went out to meet them nnd came Into the dnorynrd with her arm around Annabel's Anna-bel's waist. "Did nny one ever see n lovelier girl than this?" Illm asked, as they stood Up before the dinner party. "Her checks ore like wild roses, her eyes like the dew on them when the sun Is rising," said Kelso. Abo rose and snld. "The day Is pusslug. I'll Rtart on with Parsons and the pony mill rend my stint afoot. You coino along In n few minutes. I.y the tlnio .von overtake me I'll he ready to get Into tho snddlo." Hnlf an hour or so after Abe hnd pone. Harry's horse, which had heon whinnying for his mate, hounded out of the stable and went galloping down the road, hnvlng slipped his turner. "He will not stop until he overtakes the other horse," said Harry. "You can ride with usi." Annabel suggested. So the young man brought his snddlo snd-dlo -fltul bridle nnd put It under the sent of tho buggy mid got In with Annabel and her small brother. Some two miles down tho ronil Ilnrry Ilnr-ry found Abe stnndlng between "the horses, holding the runnwny by his forelock, Tho hitter was saddled and bridled, while the buggy went on nheml. "That Is n wonderful girl." enld Hnrry, ns he lind Abe wero riding nlong together. "Sho Is very modest nnd gentle hearted." "And ns pleasant to look nt ns tho flowery meadows." Abo answered. "I have promised to stop there n' few minutes on our wny buck." "It Is possible Illm could get a divorce." di-vorce." snld Abe. looking down thoughtfully nt the njnne of his home. "I'll nsk Sluart whnt ho thinks nbout It when I sco him ngnln." "I hope you'll sec him soon." "Ab soon ns I can get to Springfield." Spring-field." Next duy n letter enmo from Doctor Allen, telling him that Ann wns for gono with n dangerous fever. Hotli Abo nnd Ilnrry dropped their work nnd went home. Ann wnn too sick to sec her" lover. Tho llttlo village wns very quiet those hot summer days. The sorrow of tho pretty maiden had touched the hearts of the slmplo kindly folk who lived there. For a year or more thero had been a tender notch) tholr voices when they spoke of Ann. They had learned with great gladness of her engagement en-gagement to marry Abo. The whole community were ns ono family with Its favorite daughter nbout to be crowned wlih good fortune, greater than she knew. Now that she was stricken down, their feeling was more than sympathy. The love of Justice, tho desire to sco a great wrong righted, In n measure, was in tneir hearts when they sought news of the little sufferer at the tavern. There wns no shouting In the street, no story-telling In the doorynrds, no Jesting In the stores and houses, no merry parties, gladdened by the notes of the violin, In the days and nights of Ann's long Illness. Samson writes In hrs diary that Abe went about like a man In a dream, with no heart for work or study. He spent much timeat the doctor's ofllce, feeling for some straw of hope. One day late In August, as he stood talking with Samson Traylor In the street, DoctojuAllen called hlra from : his doorstepAbo turrutd very pale ' as he obeyed the summons, "I've Just come from her bedside." ' raid Doctor Allen. "She wants to see i you. I've talked It over with her par-i par-i ents, nnd we've derided to let you and her have n little visit together. You must be prepared for a great change In Ann. There's not much left of the poor girl. A breath wduld blow lur away. Rut she wunts to see you. It may be better than medicine. Who knows?" Tho two men went across to the tavern. Mrs. Ilutledge nnd Abe tiptoed tip-toed up the stairway. The latter entered en-tered the room of the sick girl. The woman closed the door. Ann Rut-ledge Rut-ledge was alone with her lover. There were none who knew what happened In Ihnt solemn hour save the two one of whom wns on the edge of eternity, nnd the other wns never to spetik of It. The only record of Hint hour IM 16 be found In the face nnd spirit of n great man. Years later Samson wrote In n letter: let-ter: "I saw Abe when he came out of tho tnvcru that day. He wns not the Abe wo hnd nil known. He wns different. There were new lines In his face. It Entered the Room of the Sick Girl. was sorrowful. Ills steps were slow. He had passed out of his young mm. hood. Wl,en 1 spoku to him, he answered an-swered with that gentle dignity now so fnmlllnr to all who knew him. I'roni that hour he was Abraham Lincoln." Ann passed awny before thu month ended mid 1 1 era me. Ilko many of her kind, an Imperishable memory. In her presence tho splrjt of the young man had receln-d such n baptism thnt heuceforwnrd, taking thought of her, he wus to love purity mid all cleanness, clean-ness, and no Mary who came to his fei't with tears and ointment wus ever to be turned ttwny. CHAPTER XVI. Wherein Young Mr, Lincoln Safely Pacses Two Qreat Danaer Points and Turns Into the Highway of His Manhood. l-'or days' thereafter the people of New Salem were sorely troubled. Abe Lincoln, the ready helper In time of need, the wise counselor, the friend of nil "old and young, dogs and horses," ns Snnison wus wont to suy tho pride and hope of tho little cabin village, was breaking down under his grief. He seemed- to care no more for work ur study or friendship. Ho wandered out In the woods and upon the prairies alone. Many feared thnt ho would lose his reason. There wus a wise mid merry-hearted man who lived u mile or so from tho village. Ills mime was Ilowlln Green. Thosu days when one of middle ago hnd established himself In the affections affec-tions of a community, its