At St. Louis, Offutt’s business made it necessary for him to separate from his efficient trio; so Abraham, Hanks, and Johnston started on foor for the interior of Illinois. When they reached Edwardsville, twenty- five miles from St. Louis, Hanks took the road to Springfield, and Abraham and Johnston took that to Cole’s County, whither Thomas Lincoln removed after Abraham left home.

A few days after Abraham reached his father’s house in Cole’s County, a famous wrestler, by the name of Daniel Needham, called to see him. Needham had heard of Abraham’s great strength, and that he was an expert wrestler, and he desired to see him.

“S’pose we try a hug,” suggested Needham.

“No doubt you can throw me,” answered Abraham. “You are in practice, and I am not.”

“Then you’ll not try it?” continued Needham.

“Not much sport in being laid on my back,” was Abraham’s evasive answer.

“It remains to be seen who will lay on his back,” suggested Needham. “S’pose you make the trial.”

By persistent urging Abraham finally consented to meet Needham, at a specified place and time, according to the custom that prevailed. Abraham was true to his promise, met the bully, and threw him twice with no great difficulty.

Needham was both disappointed and chagrined. His pride was greatly humbled, and his wrath was not a little exercised.

“You have thrown me twice, Lincoln, but you can’t whip me,” he said.

“I don’t want to whip you, whether I can or not,” Abraham replied magnanimously; “and I don’t want to get whipped;” and the closing sentence was spoken jocosely.

“Well, I stump you to whip me,” Needham cried, thinking that Lincoln was unwilling to undertake it. “Throwing a man is one thing and thrashing him is another.”

“You are right, my friend; and I’ve no special desire to do either,” answered Abraham.

Needham continued to press him, whereupon Lincoln said,—

“Needham, are you satisfied that I can throw you? If you are not, and must be convinced through a thrashing, I will do that, too, for your sake.”

This was putting the matter practically enough to open the bully’s eyes, which was all Abraham hoped to accomplish. He was willing to show his strength by wrestling to please his companions and get a little sport out of it; but he despised a bully like Needham, and considered such encounters for any purpose but sport as beneath his notice. Needham put the proper interpretation upon Abraham’s words, and, considering “discretion the better part of valour,” he withdrew as gracefully as possible.

We shall turn next to Abraham’s success as a country merchant.