tered the book and reported
for duty.

In April Abe wrote another address to the voters announcing that he was
again a candidate for a seat in the Legislature. Late that month Harry
walked with him to Pappsville where a crowd had assembled to attend a
public sale. When the auctioneer had finished Abe made his first stump
speech. A drunken man tried to divert attention to himself by sundry
interruptions. Harry asked him to be quiet, whereupon the ruffian and a
friend pitched upon the boy and began to handle him roughly. Abe jumped
down, rushed into the crowd, seized the chief offender and raising him
off his feet flung him into the air. He hit the ground in a heap some
four yards from where Abe stood. The latter resumed his place and went
on with his speech. The crowd cheered him and there was no further
disturbance at that meeting. The speech was a modest, straightforward
declaration of his principles. When he was leaving several voices called
for a story. Abe raised a great laugh with a humorous anecdote in which
he imitated the dialect and manners of a Kentucky backwoodsman. They
kept him on the auctioneer's block for half an hour telling the wise and
curious folk tales of which he knew so many. He had won the crowd by his
principles, his humor and good nature as well as by the brave and
decisive exhibition of his great strength.

Abe and Harry went to a number of settlements in the county with a like
result save that no more violence was needed. At one place there were men
in the crowd who knew Harry's record in the war. They called on him for a
speech. He spoke on the need of the means of transportation in Sangamon
County with such insight and dignity and convincing candor that both Abe
and the audience hailed him as a coming man. Abe and he were often seen
together those days.

In New Salem they were called the disappointed lovers. It was known there
that Abe was very fond of Ann Rutledge although he had not, as yet,
openly confessed to any one--not even to Ann--there being no show of hope
for him. Ann was deeply in love with John McNeil--the genial, handsome
and successful young Irishman. The affair had reached the stage of
frankness, of an open discussion of plans, of fond affection expressing
itself in caresses quite indifferent to ridicule.

For Ann it had been like warm sunlight on the growing rose. She was
neater in dress, lovelier in form and color, more graceful in movement
and sweeter-voiced than ever