members hnd n wny of adopting him. So Mr. Oreen had been adopted Into many families from Hcardstnwu to Springfield. He was everybody's "Uncle Uowlln." He had n most unusual circumference und the strength to carry It. Ills ruddy cheeks and curling locks and kindly dark eyes and large head wero details of importance. Under all were a heart with the love of men, a mind of unusual un-usual understanding nnd a hand skilled In all the arts of tho Kentucky pioneer. He could grill a venison steak aud roast o grouse nnd broil n chicken In n wny which had tilled tho countryside with fond recollections of his hospitality; he could kindle a Ore with a bow and string, a pine stick and some slmvlugs; he could make anything from a splint broom to a rocking horse with his Jack-knife. Abe Lincoln was one of the many men who knew and loved him. On a warm, bright afternoon early In September, Uowlln Green was going around the pasture to put his fence In repair, wheu he mme upon young Mr. Lincoln. The latter sat lu the shade of a tree on the hillside. He looked "terribly peaked." as Uncle Uowlln hns snld In a letter. "Why, Abe, where have you been?' he asked. 'Tho whole village 1 scared. Samsoa Traylor was here last night lookln for ye." "I'm tike a deer that's been hurt," said the young man. "1 took to the woods. Wanted to bo alone. You see, I had a lot of thinking to do the kind of thinking that ovcry man must do for himself. I've got the brush cleared away, at last, so I can seo through. I had made up my mind to go down to your house for the night and was trying try-ing to decide whether I have energy enough to do It." "Come on; It's only a short step," urged tho big-hearted Uowlln. "What I feel the need of, Just now, Is a week or two of sleep." said Mr. Lincoln, ns he roso and started down the long hill with his friend. Some time Inter Ilowlln Green '-rare Snnison this brief nccount of whnt happened In nnd nbout the cabin: "He wouldn't eat anything. He wnntcd to go down to the river for a dip, and I went with him. When wo got hack, I Induced him to take off his clothe nnd get Into bed. He was fast asleep In ten' minutes. When night came I went up the ladder to bed. He was still uslccp when t came down tn the morning. I went out und did my chores. Then I cut two venison steaks, each about tho size o' my hand, and a hnlf moon of bacon. I pounded the venlsop to pulp with a little salt and bacon mixed In. I put It on tho broiler and over n bed o' hickory coals. I got tho colTee Into tho pot nnd up next to tho (Ire and some potatoes In the nshes. I basted a bird with bacon strips and put It Into the roaster and set It back o' the broiling bed. Then I hindo some biscuits and put 'cm Into tho oven. I tell you, In a llttlo while the smell o' that fireplace would hove 'woke tho dead honest I Abe begun to stir. In a minute f heard htm call: "'Sny, Undo Rowiln, I'm goln' to get up an' eat you out o' house mid home. I'm hungry und I feel like a new man. Whnt time Is It?' '"It'll bo nine o'clock by the time you're wnshed and dresspd,' I says. " 'Well, I declare,' says he, 'I've hnd nbout sixteen hours o' solid sleep. The world looks better to me this morning.' morn-ing.' "At the tnblo I told him n story nnd got a llttlo laugh out of him. Ho stayed with mo three weeks, chorlng around tho place and taking It easy. He rend all tho books I hnd, until you nnd Doc Allen cmno with tho law books. Then ho pitched Into them. I think ho bus changed n good deal since Ann died. He talks n lot about God and the hereafter." In October young .Mr. Lincoln returned re-turned to his surveying, and In the lust month of tho year to Vumlalla for an extra session of the legislature, where ho took a stand against tho convention con-vention system of nominating candidates candi-dates for public ofllce. Samson went to Vandalla for a visit ivlth him end to see the place before the session ended. end-ed. Tho next your. In u letter to hie brother, he says: "Yandalla Is a small, crude village. It has a strong flavor of whisky, profanity pro-fanity and tobneco. The night after I got thero I went to a bnnnuet with Abe Lincoln. Heard n lot, about the duui nlsger-lovlng Yankees' who wore trying to ruin the state and country with abolition. There were somf stories like thoso we used to henr In the lumber enmp, nnd uo end of powerful pow-erful talk. In which the named of God and the Suvlor were roughly bundled. A few of tho statesmen got drunk, nnd after tho dinner wns over two of them Jumped on-the tablo and danced down the whole length of It, shattering plates and cups aud saucers aud glasses. Nobody seemed to be able to stop them. I hear that they had to pny several hundred dollurs for thi damage done. You will be opt to think that thero Is too much liberty here In tie West, nnd perhaps that Is so, but the fuct Is these men are not half ea bad us they seem to be. Lincoln tells me that they aro honest, almost to a man, and sincerely devoted to the pub lie good as they sco It. I asked Ab Lincoln, who nil tils life hns associated with rough-tongued, drinking men, how he managed to hold his owe course and keep his talk and habits clean. " 'Why, the fact Is.' snld he. 'I hav associated with the people who Uvea around mo only part of the tlm but i have never stopped associating wltl myself and with -Washington nnd Clay and Webster and Shakespeare and Ilurns and Defoe und Scott and lllackstone and .'anions. On the whole, I've been In pietty good company.' com-pany.' (TO DE CONTINURO.) |