greatness which distinguished him. We have seen that, in spite of the
fact that he had no wise direction, that he was brought up by a father
with no settled purpose, and that he lived in a pioneer community,
where a young man's life at best is but a series of makeshifts, he had
developed a determination to make something out of himself, and a
desire to know, which led him to neglect no opportunity to learn.

The only unbroken outside influence which directed and stimulated him
in his ambitions was that coming first from his mother, then from his
step-mother. It should never be forgotten that these two women, both
of them of unusual earnestness and sweetness of spirit, were one or
the other of them at the boy's side throughout this period. The ideal
they held before him was the simple ideal of the early American, that
if a boy is upright and industrious he may aspire to any place within
the gift of the country. The boy's nature told him they were right.
Everything he read confirmed their teachings, and he cultivated, in
every way open to him, his passion to know and to be something.

There are many proofs that young Lincoln's characteristics were
recognized at this period by his associates, that his determination to
excel, if not appreciated, yet made its imprint. In 1865, thirty-five
years after he left Gentryville, Mr. Herndon, anxious to save all that
was known of Lincoln in Indiana, went among his old associates, and
with a sincerity and thoroughness worthy of great respect, interviewed
them. At that time there were still living numbers of the people with
whom he had been brought up. They all remembered something of him. It
is curious to note that all of these people tell of his doing
something different from what other boys did, something sufficiently
superior to have made a keen impression upon them. In almost every
case the person had his own special reason for admiring young Lincoln.