Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1897 — SAVED LINCOLN’S LIFE. [ARTICLE]

SAVED LINCOLN’S LIFE.

Austin Go'laher Rescued the Future rresident from Drowning. However poor the Lincoln home may have been, it affected the new child but little, says McClure’s Magazine. He was robust and active, and life is full of interest to the child happy enough to be born in the country. He had several companions. There was his sister Nancy, or Sarah—both names are given her —two years his senior; there was a cousin of his mother’s, ten years older, Dennis Hanks, nu active and ingenious leader in sports and mischief, and there were the neighbors' boys. One of the latter, Austin Gollaher, still tells with pleasure how he hunted coons and ran the woods with young Lincoln and once even saved his life. “Yes," said Mr. Gollaher, “the story that I once saved Lincoln’s life is true, but it is not correct as generally related. “Abraham Lincoln and I had been going to school together for a year or more and had become greatly attached to each other. Then school disbanded on account of there being so few scholars, and we did not see each other for a long time. One Sundny my mother visited the Lincolns and I was taken along. Abe and I played

around all day. Finally we concluded to cross the creek to hunt for some partridges young Lincoln had seen the day before. The creek was swollen by a recent rain, nnd in crossing on the narrow footing Abe fell in. Neither of us could swim. I got a long pole and held it out to Abe, who grabbed it. Then I pulled him ashore. He was almost dead and I was badly scared. I rolled and pounded him in good earnest. Then I got him by the arms and shook him, the water meanwhile pouring out of his mouth. By this means I succeeded in bringing him to, and he was soon all right. “Then a new difficulty confronted us. If our mothers discovered our wet clothes they would whip us. This we dreaded from experience and determined to avoid. It was June, the sun was very warm, and we soon dried our clothing by spreading them on the rocks about us. We promised never to tell the story, and I never mentioned the incident to any one until after Lincoln’s tragic end. “Abraham Lincoln had a sister. Her name was Sallie, and she was a very pretty girl. She Went to school when she could, which was not very often. “Yes, if you must know, Sallie Lincoln was my sweetheart. She was about my age. I loved her, and, claimed her, as boys do. I suppose that was one reason of my warm regard for Abe. When the Lfbcoln family moved to Indiana I was prevented by circumstances from bidding good-by to either of the children, and I never saw them again.”