the Western rivers. It is an attempt to make it an easy matter to transport vessels over shoals and snags and sawyers. The main idea is that of an apparatus resembling a noiseless bellows placed on each side of the hull of the craft, just below the water-line, and worked by an odd but not complicated system of ropes, valves, and pulleys. When the keel of the vessel grates against the sand or obstruction these bellows are to be filled with air, and, thus buoyed up, the ship is expected to float lightly and gaily over the shoal which would otherwise have proved a serious interruption to her voyage.

"The model, which is about eighteen or twenty inches long, and has the air of being whittled with a knife out of a shingle and a cigar-box, is built without any elaboration or ornament, or any extra apparatus beyond that necessary to show the operation of buoying the steamer over the obstructions. Herein it differs from very many of the models which share with it the shelter of the immense halls of the Patent Office, and which are fashioned with wonderful nicety and exquisite finish, as if much of the labour and thought and affection of a lifetime had been devoted to their construction. This is a model of a different kind; carved as one might imagine a retired rail-splitter would whittle, strongly, but not smoothly, and evidently made with a view solely to convey, by the simplest possible means, to the minds of the patent authorities, an idea of the purpose and plan of the simple invention. The label on the steamer's deck informs us that the patent was obtained; but we do not learn that the navigation of the Western rivers was revolutionized by this quaint conception. The modest little model has reposed here sixteen years; and, since it found its resting-place here on the shelf, the shrewd inventor has found it his task to guide the Ship of State over shoals more perilous, and obstructions more obstinate, thán any prophet dreamed of when Abraham Lincoln wrote his bold autograph on the prow of this miniature steamer."

When the boat was safely over the dam, in the deep pool below, it was re-loaded, and then sped on its way.

At Salt Creek Offutt stopped to make a purchase of live hogs, but the wild, vicious animals were determined not to go on board, and they were full of fight. Once on board, they might make fearful war upon each other, causing much trouble to the trader and his crew. After vainly trying to drive the hogs towards the river, Abraham remarked,

"It's no use; they are too ugly to go where you want them to go."

'They wouldn't be hogs, if they did," responded Offutt. "You'll have to get up some sort of a tackling, Abe, to get them aboard, as you got the boat over the dam." The last remark was made partly in praise of Abraham, and partly in a vein of humour.

"Sew up their eyes and tie their legs," exclaimed Abraham; "there's no other way to get them aboard and keep them still after they get there."

"That's it, exactly, Abe," replied Offutt; "I knew that you could find a way out of the trouble. Let's see you put your theory in practice."

Abraham seized a hog by the ears, and directed Hanks to hold him by the tail, while Offutt should tie his legs and sew up his eyelids. "If he fights, he must fight in the dark," he added.

The experiment proved successful; and the hogs were loaded into a cart and drawn to the river, where Abraham took them up in his long arms, one by one, and carried them aboard.

"Rather cruel," he said, "but there's no help for it. In a battle with wild hogs we must use war tactics." "You're a genius, Abe," said Offutt; "ugly hogs and dams and shoals are of little account to you."

Before leaving Salt Creek Abraham rigged up "curious-looking sails," with plank and cloth, to increase their speed. The device accomplished his

purpose; but it "was a sight to behold," as one reliable witness declared. When they "rushed down through Beardstown," the craft presented such a comical appearance that "the people came out and laughed at them."

"Let them laugh and take it out in laughing, so long as the thing works well," said Abraham, rather enjoying the singular exhibition because it attracted attention.

They stopped only at Memphis, Vicksburg, and Natchez, after leaving Salt Creek, during the whole distance to New Orleans, where they arrived without another drawback. Offutt disposed of his goods readily, and made a very profitable trip of it. At the same time he obtained such an insight into Abraham's character and abilities that he resolved to make the best use of him possible in future.

"Inhuman," exclaimed Abraham, one day, when they saw a gang of slaves chained together, and a merciless driver cracking his whip about their heads. "A nation that tolerates such inhumanity will have to pay for it some day."

They are used to it," replied Offutt, "and mind no more about it than cattle."

"What if they don't?" retorted Abraham. "You can't make cattle of men without being inhuman. tell you the nation that does it will be cursed.”

"Not in our day," remarked Offutt.

"In somebody's day, though," responded Abraham, promptly.

That Abraham's visits to New Orleans served to increase his hostility to slavery there can be no doubt, especially his visit in 1831. For John Hanks said, thirty years afterwards, recalling the incidents of that memorable trip:

"There it was we saw negroes chained, maltreated,

whipped, and scourged. Lincoln saw it, and his heart bled. It made him sad, he looked bad, felt bad, was thoughtful and abstracted. I can say, knowing it, that it was on this trip that he formed his opinions of slavery. It ran its iron into him then and there,May 1831. I have heard him say so, often and often."

Providence was leading Abraham in a way that he knew not, disciplining him for the day when he would be forced to grapple with the system of American slavery, to overthrow it. All such incidents as these become more interesting and important in their providential connection with his future public career.

In June, Offutt, with his men, was ready to return, and he engaged passage for all on a steamer up the Mississippi to St. Louis. On the way up the river Offutt surprised Abraham by saying,

"Abe, I think you can sell goods for me; how would you like it?"

"What kind of goods?" Abraham asked.

"Store goods, such as country stores keep," Offutt answered. "How would you like to run my store at New Salem ?"

I should like it well enough, provided I could do it." "You can do it well enough; I have no fear of that. If you'll say the word, I will put you in charge of my store at New Salem."

"I'll say the word, then," continued Abraham, “if we can agree on the terms."

They did agree upon the terms, and, before they parted company at St. Louis it was arranged to transform Abraham into a "storekeeper." Offutt had so exalted an idea of Abraham's tact and ability that he was prepared to commit almost any trust to his keeping. Abraham was to return home, visit his parents, and then repair to New Salem to be installed over a country store.

At St. Louis, Offutt's business made it necessary for him to separate from his efficient trio; so Abraham, Hanks, and Johnston started on foor for the interior of Illinois. When they reached Edwardsville, twentyfive miles from St. Louis, Hanks took the road to Springfield, and Abraham and Johnston took that to Cole's County, whither Thomas Lincoln removed after Abraham left home.

A few days after Abraham reached his father's house in Cole's County, a famous wrestler, by the name of Daniel Needham, called to see him. Needham had heard of Abraham's great strength, and that he was an expert wrestler, and he desired to see him.

"S'pose we try a hug," suggested Needham.

"No doubt you can throw me," answered Abraham. "You are in practice, and I am not.”

"Then you'll not try it?" continued Needham.

"Not much sport in being laid on my back," was Abraham's evasive answer.

"It remains to be seen who will lay on his back," suggested Needham. "S'pose you make the trial."

By persistent urging Abraham finally consented to meet Needham, at a specified place and time, according to the custom that prevailed. Abraham was true to his promise, met the bully, and threw him twice with no great difficulty.

Needham was both disappointed and chagrined. His pride was greatly humbled, and his wrath was not a little exercised.

"You have thrown me twice, Lincoln, but you can't whip me," he said.

"I don't want to whip you, whether I can or not," Abraham replied magnanimously; "and I don't want to get whipped;" and the closing sentence was spoken jocosely.