charges on the wild onions. If he saw any live fighting Indians, it was
more than I did, but I had a good many bloody struggles with the
mosquitoes; and although I never fainted from loss of blood, I can
truly say I was often very hungry. If ever I should conclude to doff
whatever our Democratic friends may suppose there is of black-cockade
Federalism about me, and thereupon they shall take me up as their
candidate for the Presidency, I protest that they shall not make fun of
me, as they have of General Cass, by attempting to write me into a
military hero."

In 1833 Lincoln was appointed postmaster at New Salem. To him the chief
advantage of this position was the fact that it gave him the means of
reading the papers. The principal one of these was the Louisville
_Journal_, an exceedingly able paper, for it was in charge of
George D. Prentice, one of the ablest editors this country has ever
produced. The duties of the post-office were few because the mail was
light. The occasional letters which came were usually carried around by
the postmaster in his hat. When one asked for his mail, he would
gravely remove his hat and search through the package of letters.

This office was discontinued in a short time, but no agent of the
government came to close up the accounts. Years afterwards, when
Lincoln was in Springfield, the officer suddenly appeared and demanded
the balance due to the United States, the amount being seventeen
dollars and a few cents. A friend who was by, knowing that Lincoln was
short of funds, in order to save him from embarrassment, offered to
lend him the needful sum. "Hold on a minute and let's see how we come
out," said he. He went to his room and returned with an old rag
containing money. This he counted out, being the exact sum to a cent.
It was all in small denominations of silver and copper, just as it had