of Clary’s Grove.  He seized his follower and flung him so roughly on the ground that the latter lay for a moment stunned.  Armstrong had got his blood warm and was now ready for action.  With a wild whoop he threw off his coats, unbuttoned his right shirt-sleeve and rolled it to the shoulder and declared in a loud voice, as he swung his arm in the air, that he could “out jump, out hop, out run, throw down, drag out an’ lick any man in New Salem.”

In a letter to his father Samson writes: 

* * * * *

“Abe was working at my elbow.  I saw him drop his hammer and get up and make for the ladder.  I knew something was going to happen and I followed him.  In a minute every one was off the roof and out of the building.  I guess they knew what was coming.  The big lad stood there swinging his arm and yelling like an Injun.  It was a big arm and muscled and corded up some but I guess if I’d shoved the calico off mine and held it up he’d a pulled down his sleeve.  I suppose the feller’s arm had a kind of a mule’s kick in it, but, good gracious!  If he’d a seen as many arms as you an’ I have that have growed up on a hickory helve he’d a known that his was nothing to brag of.  I didn’t know just how good a man Abe was and I was kind o’ scairt for a minute.  I never found it so hard work to do nothin’ as I did then.  Honest my hands kind o’ ached.  I wanted to go an’ cuff that feller’s ears an’ grab hold o’ him an’ toss him over the ridge pole.  Abe went right up to him an’ said: 

“’Jack, you ain’t half so bad or half so cordy as ye think ye are.  You say you can throw down any man here.  I reckon I’ll have to show ye that you’re mistaken.  I’ll rassle with ye.  We’re friends an’ we won’t talk about lickin’ each other.  Le’s have a friendly rassle.’

“In a second the two men were locked together.  Armstrong had lunged at Abe with a yell.  There was no friendship in the way he took hold.  He was going to do all the damage he could in any way he could.  He tried to butt with his head and ram his knee into Abe’s stomach as soon as they came together.  Half drunk Jack is a man who would bite your ear off.  It was no rassle; it was a fight.  Abe moved like lightning.  He acted awful limber an’ well greased.  In a second he had got hold of the feller’s neck with his big right hand and hooked his left into the cloth on his hip.  In that way he held him off and shook him as you’ve seen our dog shake a woodchuck.  Abe’s blood was hot.  If the whole crowd had piled on him I guess he would have come out all right, for when he’s roused there’s something in Abe more than bones and muscles.  I suppose it’s what I feel when he speaks a piece.  It’s a kind of lightning.  I guess it’s what our minister used to call the power of the spirit.  Abe said to me afterwards that he felt as if he was fighting for the peace and honor of New Salem.