''Abe'' Lincoln's Yarns and Stories - University of Macau Library

Yarns and Stories, by Alexander K. McClure 309And Abe Lincoln, with a smile on his gaunt face, rode on toward Lewiston.THE FIVE POINTS SUNDAY SCHOOL.When Mr. Lincoln visited New York in 1860, he felt a great interest inmany of the institutions for reforming criminals and saving the young froma life of crime. Among others, he visited, unattended, the Five Points Houseof Industry, and the superintendent of the Sabbath school there gave thefollowing account of the event:"One Sunday morning I saw a tall, remarkable-looking man enter the roomand take a seat among us. He listened with fixed attention to our exercises,and his countenance expressed such genuine interest that I approached himand suggested that he might be willing to say something to the children. Heaccepted the invitation with evident pleasure, and coming forward began asimple address, which at once fascinated every little hearer and hushed theroom into silence. His language was strikingly beautiful, and his tonesmusical with intense feeling. The little faces would droop into sadconviction when he uttered sentences of warning, and would brighten intosunshine as he spoke cheerful words of promise. Once or twice heattempted to close his remarks, but the imperative shout of, 'Go on! Oh, dogo on!' would compel him to resume."As I looked upon the gaunt and sinewy frame of the stranger, and markedhis powerful head and determined features, now touched into softness bythe impressions of the moment, I felt an irrepressible curiosity to learnsomething more about him, and while he was quietly leaving the room, Ibegged to know his name. He courteously replied: 'It is Abraham Lincoln,from Illinois.'"SENTINEL OBEYED ORDERS.A slight variation of the traditional sentry story is related by C. C. Buel. Itwas a cold, blusterous winter night. Says Mr. Buel: