Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 19

Sunday, February 7, 1900. UECATUK DAUi HI A 1711 Dennis F. Hans and change' the course of events, what was slowly side to side. That motion of the feet had always ever iney were. "On the WaV TO tTaetilnvlnn erwarA answered and grandfather said there were tear In his eyes, but he neve answered the question ag to whether he had quit using- tobacco, and.

grandfather told me that he never did been a habit with Lincoln. Grandfather father was robbed of his purse his ticket, and his watch. Just how he PalienceWithWife viewers have sacrificed the truth to their idea of. a good story. They dressed up his remarks until, when they appeared in print, they lost the meaning he sought to convey.

I never read an interview with him which he admitted was as he gave it Knowing hisTiigh regard for the truth, I believe his criticism was correct. "I recall one interview In particular, one that has been given no little prominence and accepted as authentic in which grandfather was made to use much uncouth language. That was not fair to him although he was not a scholar. Sometimes he did say 'thar', but his interviews have been framed in language such as I never heard him use, and I knew him intimately, and from his Own Una hpnrrt manir Neighbors' Wonder and died there. From that time Dennis round a home with the Lincolnsv and was one of the young charges that Sally Bush Johnston took under her shelterhiK wing when she canie into the wilderness as Thomas Lincoln's second wife after the sad death of Miss Nancy Hanks.

Lincoln's biographers may have been unfair to Dennis Hanks. Dennis Hanks bore a reputation in his own family, at least of being a stickler for the truth. Lamon, writing of Lincoln when Dennis was still alive, says: "Whenever the truth can be told without damage to the character of a Lincoln or a Hanks, Dennis will tell it candidly enough, provided there is no temptation to magnify himself. His testimony, however, has been sparingly used throughout these tias-ps- uiiiaBea 10 get to Washington after that experience. I don't remember, unless it was that his simplicity, his candor, his very truthfulness so appealed to the conductors that they carried him for nothing.

"At any rate when he went to the WThfte House the door was opened by a negro and grandfather referred to him rather scornfully as a "nigger." Grandfather announced that he had knew it and he said afterward that when he saw that he knew that Abe was busy and that he was worried. "Still Lincoln did not look up. Grandfather In relating it said: 1 busted out laffin." Then Lincoln looked, arose hastily, and held out his hand sayin, 'Wny, Dennis." After the greetings, and warm ones they were, grandfather told his story, why he had come to Washington, the president promised that he would give the affair his attention and he did. When that business had been completed grandfather related that he had been rob RS. Sarah Corneau.

of 711 West I VI Woo1 treet, where she makes) her home with her Mrs. George Morgan, was a neighbor of Abraham. Lincoln and nis ramiiy. 't come to see the presM-dent-and he- during the time that they Uvea in Springfield prior to the election of Lincoln as president. Mrs.

Corneau Is 88 years of age. Sometimes her memory of the JncJ- dents of her early life are wonderfully distinct. She tells her family and stories which others made use of in bed, the president assured him that he would be well cared for and sent safely home. At the same time the president opened a drawer in his table and took out a small open-faced sliver and no statement has been taken from him unless it was more or less directly corroborated by some one eise. The better of his evidence Mr.

Hern-don took the precaution of reading watch which he gave to grandfather, saying. 'Here is my watch, Dennis, keep that. They don't allow -me to was asked for his card. When he related the incident it was almost with a snort of contempt that he repeated 'my card. and it was then that he said, 'I told him I didn't have any but he should just tell Abe that Dennis Hanks of Charleston wanted to talk to him.

That would be "During the talk grandfather walked In to a door and knocked. He heard the voice of Lincoln say 'come Grandfather said that as soon as he knocked he started to open the door and was thus engaged when- he received the invitation to come In. Lincoln was alone, seated at a table studying papers before him. He did. not look up.

Grandfather noticed that his long legs were' stretched out full length under the table, that his feet were dressed in slippers. His heels oniy have anything like that here. I must have one like this." and attached to a fob he drew from his pocket a hand newspaper ana magazine articles. Ask to See Pre-i-dent. "The story of the visit by grandfather to the White House has been told many times and always they declare that when he sought admittance he demanded to see That is not true.

Many times grandfather has told me about that, and one thing which fixed it firmly In my mind was the way he pronounced the word Always he said 'pres-i-dent' with the accent on the last syllable. The detail of the riot at Charleston I do not remember, but persons interested there sent grandfather to Washington as their representative to interest the president that he might intercede some gold watch. There was a tinge of sadness in the voice of the president caretuiiy to John Hanks, who pronounced it substantially true; and that circumstance gave it undeniable value." Read Everything on Lincoln. It is not to be contradicted, however, that Dennis, who was somewhat older than Lincoln was Lincoln instructor in woodcraft both in Kentucky and Indiana and was his staunch friend for life. Whether Lincoln was so deeply indtbted to his cousin for instruction in other thintrs can not be snid with as he said that and grandfather friends that she has no new Lincoln ftorlen.

Her acquaintance with the man and his family was Mich as might have been expected among neighbors of that time and place. Abraham Lin- coin was a lawyer of some prominence with an inclination to mix. in politics strongly developed. That would have been the average estimate of the man by those who knew him in a neigh- borly way at that time. Among the neighbors the most won- derful thing was the patience and for- 3 bearance which Lincoln seemed to i have with his wife, who whether she deserved the name, had locally established the name of being almost a' shrew.

