The story-life of Lincoln; a biography composed of five hundred true stories told by Abraham Lincoln and his friends . erprise or ambition. Here is a later epistle, still more graphic and terse in statement,which has the unusual merit of painting both confessor and penitentto the life: Shelbyville, Nov. 4, 1851. Dear Brother: When I came into Charleston, day beforeyesterday, I heard that you were anxious to sell the land where you STATE CAPITAL AND EIGHTH CIRCUIT 227 live and move to Missouri. I have been thinking of this ever since,and cannot but think such a notion is utterly foolish. What c
The story-life of Lincoln; a biography composed of five hundred true stories told by Abraham Lincoln and his friends . erprise or ambition. Here is a later epistle, still more graphic and terse in statement,which has the unusual merit of painting both confessor and penitentto the life: Shelbyville, Nov. 4, 1851. Dear Brother: When I came into Charleston, day beforeyesterday, I heard that you were anxious to sell the land where you STATE CAPITAL AND EIGHTH CIRCUIT 227 live and move to Missouri. I have been thinking of this ever since,and cannot but think such a notion is utterly foolish. What canyou do in Missouri better than here? Is the land any richer? Canyou there, any more than here, raise corn and wheat and oats with-out work? Will anybody there, any more than here, do your workfor you? If you intend to go to work there is no better place thanright where you are; if you do not intend to go to work, you cannotget along anywhere. Squirming and Crawling about from place toplace can do no good. You have raised no crop this year, and whatyou really want is to sell the land, get the money and spend HOUSE IN WHICH THOMAS LINCOLN DIED, IN COLES COUNTY, ILLINOIS Part with the land you have, and, my life upon it, you will neverafter own a spot big enough to bury you in. Half you will get forthe land you will spend in moving to Missouri, and the other halfyou will eat and drink and wear out, and no foot of land will bebought. Now, I feel it is my duty to have no hand in such a piece offoolery. I feel that it is so even on your own account, and particu-larly on Mothers account. The eastern forty acres I intend to keepfor Mother while she lives; if you will not cultivate it, it will rent forenough to support her; at least it will rent for something, Her 2 28 THE STORY-LIFE OF LINCOLN dower in the other two forties she can let you have, and no thanksto me. Now do net misunderstand this letter. I do not write it in anyunkindness. I write it in order, if possible, to get
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