FRONTIER EPISODES

CHAPTER VI

Lincoln and the "Clary's Grove boys"-He walks six miles to return six cents-Chops up a house for a barefooted man -The Black Hawk War-Lincoln elected captain-He saves the life of a friendly Indian.

AFTER Lincoln's return from New Orleans, and while he was still a clerk for Mr. Offut, an episode occurred which settled his standing in the community most effectually.

About five miles from New Salem was a little village called Clary's Grove. The young men in the place were known as the "Clary's Grove boys." They were a terror to the neighborhood, doing many reckless tricks "just for fun," but they were good-natured and friendly, not meaning really to do any one an injury.

They wanted everybody to know that the Clary's Grove boys" were the smartest, the best runners, the best wrestlers, could jump higher, and throw farther than anybody else. Mr. Offut, Lincoln's employer, felt very proud of his clerk.

His strength, his cleverness in telling stories, and his superior knowledge Mr. Offut often boasted of. He said he knew Lincoln could lift more, run faster, out-throw, and out-wrestle the " Clary's Grove boys" or any one else in the county.

The "Clary's Grove boys" consequently felt it their duty to prove their superiority over Offut's clerk, and selected Jack Armstrong to "throw Abe." Armstrong "was as strong as an ox," and, they claimed, "the best man that ever lived."

Lincoln did not like to "tussle and scuffle," and "wooling and pulling" were also objectionable to him; but Mr. Offut had said so much that he felt in honor bound to accept the challenge.

So one fine day a wrestling match was arranged near Mr. Offut's store, and all the people for miles around came to see the fun. Almost everybody was betting that Armstrong would beat "the long, thin fellow, Abe Lincoln "; but as soon as they began to wrestle it was plain that, for once, the "Clary's Grove boy" had met his match.

The two men wrestled long and hard, but both kept their feet. Neither could throw the other, and Armstrong, finally getting angry at Lincoln's endurance, tried a "foul." Lincoln at once saw his game, and quick as a flash, and furious with indignation, he caught him by the

throat, held him out at arm's length, and shook him as a dog might shake a rat.

Armstrong's friends rushed forward to help him, although they knew he had done wrong, and for a minute it looked as though Lincoln would be overcome by force of numbers. But, facing the whole crowd, he backed toward the store and bravely defied them.

His resolute and courageous manner, as well as his great strength, won their admiration at once; and what bid fair to end in a general fight, turned finally into a friendly hand-shaking all around, even Jack Armstrong declaring that "Lincoln was the best fellow that ever came to that town." Armstrong afterward proved himself a true friend to Lincoln, welcoming him to his home and treating him with great hospitality and consideration.

Lincoln's Honesty-He walks Six Miles to return Six Cents

One night after closing the store, when Lincoln was counting up the money he found he had six cents too much. After thinking it over a long time, he remembered how he had made. the mistake in making change for a woman who had bought a lot of things of him that day. As soon as he locked up the store he started out to find this woman, determined to return the money

that night before going to bed. She lived three miles in the country; but it was a nice clear night, the stars were shining brightly, and Lincoln walked out to the farmhouse, gave the woman the money, explained the mistake, and returned home happy to think he had done what was right, though he had gone on foot six miles to do it.

At another time he weighed out a half pound of tea at least he thought he did. It was at night, just before closing up the store, and the place was quite dark. The next morning, on entering the store, he found a four-ounce weight on the scales instead of the eight-ounce, which he thought he had used; so he knew he had given but half as much to his customer as he had taken pay for. He at once weighed out four ounces more, closed up the store, and hurried off to deliver the balance of the tea.

Lincoln "chops up" a House and gives Comfort to a Barefooted, Shivering Man

Mr. Lamon, in his Life of Lincoln, tells a good story illustrating his disposition to relieve suffering:

"While living in New Salem, one cold day in winter, Lincoln saw a poor fellow named Ab Trent hard at work chopping up' a house which Mr. Hill had employed him to convert into firewood.

"Ab was barefooted, and shivered pitifully while he worked.

"Lincoln watched him a few minutes and said: "Ab, how much are you to get for this job?' "Ab answered, 'I am to have a dollar,' and, pointing to his naked feet, added, 'I am going to buy a pair of shoes!'

"Let me have that ax,' said Lincoln. Now you go and get warm at the nearest fire, while I finish the job for you.'

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So saying, Lincoln seized the ax and chopped up the house so fast that Mr. Hill and Ab were amazed when they saw it done.

"Ab always remembered this act of kindness with the liveliest gratitude.

"He afterward tried to vote for Lincoln, though he belonged to the opposite party, but his acquaintances got him drunk and then made him vote against him."

How Lincoln was elected Captain-How he managed to get his Company "Endwise"

and again

Mr. Offut's store was soon closed up, Lincoln was out of employment. About this time, when Lincoln was twenty-three years old, the Indians, under "Black Hawk," came back into the State of Illinois, and all the people living on farms and in small settlements fled in a panic to the forts and larger towns for protection. The