The Story of Young Abraham Lincoln

Story of Young Abraham Lincoln,
by Wayne Whipple

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Title: The Story of Young Abraham Lincoln
Author: Wayne Whipple
Release Date: October 8, 2007 [EBook #22925]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration]

The Story of Young Abraham Lincoln
By
WAYNE WHIPPLE
Author of The Story of the American Flag, The Story of the Liberty
Bell, The Story of the White House, The Story of Young George
Washington, the Story of Young Benjamin Franklin, etc.
Illustrated
PHILADELPHIA
HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY HOWARD E. ALTEMUS
COPYRIGHT, 1918, BY HOWARD E. ALTEMUS
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
INTRODUCTION 9
I. ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S FOREFATHERS 15
II. ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S FATHER AND MOTHER 24
III. THE BOY LINCOLN'S BEST TEACHER 33
IV. LEARNING TO WORK 40

V. LOSING HIS MOTHER 52
VI. SCHOOL DAYS NOW AND THEN. 62
VII. ABE AND THE NEIGHBORS 77
VIII. MOVING TO ILLINOIS 94
IX. STARTING OUT FOR HIMSELF 102
X. CLERKING AND WORKING 115
XI. POLITICS, WAR, STOREKEEPING, AND STUDYING LAW
126
XII. BUYING AND KEEPING A STORE 140
XIII. THE YOUNG LEGISLATOR IN LOVE. 147
XIV. MOVING TO SPRINGFIELD 162
XV. LINCOLN & HERNDON 184
XVI. HIS KINDNESS OF HEART 194
XVII. WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ABRAHAM
LINCOLN AND HIS STEPBROTHER 208
XVIII. HOW EMANCIPATION CAME TO PASS 215
XIX. THE GLORY OF GETTYSBURG 226
XX. "NO END OF A BOY" 234
XXI. LIEUTENANT TAD LINCOLN, PATRIOT 248

INTRODUCTION

LINCOLN FROM NEW AND UNUSUAL SOURCES
The boy or girl who reads to-day may know more about the real
Lincoln than his own children knew. The greatest President's son,
Robert Lincoln, discussing a certain incident in their life in the White
House, remarked to the writer, with a smile full of meaning:
"I believe you know more about our family matters than I do!"
This is because "all the world loves a lover"--and Abraham Lincoln
loved everybody. With all his brain and brawn, his real greatness was
in his heart. He has been called "the Great-Heart of the White House,"
and there is little doubt that more people have heard about him than
there are who have read of the original "Great-Heart" in "The Pilgrim's
Progress."
Indeed, it is safe to say that more millions in the modern world are
acquainted with the story of the rise of Abraham Lincoln from a poorly
built log cabin to the highest place among "the seats of the mighty,"
than are familiar with the Bible story of Joseph who arose and stood
next to the throne of the Pharaohs.
Nearly every year, especially since the Lincoln Centennial, 1909,
something new has been added to the universal knowledge of one of
the greatest, if not the greatest man who ever lived his life in the world.
Not only those who "knew Lincoln," but many who only "saw him
once" or shook hands with him, have been called upon to tell what they
saw him do or heard him say. So hearty was his kindness toward
everybody that the most casual remark of his seems to be charged with
deep human affection--"the touch of Nature" which has made "the
whole world kin" to him.
He knew just how to sympathize with every one. The people felt this,
without knowing why, and recognized it in every deed or word or touch,
so that those who have once felt the grasp of his great warm hand seem
to have been drawn into the strong circuit of "Lincoln fellowship," and
were enabled, as if by "the laying on of hands," to speak of him ever
after with a deep and tender feeling.

There are many such people who did not rush into print with their
observations and experiences. Their Lincoln memories seemed too
sacred to scatter far and wide. Some of them have yielded, with real
reluctance, in relating all for publication in THE STORY OF YOUNG
ABRAHAM LINCOLN only because they wished their recollections to
benefit the rising generation.
Several of these modest folk have shed true light on important phases
and events in Lincoln's life history. For instance, there has been much
discussion concerning Lincoln's Gettysburg Address--where was it
written, and did he deliver it from notes?
Now, fifty years after that great occasion, comes a distinguished
college professor who unconsciously settles the whole