returned the money. It was such things as these, in little matters as
well as great, that gave him the nickname of "honest Abe" which, to his
honor be it said, clung to him through life.

One incident illustrates his chivalry. While he was waiting upon some
women, a ruffian came into the store using vulgar language. Lincoln
asked him to desist, but he became more abusive than ever. After the
women had gone, Lincoln took him out of the store, threw him on the
ground, rubbed smartweed in his face and eyes until he howled for
mercy, and then he gave him a lecture which did him more practical good
than a volume of Chesterfield's letters.

Some time after Offutt's store had "winked out," while Lincoln was
looking for employment there came a chance to buy one half interest in
a store, the other half being owned by an idle, dissolute fellow named
Berry who ultimately drank himself into his grave. Later, another
opening came in the following way: the store of one Radford had been
wrecked by the horse-play of some ruffians, and the lot was bought by
Mr. Greene for four hundred dollars. He employed Lincoln to make an
invoice of the goods and he in turn offered Greene two hundred and
fifty dollars for the bargain and the offer was accepted. But even that
was not the last investment. The fourth and only remaining store in the
hamlet was owned by one Rutledge. This also was bought out by the firm
of Berry & Lincoln. Thus they came to have the monopoly of the
mercantile business in the hamlet of New Salem.

Be it known that in all these transactions not a dollar in money
changed hands. Men bought with promissory notes and sold for the same
consideration. The mercantile venture was not successful. Berry was
drinking and loafing, and Lincoln, who did not work as faithfully for