Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1914 — MOST MODEST OF MEN [ARTICLE]

MOST MODEST OF MEN

Abraham Lincoln felt deeply the responsibility that rested on him as president of the United States, but he shrank from assuming any of the honors, or even the titles, of his position. | After years of Intimate acquaintance- a public man testified shortly after Mr. Lincoln’s death that he could not recall a single Instance in

which he spoke of himself as president, or used that title for himself, except when he acted in an official capacity. ' He always spoke of his position and office vaguely, as ’’this place,” "here,” or in other modest phrase. Once, speaking of the room at the capito) used by the president -of. the United States at the close of a session of

congress, he said, "That room, you know, that they call” —dropping his voice and hesitating—“the president’s room.” To an intimate friend who addressed him always by his \ own proper title, he said, "Now call me Lincoln, and I’ll promise not to tell of the breach of etiquette—if you won’t—and I shall have a resting spell from ‘Mr. President’ ’’ All persons agree that the most marked characteristic of Mr. Lincoln’s manners was his simplicity and art-

lessness, but his native dignity never forsook him, and wi:h all his angularities t»* conventionalities, distinguished were invariably impressed t.- Utf tn* £ber. A diplomat whose knowledge of courts was more perfect than that of the English language, said: "He seems to me one grand gentllhomme in disguise.”—Youth’s Companion. More than 3,000,000 gross of pencil? are annually made in Philadelphia.