Abraham Lincoln in Our Own County

A Thesis.
For the Degree of M.L. in the College of Literature and Science
Henry M. Beardsley 1880. Ill. Ind. Univ. June 9 ’80

We visit scenes of historic interest, because we seem to feel that the presence of the heroes, whose fame they help to keep, is there. Our fair West is yet new, and, save the legends of Indian battles and of the mound builders before them, has little of history. But from our state, young as it is, great true men have gone forth; and one who stands above them all, is best known and best honored of them all, was once here in our midst. The plain streets and surroundings have for us an additional interest, since we know that Abraham Lincoln has been here. There are men among us now who have known him and greeted him as honest old Abe Lincoln, the rail-splitter.
It was nearly forty years ago that he first came to attend court here. He was oft times ad vised to go to Chicago and build up for himself a profitable business, which he was abundantly able to do. Inducements were offered him. But he preferred to ride around the circuit with a crowd of friendly lawyers, telling stories and studying in his odd moments. Of his power in the former direction, we all know. M c Carthy, in his “History of Our Own Times”, in describing Palmerston’s power for story-telling compares him with Bismark in his early days, and with our own Lincoln.
Well as Lincoln loved his fun, he was a diligent student. When a boy, he had possessed but few opportunities for getting an education; so that what little he had was picked up at odd moments. He used to carry with him, on the circuit, text-books such as are used in school. At one time when here, he had a geometry, over which he used to pore like an ambitious school boy. At another time, he had a copy of Euclid. The last time he was here, not long before he was elected to the Presidency, he was studying German. He had a little book such as in popular phrase is known as an “easy method.” The German sentence was written upon one line; and upon the line below it was the translation in English. As honest in this work as in every thing else, he had prepared a little card with a hole through the centre, just wide enough and long enough to allow one line to be seen at a time. He would lay the card upon his book so that he could see the German sentence; then after puzzling over it, until he thought he had mastered it, he would slip down the card, and if his translation had been correct, would slap himself upon the knee, evidently well pleased with his work. Under such difficulties as these, the great man drilled his mind. It was a rich heart back of all that made the simple treasures of his mind gleam as they did.