51 Abraham Lincoln Stories That Show How Great He Was

 

Inspiring Abraham Lincoln Stories That Show What A Wonderful Man He Was

 

“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.”

– Abraham Lincoln

Inspiration Abraham Lincoln Stories For Everyone: Abraham Lincoln – This is the name that has been inspiring millions of Americans for the last 150 years. Abraham Lincoln, The 16th President of the United States was born on February 12, 1809, in Kentucky. Lincoln was born into a poor family and his father was an ordinary farmer.

So he had to work very hard for his education and livelihood at a young age. His father taught him how to do farm work and his mother always encouraged him to excel in education and career. Reading was Lincoln’s passion. He read a lot to get smart.

He even borrowed books from other people to read. Lincoln faced many heartbreak situations in his life from the death of his mother at an early age to the death of his three children. But he was a man of strong will who was smart enough to face the odds of life in his own way.

Married to Mary Todd in the year 1842, Lincoln had three sons William, Robert, and Tad. Lincoln had a never-say-die attitude so he never lost track in spite of facing the most virulent troubles in his life. Lincoln was simple and humble.

He did not have an ego. He stayed on the path of truth throughout his life that’s why so many people loved him. Lincoln faced many heartbreak situations & defeats in his personal & professional life but never admitted the defeat.

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Short Life Story of President Abraham Lincoln

At last, he became successful in becoming the 16th president of the USA. The famous Civil War (North and South fighting) of America was fought and won during his supremacy. Thus he saved the nation from a fatal and explicit division and had a prominent role in making America the first superpower of the world.

Because of his outstanding leadership, he was again elected the president of the United States but poor Lincoln fell prey to the secret plot of conspirators. And when he was enjoying a drama, a murderer John Wilkes Booth shot him with his gun in the theater.

Lincoln passed away on April 15, 1865. People were devastated by his death because America had not only lost its second most popular president after George Washington but they also lost an extraordinary leader who was a true genius in every aspect.

Lincoln is also famous for a speech called the Gettysburg Address. It is one of his most famous speeches. Below are some of the most popular stories related to his life by which we can know how great this simple man was.

And don’t forget to share these stories with your friends and followers as these stories will surely inspire them.

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2. A Great Story That Tells How Lincoln Handled Weird Situations

The Story of President Abraham Lincoln And A Jealous Man

Very few people know that the father of Abraham Lincoln was a shoemaker also. However, most of the time his livelihood came from agriculture as he was a laborious farmer primarily. When Abraham Lincoln became the 16th president of America, naturally, many people felt jealous of his accomplishment.

Some egoistic people were very much offended that a shoemaker’s son should become the president. They were aristocrats, who thought it was their birthright to be in the highest government post. A shoemaker’s son?

On the first day, as Abraham Lincoln entered to give his inaugural address, just in the middle, one man stood up. He was a wealthy aristocrat and wanted to humiliate Lincoln in front of everyone.

He said, “Mr. Lincoln, you should not forget that your father used to make shoes for my family.” And the whole Senate laughed; they thought that they had made a fool of Abraham Lincoln.

But Lincoln – and that type of person is made of a totally different mettle – Lincoln looked at the man and said, “Sir, I know that my father used to make shoes in your house for your family, and there will be many others here…”

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How Lincoln Taught Him A Great Lesson In His Own Way

“Because the way he made shoes, nobody else can. He was a creator. His shoes were not just shoes, he poured his whole soul into them. I want to ask you, have you any complaints? Because I know how to make shoes myself.”

“If you have any complaints I can make another pair of shoes. But as far as I know, nobody has ever complained about my father’s shoes. He was a genius, a creator, and I am proud of my father!”

The whole Senate was struck dumb. They could not understand what kind of man Abraham Lincoln was. He had made shoe-making an art, a creativity.

And he was proud because his father did the job so well that not even a single complaint had ever been heard.

And even though he was the president of America, he was ready to make another pair if there was any complaint. Lincoln further insisted,

“I have never seen another shoemaker like my father in my entire life but I think there is some screw that is piercing you. But don’t worry as I can easily repair it.”

The man felt very ashamed realizing the hidden meaning of Lincoln’s statement.

Moral of The Story: It does not matter what you do. What matters is how you do it – of your own accord, with your own vision, with your own love. Then whatever you touch becomes gold.

