"No," replied Mr. Lincoln. "That wasn't the reason. It was because, when he was a boy, he had to work for a living." But our good President, for once, was wrong,--for once, he did not get at the core of the matter. Jordan, as well as Garfield, "had, when a boy, to work for a living." The two men were, perhaps, of about equal natural abilities,--both were born in log huts, both worked their own way to manhood, and both went into the war consecrating their very lives to their country: but one came out of it with a brace of stars on his shoulder, and honored by all the nation; the other never rose from the ranks, and went down to an unknown grave, mourned only among his native mountains. Something more than _work_ was at the bottom of this contrast in their lives and their destinies. It was FREE SCHOOLS, which the North gave the one, and of which the South robbed the other. Plant a free school at every Southern cross-road, and every Southern Jordan will become a Garfield. Then, and not till then, will this Union be "reconstructed." FOOTNOTES: [B] The Baine is a small stream which puts into the Big Sandy, a short distance from the town of Louisa, Ky. NOEL.[C] L'Academie en respect, Nonobstant l'incorrection, A la faveur du sujet, Ture-lure, N'y fera point de rature; Noel! ture-lure-lure. GUI-BAROZAI. 1. Quand les astres de Noel Brillaient, palpitaient au ciel, Six gaillards, et chacun ivre, Chantaient gaiment dans le givre, "Bons amis, Allons done chez Agassiz!" 2. Ces illustres Pelerins D'Outre-Mer, adroits et fins, Se donnant des airs de pretre, A l'envi se vantaient d'etre "Bons amis De Jean Rudolphe Agassiz!" 3. Oeil-de-Perdrix, grand farceur, Sans reproche et sans pudeur, Dans son patois de Bourgogne, Bredouillait comme un ivrogne, "Bons amis, J'ai danse chez Agassiz!" 4. Verzenay le Champenois, Bon Francais, point New-Yorquois, Mais des environs d'Avize, Fredonne, a mainte reprise, "Bons amis, J'ai chante chez Agassiz!" 5. A cote marchait un vieux Hidalgo, mais non mousseux; Dans le temps de Charlemagne Fut son pere Grand d'Espagne! "Bons amis, J'ai dine chez Agassiz!" 6. Derriere eux un Bordelais, Gascon, s'il en fut jamais, Parfume de poesie Riait, chantait plein de vie, "Bons amis, J'ai soupe chez Agassiz!" 7. Avec ce beau cadet roux, Bras dessus et bras dessous, Mine altiere et couleur terne, Vint le Sire de Sauterne: "Bons amis, J'ai couche chez Agassiz!" 8. Mais le dernier de ces preux Etait un pauvre Chartreux, Qui disait, d'un ton robuste, "Benedictions sur le Juste! Bons amis, Benissons Pere Agassiz!"