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THE

X.

WORKING AND WINNING.

HE reader should understand the society in which Abraham mixed, in order to appreciate fully the elements of character which enabled him to work and win from fifteen to eighteen years of age. Mrs. Crawford, whom we have already quoted, in a letter to Mr. Herndon, furnishes rather a vivid picture of the social state at that time. She says :

"You wish me to tell you how the people used to go to meeting,-how far they went. At that time we thought it nothing to go eight or ten miles. The old ladies did not stop for the want of a shawl, or cloak, or riding-dress, or two horses, in the winter time; but they would put on their husbands' old overcoats, and wrap up their little ones, and take one or two of them up on their beasts, and their husbands would walk, and they would go to church, and stay in the neighbourhood until the next day, and then go home. The old men would start out of the fields from their work, or out of the woods from hunting, with their guns on their shoulders, and go to church. Some of them dressed in deerskin pants and mocassins, hunting-shirts with a rope or leather strap around them. They would come in laughing, shake hands all around, sit down and talk about their game they had killed, or some other work they had done, and smoke their pipes together with the old ladies. If in warm weather, they would kindle up a

little fire out in the meeting-house yard, to light their pipes. If in the winter-time, they would hold church in some of the neighbours' houses. At such times they were always treated with the utmost kindness; a bottle of whiskey, a pitcher of water, sugar, and a glass, were set out, or a basket of apples, or turnips, or some pies and cakes. Apples were scarce at that time. Sometimes potatoes were used as a treat. The first treat I ever received in old Mr. Lincoln's house (that was our President's father's house), was a plate of potatoes, washed and pared very nicely, and handed round. It was something new to me, for I had never seen a raw potato eaten before. I looked to see how they made use of them. Each took off a potato, and ate it like an apple. Thus they spent the time till preaching commenced; then they would all take their seats; the preacher would take his stand, draw off his coat, open his shirt-collar, commence service by singing and prayer, take his text, and preach till the sweat would roll off in great drops. Shaking hands and singing ended the service. The people seemed to enjoy religious service more in those days than they do now. They were glad to see each other, and enjoyed themselves better than they do now."

The population had increased very much at the period of which Mrs. Crawford speaks, and log meeting-houses were found here and there, at least for summer use. Some of them were too open and cold for winter

use.

The people were very superstitious, as unlettered people usually are. Mr. Lamon has recorded their superstitious notions in a single paragraph, thus:

"They firmly believed in witches and all kinds of witch-doings, They sent for wizards to cure sick cattle. They shot the image of the witch with a

silver ball, to break the spell she was supposed to have laid on a human being. If a dog ran directly across a man's path whilst he was hunting, it was terrible 'luck,' unless he instantly hooked his two little fingers together, and pulled with all his might, until the dog was out of sight. There were wizards who took charmed sticks in their hands, and made them point to springs of water and all kinds of treasure beneath the earth's surface. There were 'faith doctors,' who cured diseases by performing mysterious ceremonies and muttering cabalistic words. If a bird alighted in a window, one of the family would speedily die. If a horse breathed on a child, the child would have the whooping-cough. Everything must be done at certain times and seasons.' They must make fence 'in the light of the moon,' otherwise the fence would sink. Potatoes and

other roots were to be planted 'in the dark of the moon,' but trees and plants which bear their fruits above ground must be put out in the light of the moon.' The moon exerted a fearful influence, either kindly or malignant, as the good old rules were observed or not. It was even required to make soap in the light of the moon,' and, moreover, it must be stirred only one way, and by one person. Nothing of importance was to be begun on Friday. All enterprises inaugurated on that day went fatally amiss."

Abraham Lincoln was reared from infancy to manhood among these people. Their manners, customs, habits, and opinions were familiar to him, and he knew no others by which to judge of them by contrast. The children of those people were his daily companions. He worked for and with their parents, heard their conversation, witnessed their want and ignorance, and nowhere found those intellectual conditions which could satisfy a mind like his, It is not strange that some of

the peculiarities of the people with whom he was reared became his, and clung to him through life.

The incidents of this chapter will serve to magnify the mental and moral qualities of Abraham, which enabled him to improve and rise higher and higher even with such unfavourable surroundings.

James Taylor, who lived at the mouth of Anderson's Creek, was anxious to secure Abraham's services.

"I will give him six dollars a month and his board," said Mr. Taylor to Mr. Lincoln, "and that is good pay for a boy sixteen years old."

"Fair pay," responded Mr. Lincoln. "You want him to run your ferry-boat?" Mr. Taylor ran a ferry-boat across both the Ohio and Anderson's Creek.

"Yes, and other jobs that I want done; some farmwork; to take care of the horses, and chore about," was Mr. Taylor's reply.

"Abe can do as well by you in such work as a man grown, though I don't expect to get a man's wages for him," added Mr. Lincoln.

"That is the reason I want him," said Mr. Taylor. "I wouldn't give many boys that price anyhow; but I know that Abe is reliable, and he knows which side his bread is buttered."

"For how many months will you pay him six dollars a month?"

"For nine months certainly, and perhaps longer."

"That's satisfactory; perhaps I won't want he should stay any longer."

"Well," continued Mr. Taylor, "do I understand that he may go? I want him at once."

"He may go," answered Mr. Lincoln; "and he may begin at once if you say so."

"I say so; and shall expect to see him to-morrow," added Mr. Taylor, as he turned away and drove off.

Abraham was duly installed ferryman by his employer, though he was given to understand that, at times, he would be expected to act as farmer, hostler, and houseservant. He particularly enjoyed being ferryman, as it was new business for him; and, like most boys, he loved boating. He was very large of his age and very strong, and could therefore handle a boat as easily and effectively as a man. He was growing rapidly still, and, at seventeen years of age, he was six feet four inches high-both the tallest and strongest person in Spencer County.

Abraham was expected to be the first one up in the house in the morning, "build the fire," "put on the water in the kitchen," and "get things prepared for cooking," before Mrs. Taylor put in her appearance. Other things, such as bringing wood and water, he attended to with scrupulous exactness; it was not strange that the mistress of the house soon came to regard him as the most wonderful boy she ever knew. We doubt if she had ever found a man or boy, not excepting her own husband and son, who was so "wonderful" as to "chore about" as Abraham did, without protesting. He was in the truest sense a "man-of-all-work" at Taylor's, doing whatsoever his hands found to do with all his might.

Here Abraham found the history of the United States, and two or three other volumes, that engrossed his attention at night. He slept upstairs with Green Taylor, son of his employer, a young man older than himself, without any of his brightness or ambition; and there he often extended his reading far into the night, much to the annoyance of his bedfellow.

"Blow out that light and come to bed, Abe," he exclaimed more than once. "I'll be bound if you shall spile my sleep for a book."

"Let me read you a page or two," Abraham pro

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