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3. A Story on Lincoln’s Ability To Change A Tensed Environment

How Did Lincoln Put A Smile on A Father’s Gloomy Face

General Fisk, attending a reception at the White House, saw waiting in the anteroom a poor old man from Tennessee and learned that he had been waiting three or four days to get an audience, on which probably depended the life of his son, under sentence of death for some military offense.

General Fisk wrote his case in outline on a card and sent it in, with a special request that the President would see the man. In a moment the order came; and past impatient senators, governors, and generals, the old man went.

He showed his papers to Mr. Lincoln, who said he would look into the case and give him the result the next day. The old man, in an agony of apprehension, looked up into the President’s sympathetic face and actually cried out:

“Tomorrow may be too late! My son is under sentence of death. It ought to be decided now!” His streaming tears told how much he was moved.

“Come,” said Mr. Lincoln, “wait a bit and I’ll tell you a story;” then he told the old man, General Fisk’s story about the swearing driver, as follows:

Why He Could Not Wait For The Colonel

“The general had begun his military life as a colonel, and when he raised his regiment in Missouri he proposed to his men that he should do all the swearing of the regiment. They assented, and for months no instance was known of the violation of the promise.

The colonel had a teamster named John Todd, who, as roads were not always the best, had some difficulty in commanding his temper and his tongue. John happened to be driving a mule team through a series of mudholes a little worse than usual.

However, when, unable to restrain himself any longer, he burst forth into a volley of energetic oaths. The colonel took notice of the offense and brought John to account. ‘John,’ said he, ‘didn’t you promise to let me do all the swearing of the regiment?’

“‘Yes, I did, colonel,’ he replied, ‘but the fact was, the swearing had to be done then or not at all, and you weren’t there to do it.'” As he told the story the old man forgot his boy, and both the President and his listener had a hearty laugh together at its conclusion.

Then he wrote a few words which the old man read. And in those words, he found a new occasion for tears. But the tears were tears of joy, for the words saved the life of his son.

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4. A Heart-Touching Story on The Kind Nature of Abraham Lincoln

The Story of Abraham Lincoln And The Poor Piglet

One day while President Lincoln was going to Congress, he saw a helpless pig stuck in a deep mud hole. It was struggling to get out of that muddy place but unfortunately remained unsuccessful. He felt pity for the poor animal and wondered how he would feel if he was in the pig’s place.

He decided to help the pig. He told his driver to stop the carriage so that he could pull the pig out of the mud. The driver stopped the carriage, and President Lincoln got out.

The driver said to the President, “You wait, I will take him out. I don’t want your clothes to get dirty.”

The President replied “I do not care for my clothes. The pig’s life is more important.”

The driver said, “Please wait and let me try. If I fail, I will ask for your help.”

Lincoln Had A Heart Which Beat For Others

The driver tried so hard but could not pull the pig out of the mud. So the president helped the driver pull the pig out. While doing that the President’s clothes became very dirty. The driver offered to take him back home so that he could change his clothes.

The president however told him that he did not want to be late for the meeting, and asked him to drive towards the Congress building. When he reached the meeting, everyone wondered what happened to the president.

The driver explained everything. He told them how the president saved the life of a helpless pig. Everybody in Congress praised the president for his kindness.

But Lincoln didn’t receive the credit for it and instead said, “I saved the pig not because I loved the pig but just because I want to take the pain out of my own mind.”

This story tells us when you show kindness, friendship, and love toward other living beings, you get a lot of happiness and satisfaction in return. You also get regard from others.

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Inspirational Stories About The Honesty of Abraham Lincoln

5. I Never Use Anyone’s Money But My Own: A Story About Lincoln

Lincoln was appointed postmaster at New Salem by President Jackson. The office was given to him because everybody liked him and because he was the only man willing to take it who could make out the returns. Lincoln was pleased because it gave him a chance to read every newspaper taken in the vicinity.

He had never been able to get half the newspapers he wanted before. Years after the post office had been discontinued and Lincoln had become a practicing lawyer at Springfield, an agent of the Postoffice Department entered his office and inquired if Abraham Lincoln was within.

Lincoln responded to his name and was informed that the agent had called to collect the balance due the Department since the discontinuance of the New Salem office. The young ex-postmaster looked puzzled for a moment.

