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Lincoln returned by steamer from New Orleans to St. Louis, and from there made his way to New Salem on foot. He expected to find Offut already established in the new store, but neither he nor his goods had arrived. While "loafing about," as the citizens of New Salem expressed it, waiting for him, the newcomer had a chance to exhibit another of his accomplishments.
He said to John Hanks, "If I ever get a chance to hit that institution, I'll hit it hard, John." He came back from New Orleans in July. Mr. Offut, the owner of the flatboat which he had taken down, then employed him to act as clerk in a country store which he had at New Salem. New Salem was a little town not far from Springfield. Young Lincoln was a good salesman, and all the customers liked him.
It would be equally hazardous to try and stop the train. Fret Offut had seen the appalling sight, and with a despairing cry, feeling that it would be death to remain on the engine, he leaped far out over the embankment. "Fret!" cried Jack, but no answer came back to the call. Jack North felt that it was all over with him, but true to the instinct of his nature, he stood bravely at his post.
Offut. Abe Lincoln is one of the best fellows that ever lived a rough diamond just out of the great mine of the West, that only needs to be cut and polished." Denton Offut's store was a small log structure about twenty by twenty which stood near the brow of the hill east of Rutledge's Tavern.
It lay there as solid as if bound down! His failure was the signal for Fret Offut to break out into a loud laugh, which was instantly caught up by the workmen, until the whole building rang with the merriment. "Baby!" some one cried. "See Mires carry his. North ain't got the strength of a mouse!"
Between the two was a gulf of dark waters a dozen feet or more in width, but spanned by a plank over which the girl had evidently passed in reaching her place of retreat. "I'll take up the plank so you can't come back!" declared young Offut. "You see if you do not answer me in a becoming manner I can "
The untimely fate of Fret Offut impressed him with the great uncertainty of life. It was true the other had never been his friend, but now that was forgotten and he felt a deep regret over the youth's sad end. The return to Resaca was made in safety. In fact nothing had been seen of the raiders since the start, and it was uncertain what might be their next move.
Mr. Offut declared that the young man knew more than anyone else in the United States, and that he could outrun and outwrestle any man in the county. But in the spring of the next year Mr. Offut failed. The store was closed, and Abraham Lincoln was out of employment again. There were still a good many Indians in the West.
Following the New Orleans venture, came a period as storekeeper for a man named Denton Offut, in perhaps the least desirable town in Illinois a dreary little huddle of houses gathered around Rutledge's Mill on the Sangamon River and called New Salem.
He had become acquainted with a man named Offut, a trader and speculator, who pretended to great business shrewdness, but whose chief talent lay in boasting of the magnificent things he meant to do.
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