After the simple burial rites were over, Nance Cameron, Miss Rogers and others brought armfuls of early goldenrod and asters which they had gathered, to cover the low mound of the best-loved girl in New Salem.
It was not until the company had gone that Ole Bar came out of the woods, and, kneeling by the grave, put his lone flower over the place where under the earth her hands were folded.
From the dead, interest turned to the living, and the one question asked by his friends was: "Where is Abe Lincoln?" Dr. Allen asked Mrs. Rutledge. She did not know and asked John Rutledge. He did not know. William Green was asked and Mentor Graham. Nobody knew anything about Lincoln.
Early the morning after the day of the funeral, Katy Kelly looked out and saw a man coming.
"Ma," she called, "there's an old man comin' to our place."
Visitors being almost unheard of out there, Mrs. Kelly looked out. For a moment she seemed puzzled. The man was somewhat stooped and walking slowly. It was none other than Abraham Lincoln.
"Howdy, Mrs. Kelly," he said wearily. "I was passing by and thought I'd stop a minute."
Mrs. Kelly hastened into her one room and cleared off the only chair in the house.
"Ma," whispered Katy, not knowing she had ever seen him before, "What's ailin' of that old man?"