A friend, who happened to be present, hastened to his rescue with, “Lincoln, if you are in need of money, let us help you.”

Abe made no reply, but suddenly rose and pulled out from a pile of books a little old trunk, and, returning to the table, asked the agent how much the amount of his debt was.

The man stated the amount, and he, opening the trunk, took out an old cotton cloth containing coins. He handed it to the official without counting, and it proved to be the exact sum required, over seventeen dollars.

Evidently, it was the very pieces of money Abe had received while acting as postmaster years before! Although this sum had been in his hands during all those years, he had never regarded it as available, even for any temporary use of his own.

After the department agent had received the money and had gone out, Mr. Lincoln quietly remarked: “I Never Use Anyone’s Money But My Own.”

6. Why Abraham Lincoln Was Famous As Honest Abe

During the year Lincoln was in Denton Offutt’s store at New Salem, that gentleman, whose business was somewhat widely and unwisely spread about the country, ceased to prosper in his finances and finally failed. The store was shut up, the mill was closed, and Abraham Lincoln was out of business.

The year had been one of great advance, in many respects. He had made new and valuable acquaintances, read many books, mastered the grammar of his own tongue, won multitudes of friends, and became ready for a step still further in advance.

Those who could appreciate brains respected him, and those whose ideas of a man related to his muscles were devoted to him. It was while he was performing the work of the store that he acquired the sobriquet of “Honest Abe”.

A characterization he never dishonored, and an abbreviation that he never outgrew. He was judge, arbitrator, referee, umpire, authority, in all disputes, games, and matches of man-flesh, horse-flesh, a pacificator in all quarrels.

He was everybody’s friend; the best-natured, the most sensible, the best-informed, the most modest and unassuming, the kindest, gentlest, roughest, strongest, best fellow in all New Salem and the region roundabout.

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7. What Happened When A Visitor Met The Sick President

It was the President’s overweening desire to accommodate all persons who came to him soliciting favors, but the opportunity was never offered until an untimely and unthinking disease, which possessed many of the characteristics of one of the most dreaded maladies, confined him to his bed at the White House.

The rumor spread that the President was afflicted with this disease, while the truth was that it was merely a very mild attack of varioloid. The office-seekers didn’t know the facts, and for once the Executive Mansion was clear of them.

One day, a man from the West, who didn’t read the papers, but wanted the post office in his town, called at the White House. The President, being then practically a well man, saw him.

The caller was engaged in a voluble endeavor to put his capabilities in the most favorable light when the President interrupted him with the remark that he would be compelled to make the interview short, as his doctor was due.

“Why, Mr. President, are you sick?” queried the visitor.

“Oh, nothing much,” replied Mr. Lincoln, “but the physician says he fears the worst.”

“What worst, may I ask?”

“Smallpox,” was the answer; “but you needn’t be scared. I’m only in the first stages now.”

The visitor grabbed his hat, sprang from his chair, and without a word bolted for the door.

“Don’t be in a hurry,” said the President placidly; “sit down and talk awhile.”

“Thank you, sir; I’ll call again,” shouted the Westerner, as he disappeared through the opening in the wall.

“Now, that’s the way with people,” the President said when relating the story afterward. “When I can’t give them what they want, they’re dissatisfied, and say harsh things about me; but when I’ve something to give to everybody they scamper off.”

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8. A Story About The Great Height of Abraham Lincoln

The second election of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency of the United States was the reward of his courage and genius bestowed upon him by the people of the Union States. General George B. McClellan was his opponent in 1864 upon the platform that “the War is a failure,” and carried but three States—New Jersey, Delaware, and Kentucky.

The States that did not think the War was a failure were those in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, all the Western commonwealths, West Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, and the new State of Nevada, admitted into the Union on October 31st.

President Lincoln’s popular majority over McClellan, who never did much toward making the War a success, was more than four hundred thousand. Underneath the cartoon reproduced here, from “Harper’s Weekly” of November 26th, 1864, were the words,

“Long Abraham Lincoln a Little Longer.” But the beloved President’s time upon earth was not to be much longer, as he was assassinated just one month and ten days after his second inauguration.

Indeed, the words, “a little longer,” printed below the cartoon, were strangely prophetic, although not intended to be such. The people of the United States had learned to love “Long Abe,” their affection being of a purely personal nature, in the main.

