ABRAHAM LINCOLN and GEORGE WASHINGTON

Life with Barbara

ABRAHAM LINCOLN and GEORGE WASHINGTON

ALL I AM OR EVER HOPE TO BE I OWE TO MY SAINTED MOTHER.
ABRAHAM LINCON

LINCOLN'S LETTER TO MRS.BIXBY
NOVEMBER 21,1864
Dear Madam:
I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massacusetts that you are the mother of five sons who died gloriously on the field of battle.I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming,but I can not refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic that they died to save.I pray that the Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavment,and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost,and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
Yours very sincerely and respectfully,
Abraham Lincoln

LINCOLN"S LAST ACTION
As Abraham Lincoln was watching the play, Our American Cousin, on the night of his assassination at Ford's Theater, one of the actresses called for a shawl to protect her from the draft. One of the actors ad-libbed a reply, "You are mistaken, Miss Mary, the draft has already been stopped by order of the President!" Lincoln shared his last laugh with the rest of the audience.

Surratt, Mary (1823-1865)
"Please don't let me fall."
Mary Surratt, one of the Lincoln assassination conspirators, was the first woman ever executed by the United States government. She was hanged on July 7, 1869.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Lincoln was a long man,
He liked out of doors.
He liked the wind blowing
And the talk in country stores.
Lots of folks in Springfield
Saw him everday,
Walking down the street
In his gaunt,long way.
"Need a man for troubled times?"
Well,I guess we do.
"Wonder who we'll ever find?"
"Yes-I wonder who."
That is how they met and talked,
Knowing and unknowing.
Lincoln was the green pine.
Lincoln kept on growing.
FROM ABRAHAM LINCOLN by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET(1898-1943)

GEORGE WASHINGTON AND THE CHERRY-TREE
The following anecdote is a case in point.It is to valuable to be lost,and to true to be doubted;for it was communicated to me by the same excellent lady to whom I am indebted for the last.
"When George,"said she,was about six years old,he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet!of which,like most little boys,he was immoderatly fond,and was constantly going about chopping everthing that came in his way.One day,in the garden,where he often amused himself hacking his mother's pea-sticks,he unluckily tried the edge of his hatchet on the body of a beautiful young cherry-tree,which he barked so terribly,taht I don't believe the tree ever got the better of it.The next morning the old gentleman,finding out what had befallen his tree,which,by the by,was his favourite,came into the house;and with much warmth asked for the mischievous author,declaring at the same time,that he would not have taken five guineas for his tree.Nobody could tell him anything about it.Presently George and his hatchet made their appearance."George,"said his father,"do you know who killed that beautiful little cherry-tree yonder in the garden?"This was a tough question;George staggerd under it for a moment;but quickly recoverd himself;and looking at his father,with the sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm of all-conquering truth,he bravely cried out,"I can't tell a lie",I did cut it with my hatchet"."Run to my arms,you dearest boy,"cried his father in transports,"run to my arms;glad am I,George,that you killed my tree;for you have paid me for it a thousand fold.Such an act of heroism in my son is more worth than a thousand trees,though blossemed with silver,and their fruits of purest gold.'
MASON LOCKE(PARSON)WEEMS(1759-1825)

RALEIGH, WALTER
Sir Walter Raleigh (1554-1618) was a British explorer, poet, historian, and soldier. Raleigh led expeditions to both North America and South America; he was trying to found new settlements, find gold, and increase trade with the New World. In 1585, Raleigh sent colonists to the east coast of North America; Raleigh later named that area Virginia, in honour of Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen. He is often credited with bringing tobacco and potatoes from the New World to Britain, but they were already known there. Raleigh was later executed by King James I for treason, he attacked a Spanish Fort.

EVEN SUCH IS TIME
Even such is Time,that takes in trust our youth,our joys,
our all we have.
And pays us but with earth an dust;
Who in the dark and silent grave,
When we have wandered all our ways,
Shuts up the story of our days;
But from this earth,this grave,this dust,
My God shall raise me up,I trust.
SIR WALTER RALEIGH(1552-1618)

Not every truth is the better for showing its face undisguised; and often silence is the wisest thing for a man to heed.~ Pindar