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1 Old Abe Calls

---------1--------OLD ABE CALLS -1IT WAS in the beginning of the age of the telegraph. This remarkable invention was in use everywhere in North in a few short minutes it could transfer important news from one end of the country to the other. The morning happenings in the South were known in every city and village of the North long before evening. The telegraph was a miracle not yet become commonWhat happened in South Carolina on the morning of Sunday, April 14, 1861, was known to every city dweller in Minnesota within a few hours; the news reached many of the smaller villages before the day was over; more remote settlers were perhaps not aware of it for still another day. It reached the people of Lake Chisago in the forenoon of Monday the fifteenth. This April day was never to be forgotten by anyone of those who lived ir. It was the season of seeding. Karl Oskar Nilsson, owner of the first settlement at the lake, was harrowing his field for the spring wheat. For the first time he was driving his recently acquired team ofhorses. The weather was mild for that time ofyear, it had rained moderately, and the soil seemed ready after the stirring of the harrow pegs. The black earth was pregnant with growing and after the rain not to clog his shoes. Pigeons, meadowlarks, and sparrows faithfully followed the team across the field and picked with eager beaks at worms and larvae exposed the harrow. The horses pulled this heavy implement easily enough with such a brisk pace that the driver had difficulty in keeping up with them. Karl Oskar still dragged his left foot a little due to an old injury in his leg which always made itselfknown under stress. He was pleased with his new team. There was a great difference between the lively, brisk horses and the dull, sluggish oxen. Now hartowing was easy. This afternoon he must sow his wheat, for tomorrow morning the Spring Court convened in Center City and he was to serve on the jury. He had sent his oldest boy, }ohan, on an errand to Klas Albert's store-Pers3 4 THE LAST LETTER HOME son's Store, as they called it in Center City-and now and then he glanced down the road. Why was the boy so slow in returning? Finally he spied him down by the old log cabin. As soon as Johan saw his father he began to run. Karl Oskar reined in his team: Why suddenly this hurry? Before the boy had gained the field he began shouting: From the son the news reached the father: ~r had broken out. Johan was excited and short of breath. In Center City he had read a poster on the bulletin board of the parish meetinghouse. The Southern rebels had stormed Fort Sumter and shot down the Union flag. The slave states had begun warring against the North. A great many people had gathered at Persson 's Store, alI talking about the war. The boy offifteen was proud to have carried this message; he panted for breath as he repeated it. Karl Oskar let the team rest and sat down heavily on the harrow. To him the news was not unexpected. He had long feared war would break out. It had been an uneasy winter, full of anxiety and uncertainty. Now spring had come and with it outbreak ofwar. And as war finally had come, at leasr he was relieved of the worry about its breaking out. Last fall he had been one of those who helped elect Abraham Lincoln, himselfa settler's son. The men ofthe ax and the plow had placed Abe in the President 's chair: They trusted him. Karl Oskar had thought: Old Abe wont have a war, if he can help it. He is sure to make peace with the slave states. He also wants what is best for the South-the best of both North and South-they must remain united. He wants the people ofthe New World to settle their differences peacefully, not with bloodshed. In the Old World the English, French, Russians, Austrians, and Turks had recently fought bloody battles. But over there kings and warlords had always driven their people to death, and people had meekly endured it. But Honest Abe-himselfborn in a settler's cabin-is not going to ape leaders who have ruined the Old World. But now the slave states had inveigled...