No other Chief Executive was regarded as so sincerely the friend of the great mass of the inhabitants of the Republic as Lincoln. He was, in truth, one of “the common people,” having been born among them, and lived as one of them.

Lincoln’s great height made him an easy subject for the cartoonist, and they used it in his favor as well as against him.

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9. How Abraham Lincoln Managed The War With His Great Wit

General Grant told this story about President Lincoln some years after the War: Just after receiving my commission as lieutenant-general the President called me aside to speak to me privately. After a brief reference to the military situation, he said, “I thought I could illustrate what I wanted to say with a story.”

He said, “At one time there was a great war among the animals, and one side had great difficulty in getting a commander who had sufficient confidence in himself. Finally, they found a monkey named Jocko, who said he could command their army if his tail could be made a little longer.

So they got more tail and spliced it onto his caudal appendage. He looked at it admiringly and then said he thought he ought to have still more tail. This was added, and again he called for more.

The splicing process was repeated many times until they had coiled Jocko’s tail around the room, filling all the space. Still, he called for more tail, and, there being no other place to coil it, they began wrapping it around his shoulders.

He continued his call for more, and they kept on winding the additional tail around him until its weight broke him down.’ After listening to Lincoln’s story attentively, I saw the point,

I rose from my chair and replied, “Mr. President, I will not call for any more assistance unless I find it impossible to do with what I already have.”

10. What Happened When A Crazy Man Set A Gun on Lincoln

One day lawyer Lincoln was walking near his home when a goon-like man suddenly appeared before him. Before Lincoln, could expect his intention, he, at once, drew a revolver from the pocket of his overcoat and thrust the weapon into Lincoln’s face.

In such circumstances “Wise Abe” at once concluded that any attempt at debate or argument was a waste of time and words.

“What is the matter?” inquired Lincoln with all the calmness and self-possession he could muster.

“Well,” replied the stranger, who did not appear at all excited, “Some years ago I swore an oath that if I ever came across an uglier man than myself I’d shoot him on the spot.”

A feeling of relief evidently took possession of Lincoln at this rejoinder, as the expression upon his countenance lost all suggestion of anxiety.

“Shoot me,” he said to the stranger; “For if I am an uglier man than you, I don’t want to live.”

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11. How Smart Lincoln Defeated The Opposing Lawyer

Once, when Lincoln was pleading a case, the opposing lawyer had all the advantage of the law; the weather was warm, and his opponent, as was admissible in frontier courts, pulled off his coat and vest as he grew warm in the argument.

At that time, shirts with buttons behind were unusual. Lincoln took in the situation at once. Knowing the prejudices of the primitive people against the pretension of all sorts, or any affectation of superior social rank, arising, he said:

“Gentlemen of the jury, having justice on my side, I don’t think you will be at all influenced by the gentleman’s pretended knowledge of the law, when you see he does not even know which side of his shirt should be in front.”

There was a general laugh, and Lincoln’s case was won.

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12. A Story That Tells Why Lincoln Trust Grant So Much

One night, about eleven o’clock, Colonel A. K. McClure, whose intimacy with President Lincoln was so great that he could obtain admittance to the Executive Mansion at any and all hours, called at the White House to urge Mr. Lincoln to remove General Grant from command. After listening patiently for a long time, the President gathered himself up in his chair.

He said with the utmost earnestness: “I can’t spare this man; he fights!” In relating the particulars of this interview, Colonel McClure said: “That was all he said, but I knew that it was enough, and that Grant was safe in Lincoln’s hands against his countless hosts of enemies.

The only man in the whole nation who had the power to save Grant was Lincoln, and he had decided to do it. He was not influenced by any personal partiality for Grant, for they had never met. The Battle of Shiloh was fought on the 6th and 7th of April, 1862.

It was not until after this battle that Lincoln was placed in a position to exercise a controlling influence in shaping the destiny of Grant. The first reports from the Shiloh battlefield created profound alarm throughout the entire country.

And the wildest exaggerations were spread in a floodtide of vituperation against Grant. Only a small number of individuals today can recollect the intense public backlash Grant faced caused by the disastrous first day’s battle at Shiloh.

During that time, he was widely criticized for his leadership abilities. He was denounced as incompetent for his command by the public journals of all parties in the North, and with almost entire unanimity by Senators and Congressmen, regardless of political affinities.

