The Southerner: A Romance of the Real LincolnDixon, Thomas, Jr.
General
The Southerner: A Romance of the Real Lincoln
Dixon, Thomas, Jr.
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Fiction
With a heavy heart the Boy watched him ride away as the sun rose over
the eastern hills. The doctor's last words sank into his soul. She was
in God's hands! Well, he would go to God and beg Him to save her. He
went into the woods, knelt behind a great oak and in the simple words of
a child asked for the desire of his heart. Three times every day and
every night he prayed.
For four days no change was apparent. She was very weak and tired, but
suffered no pain. His prayer was heard and would be answered!
The first symptom of failure in circulation, he promptly met by placing
the hot stones to her feet. And for hours he and Sarah would rub her
until the cold disappeared.
On the morning of the seventh day she was unusually bright.
"Why, you're better, Ma, aren't you?" he cried with joy.
Her eyes were shining with a strange excitement:
"Yes. I'm a lot better. I'm going to sit up awhile. I'm tired lying
down."
She threw herself quickly on the side of the bed and her feet touched
the bear-skin rug. She rose trembling and smiling and took a step. She
tottered a bit, but the Boy was laughing and holding her arm. She
reached the chair by the fire and he wrapped a great skin about her feet
and limbs.
"Look, Pa, she's getting well!" the Boy shouted.
Tom watched her gravely without reply.
She took the Boy's hand, still smiling:
"I had such a wonderful dream," she began slowly--"the same one I had
before you were born, my Boy. God had answered my prayer and sent me a
son. I watched him grow to be a strong, brave, patient, wise and gentle
man. Thousands hung on his words and the great from the ends of the
earth came to do him homage. With uncovered head he led me into a
beautiful home with white pillars. And then he bowed low and whispered
in my ear: 'This is yours, my angel mother. I bought it for you with my
life. All that I am I owe to you'----"
Her voice sank to a whisper that was half a sob and half a laugh.
"See how she's smiling, Pa," the Boy cried. "She's getting well!"
"Don't ye understand!" the father whispered. "Look--at her eyes--she's
not tellin' you a dream--she's looking through the white gates of
heaven--it's Death, Boy--it's come--Lord God, have mercy!"
With a groan he dropped by her side and her thin hand rested gently on
his shaggy head.
The Boy stared at her in agonizing wonder as she felt for his hand and
feebly held it. She was gazing now into the depths of his soul with her
pensive hungry eyes.
"He good to your father, my son----" she paused for breath and looked at
him tenderly. She knew the father was the child of the future--this Boy,
the man.
"Yes!" he whispered.
"And love your sister----"
"Yes."
"Be a man among men, for your mother's sake----"
"Yes, Ma, I will!"
The little head bent low and the voice was silent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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