Life of Abraham Lincoln, by J. G. Holland.

LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 263
men, and lifted him fully in view as he walked up the aisle.
When he took the speaker's stand, a better opportunity was
afforded to look at the man upon whom more hopes hang than
upon any other living. At first, the kindness and amliability
of his face strikes you; but as he speaks, the greatness and
determination of his nature are apparent. Something in his
manner, even more than in his words, told how deeply he was
affected by the enthusiasm of the people; and when he appealed to them for encouragement and support, every heart
responded with mute assurance of both. There was the simplicity of greatness in his unassuming and confiding manner,
that won its way to instant admiration. He looked somewhat
worn with travel and the fatigues of popularity, but warmed
to the cordiality of his reception."
After the conclusion of the formalities in the hall, Mr. Lincoln went to the western steps of the Capitol, to say a word
to the people. The address he made here consisted simply
of commonplaces and phrases that had already become hackheyed. The handcl-shaking that succeeded was something
fearful. Every man in the crowd was anxious to wrench the
hand of Abraham Lincoln. He finally gave both hands to
the work, with great good nature. To quote one of the reports of the occasion: "people plunged at his arms with frantic
enthusiasm, and all the in-finite variety of shakes, from the wild
and irrepressible pump-handle movement, to the dead grip, was
executed upon the devoted dexter and sinister of the President.
Some glanced at his face as they grasped his hand; others invoked the blessings of Heaven upon him; others affectionately
gave him their last gasping assurance of devotion; others,
bewildered and furious, with hats crushed over their eyes,
seized his hands in a convulsive grasp, and passed on as
if they had not the remotest idea who, what, or where they
were." The President at last escaped, and took refuge in the
Governor's residence, although he held a levee at the State
House in the evening, where, in a more quiet way, he met
many prominent citizens.
On the fourteenth, the presidential party left Columbus, for