I appealed to Lincoln for his own sake to remove Grant at once, and in giving my reasons for it, I simply voiced the admittedly overwhelming protest from the loyal people of the land against Grant’s continuance in command.

I did not forget that Lincoln was the one man who never allowed himself to appear as wantonly defying public sentiment. It seemed to me impossible for him to save Grant without taking a crushing load of condemnation upon himself.

But Lincoln was wiser than all those around him. He not only saved Grant, but he saved him by such well-concerted effort that he soon won popular applause from those who were most violent in demanding Grant’s dismissal.”

13. A Story That Shows Lincoln Was A Man of Vision

One of the most celebrated court-martials during the War was that of Franklin W. Smith and his brother, charged with defrauding the government. These men bore a high character for integrity. At this time, however, courts-martial were seldom invoked for any other purpose than to convict the accused.

And Smith Brothers shared the usual fate of persons whose cases were submitted to such arbitrament. They were kept in prison, their papers seized, their business destroyed, and their reputations ruined, all of which was followed by a conviction.

The finding of the court was submitted to the President, who, after a careful investigation, disapproved the judgment, and wrote the following endorsement on the papers:

“Franklin W. Smith had transactions with the Navy Department to the amount of a million and a quarter of dollars. Whereas he had a chance to steal at least a quarter of a million, he was only charged with stealing twenty-two hundred dollars.

“The question now is about his stealing one hundred, I don’t believe he stole anything at all. Therefore, the record and the findings are disapproved, declared null and void, and the defendants are fully discharged.”

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14. A Story About The Simplicity of Abraham Lincoln

Speed, who was a prosperous young merchant of Springfield, reports that Lincoln’s personal effects consisted of a pair of saddlebags, containing two or three lawbooks, and a few pieces of clothing. Riding on a borrowed horse, he thus made his appearance in Springfield.

When he discovered that a single bedstead would cost seventeen dollars he said, “It is probably cheap enough, but I have not enough money to pay for it.”

When Speed offered to trust him, he said: “If I fail here as a lawyer, I will probably never pay you at all.”

Then Speed offered to share a large double bed with him.

“Where is your room?” Lincoln asked.

“Upstairs,” said Speed, pointing from the store leading to his room.

Without saying a word, he took his saddlebags on his arm, went upstairs, set them down on the floor, came down again, and with a face beaming with pleasure and smiles, exclaimed: “Well, Speed, I’m moved.”

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15. Done With The Bible: A Funny Story Abraham Lincoln Ever Told

Abraham Lincoln never told a better story than this: A country meeting-house, that was used once a month, was quite a distance from any other house. The preacher, an old-line Baptist, was dressed in coarse linen pantaloons, and shirts of the same material.

The pants, manufactured after the old fashion, with baggy legs, and a flap in the front, were made to attach to his frame without the aid of suspenders. A single button held his shirt in position, and that was at the collar.

He rose up in the pulpit, and with a loud voice announced his text thus: “I am the Christ whom I shall represent today.” About this time a little blue lizard ran up his roomy pantaloons.

The old preacher, not wishing to interrupt the steady flow of his sermon, slapped away on his leg, expecting to arrest the intruder, but his efforts were unavailing, and the little fellow kept on ascending higher and higher.

Continuing the sermon, the preacher loosened the central button that graced the waistband of his pantaloons, and with a kick-off came that easy-fitting garment.

But, meanwhile, Mr. Lizard had passed the equatorial line of the waistband and was calmly exploring that part of the preacher’s anatomy which lay underneath the back of his shirt.

Things were now growing interesting, but the sermon was still grinding on. The next movement on the preacher’s part was for the collar button, and with one sweep of his arm off came the tow linen shirt.

The congregation sat for an instant as if dazed; at length, one old lady in the rear part of the room rose up, and, glancing at the excited object in the pulpit, shouted at the top of her voice: “If you represent Christ, then I’m done with the Bible.”

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16. Origin of The “Influence”: A Story About Lincoln & His Staff

Once, Judge Baldwin of California, came to Washington to meet General Halleck, then Commander-in-Chief of the Union forces. He requested a pass to visit his brother in Virginia, assuming that his request would be granted due to their past acquaintance in California and their shared loyalty to the Union.

“We have been deceived too often,” said General Halleck, “and I regret I can’t grant it.”

