The Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln — Volume 2: 1843-1858. Lincoln Abraham

      Yours truly,

      A. LINCOLN.

      TO JAMES BERDAN

SPRINGFIELD, May 7, 1866

      DEAR SIR: — It is a matter of high moral obligation, if not of necessity, for me to attend the Coles and Edwards courts. I have some cases in both of them, in which the parties have my promise, and are depending upon me. The court commences in Coles on the second Monday, and in Edgar on the third. Your court in Morgan commences on the fourth Monday; and it is my purpose to be with you then, and make a speech. I mention the Coles and Edgar courts in order that if I should not reach Jacksonville at the time named you may understand the reason why. I do not, however, think there is much danger of my being detained; as I shall go with a purpose not to be, and consequently shall engage in no new cases that might delay me.

      Yours truly,

      A. LINCOLN.

      VERSES WRITTEN BY LINCOLN AFTER A VISIT TO HIS OLD HOME IN INDIANA

(A FRAGMENT)

      [In December, 1847, when Lincoln was stumping for Clay, he crossed into Indiana and revisited his old home. He writes: "That part of the country is within itself as unpoetical as any spot on earth; but still seeing it and its objects and inhabitants aroused feelings in me which were certainly poetry; though whether my expression of these feelings is poetry, is quite another question."]

         Near twenty years have passed away

         Since here I bid farewell

         To woods and fields, and scenes of play,

         And playmates loved so well.

         Where many were, but few remain

         Of old familiar things;

         But seeing them to mind again

         The lost and absent brings.

         The friends I left that parting day,

         How changed, as time has sped!

         Young childhood grown, strong manhood gray,

         And half of all are dead.

         I hear the loved survivors tell

         How naught from death could save,

         Till every sound appears a knell,

         And every spot a grave.

         I range the fields with pensive tread,

         And pace the hollow rooms,

         And feel (companion of the dead)

         I 'm living in the tombs.

VERSES WRITTEN BY LINCOLN CONCERNING A SCHOOL-FELLOW WHO BECAME INSANE — (A FRAGMENT)

         And when at length the drear and long

         Time soothed thy fiercer woes,

         How plaintively thy mournful song

         Upon the still night rose

         I've heard it oft as if I dreamed,

         Far distant, sweet and lone;

         The funeral dirge it ever seemed

         Of reason dead and gone.

         Air held her breath; trees with the spell

         Seemed sorrowing angels round,

         Whose swelling tears in dewdrops fell

         Upon the listening ground.

         But this is past, and naught remains

         That raised thee o'er the brute;

         Thy piercing shrieks and soothing strains

         Are like, forever mute.

         Now fare thee well! More thou the cause

         Than subject now of woe.

         All mental pangs by time's kind laws

         Hast lost the power to know.

         O Death! thou awe-inspiring prince

         That keepst the world in fear,

         Why dost thou tear more blest ones hence,

         And leave him lingering here?

      SECOND CHILD

TO JOSHUA P. SPEED

      SPRINGFIELD, October 22, 1846.

      DEAR SPEED: — You, no doubt, assign the suspension of our correspondence to the true philosophic cause; though it must be confessed by both of us that this is rather a cold reason for allowing a friendship such as ours to die out by degrees. I propose now that, upon receipt of this, you shall be considered in my debt, and under obligations to pay soon, and that neither shall remain long in arrears hereafter. Are you agreed?

      Being elected to Congress, though I am very grateful to our friends for having done it, has not pleased me as much as I expected.

      We have another boy, born the 10th of March. He is very much such a child as Bob was at his age, rather of a longer order. Bob is "short and low," and I expect always will be. He talks very plainly, — almost as plainly as anybody. He is quite smart enough. I sometimes fear that he is one of the little rare-ripe sort that are smarter at about five than ever after. He has a great deal of that sort of mischief that is the offspring of such animal spirits. Since I began this letter, a messenger came to tell me Bob was lost; but by the time I reached the house his mother had found him and had him whipped, and by now, very likely, he is run away again. Mary has read your letter, and wishes to be remembered to Mrs. Speed and you, in which I most sincerely join her.

      As ever yours,

      A. LINCOLN.

      TO MORRIS AND BROWN

SPRINGFIELD, October 21, 1847

      MESSRS. MORRIS AND BROWN.

      GENTLEMEN: — Your second letter on the matter of Thornton and others, came to hand this morning. I went at once to see Logan, and found that he is not engaged against you, and that he has so sent you word by Mr. Butterfield, as he says. He says that some time ago, a young man (who he knows not) came to him, with a copy of the affidavit, to engage him to aid in getting the Governor to grant the warrant; and that he, Logan, told the man, that in his opinion, the affidavit was clearly insufficient, upon which the young man left, without making any engagement with him. If the Governor shall arrive before I leave, Logan and I will both attend to the matter, and he will attend to it, if he does not come till after I leave; all upon the condition that the Governor shall not have acted upon the matter, before his arrival here. I mention this condition because, I learned this morning from the Secretary of State, that he is forwarding to the Governor, at Palestine, all papers he receives in the case, as fast as he receives them. Among the papers forwarded will be your letter to the Governor or Secretary of, I believe, the same date and