Beyond that there was nothing about the family or any of its noticed it. A moment later he took from his desk a tobacco box and hand ed it to grandfather, saying, 'Keep Whv. don you chaw any more, 'You may keep it. Dennis," he rested on the floor and one of his feet equal positiveness. Dennis Hanks makes the claim that he even in structed Abraham in the first princi Individual members to cause them to be especially remejnbered.

Silencing Davis. After Lincoln had received the nom- ples or law. 'there is nothing to show that Lincoln did not esteem his relative, for his treatment of him in later life was kindness itself, as will be shown from the following incidents' related to The Herald by Mrs. Nellie Shoaf, wife of Thomas of Shel-byviile, a granddaughter of Dennis Hanks: "One of the most beautiful pretures I ever saw," saysi Mrs. Shoaf.

"was ination for president he was much trou bled by the constant demands of his old friend. Judge David Davis, for a cabinet position or place on the supreme court bench for himself or to have his cousin, Henry Winters Davis, established as a foreign minister or in the cabinet. The judge had begged Thur- low W'eed to intercede for him. and when Lincoln once asked Weed whom he should appoint as secretary of war. he received the expected reply: "Henry from a photograph loaned to The.

Herald by the Shoaf family of Paris Dennis Hanks, Lincoln's second cousin, was "one of the future president's bet friends. He knew him intimately from childhood, and from him many of Lincoln's biographers secured much valuable material. Grandfather Dennis Hanks during the last years of his life reading his I spent much of my time with him and he talked much of the early days of his life. After the war when, more and more Lincoln loomed up in history as a world character, Dennis Hanks read everything that he could get hold of in relation to Lincoln, to learn what men thought of him. His comment on these always was.

'The true story of Abe Lincoln has not been A Lover of the Truth. "Historians came to interview "Grandfather Hanks and I want to tell you that above all. things Dennis Hanks loved the truth. To me it seems that love was his most prominent characteristic. His daughter, Nancy Hanks; my husband's mother, was the same way.

They wanted the truth above, all things. When Grandfather Hanks would read the interviews which he was supposed to give out he always said that he was not correctly quoted. Many times he said to me: Nellie, I didn't say The trouble has" been that the inter- Winters Davis." Lincoln 1 ere a chance to play on the judge's vanity and flatter him and at the same time to silence him, for he knew the story would be repeated. "Oh. I see," he said, "the Judge has been stirring you up; he has Davis on the brain; I think the East shore of Maryland must be a good place to emigrate from.

That puts me in mind of the old feller who was once testifying in a case and on being asked his age, replied, The judge, who knew him to be much older, cautioned him and repeated and re-repeated the question. The Judge then threatened him with punishment if he persisted in his mendacity to which the witness responded: 'You are figuring In the time I lived on the eastern shore of Maryland; that don't The' point to the story Is seen when it is remembered that Judge Davis was extremely proud of his place of hirtlv Springs at which Lincoln used to stop when he was on the old-eighth circuit. Dennis Valuable to Biographers. Dennis Hanks and his cousin, Nancy, were brought up together in the home of Mr. and Mrs.

and it is claimed that Hanks has said that Nancy's name was Sparrow, although this assertion was long since disproves The Sparrows came out of Ken relative. Dennis especially, who spent his declining years reading the lives of his hero and everything that pertained to him. Dennis Hanks was 'the storehouse from whom biographers have drawn most heavily for the incidents of Lincoln's youth. It was John who helped Gov. "Dick" Oglesby bring to the Decatur convention the rai that John and Lincoln split in Harristown.

and it was at John's house east of Boiling tucky into Indiana with the Lincolns Another View of the Lincoln Home In the Sangamon Bottom. From an old engraving reproduced In J. McCan nvi' "How Abraham Lincoln Became President," and nHed by -pcriniHuIon of the anlhor. Biographical Sketch Written By Dennis Hanks, Lincolns Cousin (From the Original in the Possession of Douglas Shooff of Paris.) 9 ten 245-249 N. Water St.

cJ St Choice of 300 Suits, heavy or light weight, strictly high-grade, some carried over from last season, fine, pure worsteds, cheviots, velours and tweeds. Not one you would be ashamed to wear and talk about. These suits are dark, medium or light shades, all sizes to fit any man, regular, stout, longs or slims, men's and young men's. We considered thesejsuits se 07rrr's Cf good values at their former prices, but for quick selling we offer choice of 300 suits sold at $22, $20, and $18, now fay sir 100ft The Hoiue of Koppenheanef Chicago .7 5 $7.50 Choice of 200 Suits, men's and young men's heavy or light weight, pure, wool fabrics, serge lined and well made, air colors, worth and sold at $15.00, $13,50 and $12.00, now Sixty fine Overcoats, both and Winter weights, long or medium This Elogrophical sketch is written the request of an old friend. lindths.

all new desirable styles and colorings, pure m- uum in iiarain couu- wool fabrics, fine Princess Serge lined, Skinners satin sleeve lining, sold at $18, $20 longed to the Baptist church, a Christian lady in every respect. DENNIS F. HANKS. P. S.

The picture that will accompany this writing is a very good one of myself. I live in Paris. 111., at this date 1S77. We were alwas's together until he was twenty-one years old. Then we were parted which was in Macon county, IWInois.

I am the only relative living tlat was always intimate with him from birth until his assassination. UEXNIS F. HANKS. nwn iin i county- I was born in 1799, i A' Lincoln was born February 1S09. Our parents moved to opencer cotinty, Indiana in the fall of ii.

There I became his preceptor, "arned him his letters, spell, read and He was a very good boy and an nonst man. So was his father. Thomas wncoln before him. His mother be rr f'lsruntiliiiT -A..