Judge Baldwin then went to Stanton and was very briefly disposed of with the same result. Finally, he obtained an interview with Mr. Lincoln and stated his case.

“Have you applied to General Halleck?” inquired the President.

“Yes, and met with a flat refusal,” said Judge Baldwin.

“Then you must see Stanton,” continued the President.

“I have, and with the same result,” was the reply.

“Well, then,” said Mr. Lincoln, with a smile, “I can do nothing; for you must know that I have very little influence with this Administration, although I hope to have more with the next.”

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17. How Abraham Lincoln Lost The Way To His House

A good story is told of how Mrs. Lincoln made a little surprise for her husband. In the early days, it was customary for lawyers to go from one county to another on horseback, a journey which often required several weeks. One late night, Mr. Lincoln was returning from one of these trips.

He dismounted from his horse at the familiar corner and then turned to go into the house. However, he stopped as soon as he were to enter the house because a perfectly unknown structure was before him.

Surprised, and thinking there must be some mistake, he went across the way and knocked at a neighbor’s door. The family had retired, and so called out: “Who’s there?”

“Abe Lincoln,” was the reply. “I am looking for my house. I thought it was across the way, but when I went away a few weeks ago there was only a one-story house there and now there is a two-story house in its place. I think I must be lost.”

The neighbors then explained that Mrs. Lincoln had added another story during his absence. And Mr. Lincoln laughed and went to his remodeled house.

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Beautiful Stories About The Compassionate Nature of Abe Lincoln

18. Some Ugly Old Lawyer: A Story About Lincoln’s Greatness

A. W. Swan, of Albuquerque (New Mexico) told this wonderful story about President Lincoln. He was the eyewitness of the incident which clearly shows how great Abraham Lincoln was. This story is stated in his own words: “One day President Lincoln met an irate private soldier in the park between the White House and the War Department.

The soldier was swearing in a high key, cursing the Government from the President down. Mr. Lincoln paused and asked him what was the matter. ‘Matter enough,’ was the reply. ‘I want my money. I have been discharged here, and can’t get my pay.’

Mr. Lincoln asked if he had his papers, saying that he used to practice law in a small way, and possibly could help him. My friend and I stepped behind some convenient shrubbery where we could watch the result.

Mr. Lincoln took the papers from the hands of the crippled soldier and sat down with him at the foot of a convenient tree. He examined the paper carefully and after writing a line on the back, he handed it to the soldier.

President told the soldier to take the papers to Mr. Potts, Chief Clerk of the War Department, who would doubtless attend to the matter at once. After Mr. Lincoln had left the soldier, we stepped out.

We asked him if he knew whom he had been talking with. ‘Some ugly old fellow who pretends to be a lawyer,’ was the reply. My companion asked to see the papers, and on their being handed to him, pointed to the endorsement they had received.”

This endorsement read: “Mr. Potts, attend to this man’s case at once and see that he gets his pay. A. L.”

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19. How President Lincoln Cared For A Helpless Boy

President Lincoln one day noticed a small, pale, delicate-looking boy, about thirteen years old, among the number in the White House antechamber. The President saw him standing there. He was looking so feeble and faint that the president could no longer stop himself.

He called the boy affectionately, “Come here, my boy, and tell me what you want.” The boy advanced, placed his hand on the arm of the President’s chair, and, with a bowed head and timid accent, said:

“Mr. President, I have been a drummer boy in a regiment for two years, and my colonel got angry with me and turned me off. I was taken sick and have been a long time in the hospital.”

The President discovered that the boy had no home, no father—he had died in the army—no mother.

“I have no father, no mother, no brothers, no sisters, and,” bursting into tears, “no friends—nobody cares for me.”

Lincoln’s eyes filled with tears, and the boy’s heart was soon made glad by a request to certain officials “to care for this poor boy.”

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Simple Practical Humanity: Abe Lincoln Story

An instance of young Lincoln’s practical humanity at an early period of his life is recorded in this way: One evening, while returning from a “raising” in his wide neighborhood, with several companions, he discovered a stray horse, with saddle and bridle upon him.

The horse was recognized as belonging to a man who was accustomed to getting drunk, and it was suspected at once that he was not far off. A short search only was necessary to confirm the belief.

The poor drunkard was found in a perfectly helpless condition, upon the chilly ground. Abraham’s companions urged the cowardly policy of leaving him to his fate, but young Lincoln would not hear to the proposition.

At his request, the miserable sot was lifted on his shoulders, and he actually carried him eighty rods to the nearest house. He informed his father that he would not be back that night.

With the reason for his absence, he attended and nursed the man until the morning, and had the pleasure of believing that he had saved his life.

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21. What Lincoln Did With His First Five Hundred Dollars

During the interim between the two partnerships, after he had left Major Stuart, and before he went into the office with Logan, Mr. Lincoln conducted a case alone. He worked very hard and made a brilliant success of it, winning the verdict and a five hundred dollar fee.

When an old lawyer friend called on him, Lincoln had the money spread out on the table counting it over. “Look here, judge,” said the young lawyer.

“See what a heap of money I’ve got from that case. Did you ever see anything like it? Why, I never in my life had so much money all at once!”

Then his manner changed, and crossing his long arms on the table he said: “I have got just five hundred dollars. If it were only seven hundred and fifty I would go and buy a quarter section (160 acres) of land and give it to my old stepmother.”

The friend offered to lend him the two hundred and fifty dollars needed.

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22. Lincoln Had Great Respect For His Step-mother

While drawing up the necessary papers, the old judge gave the young lawyer this advice: “Lincoln, I wouldn’t do it quite that way. Your stepmother is getting old, and, in all probability, will not live many years. I would settle the property upon her for use during her lifetime, to revert to you upon her death.”

“I shall do no such thing,” Lincoln replied with deep feeling. “It is a poor return, at best, for all the good woman’s devotion to me, and there is not going to be any halfway business about it.” The dutiful stepson did as he planned.

Some years later he was obliged to write to John Johnston, his stepmother’s son, appealing to him not to try to induce his mother to sell the land lest the old woman should lose the support he had provided for her in her declining years.

Read More Stories: 10 Stories About Humility That Will Make You More Modest

 

Motivational Stories About The Firm Will of President Lincoln

23. A Story That Shows The Determination of Abraham Lincoln

The former president of the USA, Abraham Lincoln was a firm man when needed. He was the actual head of the administration. During his tenure in the office, he always respected the ideas and opinions of his subordinates.

Sometimes, Secretary of War Stanton as well as the other Cabinet ministers forced him to change his decisions but whenever an essential task had to be executed in a timely fashion he always showed who was the real Boss.

Secretary Stanton on one occasion said: “Now, Mr. President, those are the facts and you must see that your order cannot be executed.”

Lincoln replied in a somewhat positive tone: “Mr. Secretary, I reckon you’ll have to execute the order.”

Stanton replied with vigor: “Mr. President, I cannot do it. This order is an improper one, and I cannot execute it.”

Lincoln fixed his eyes upon Stanton, and, in a firm voice and accent that clearly showed his determination, said: “Mr. Secretary, it will have to be done.”

And it was done.

24. And Sentinel Obeyed Orders: A Story About Lincoln

This traditional sentry story is another example of President Lincoln’s firm will. Mr. C. C. Buel, an eyewitness to the incident stated: “It was a cold, blusterous winter night. Mr. Lincoln emerged from the front door.

His lank figure bent over as he drew tightly about his shoulders the shawl which he employed for such protection. He was on his way to the War Department, located at the western corner of the grounds.

Here, during times of conflict, he would often receive the midnight dispatches from the field. As the blast struck him he thought of the numbness of the pacing sentry.

He turned to him and said, “Young man, you’ve got a cold job tonight. Step inside and stand guard there.”

“Sir, My orders keep me out here,” the soldier replied.

“‘Yes,’ said the President, in his argumentative tone; ‘but your duty can be performed just as well inside as out here, and you’ll oblige me by going in.’

“‘Sir, I have been stationed outside,’ the soldier answered and resumed his beat.

“‘Hold on there!’ said Mr. Lincoln, as he turned back again; ‘it occurs to me that I am Commander-in-Chief of the army, and I order you to go inside.’”

25. President Abraham Lincoln Was A Great Patriot

Replying to an editorial written by Horace Greeley, the President wrote: “My paramount object is to save the Union, and not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slaves, I would do it.

If I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that. What I do about slavery and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save this Union.

And what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I believe doing more will help the cause.”

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