About this time Henry McHenry had a horse-race, and he applied to Abraham to act as judge.

“No; I’ve done with that,” replied Abraham.

“But you must,” urged McHenry.

“I must not, and I will not,” responded Abraham, with more emphasis. “This horse-racing business is all wrong.”

“Just this once; never’ll ask you again,” said McHenry.

“Well, remember, ‘just this once’ it is,” was Abraham’s conclusion. He acted as judge, and decided correctly. The judge for the other side said, “Lincoln is the fairest man I ever had to deal with; if Lincoln is in this country when I die, I want him to be my administrator, for he is the only man I ever met with that was wholly and unselfishly honest.” This is another of the incidents that show how he came to be known as “Honest Abe.”

James Short, who lived four miles from New Salem, says that Abraham often came to his house, and, if it was a very busy time on the farm, “Abe would pull off his roundabout and go to work with more energy than any man I could hire. He was the best man at husking corn on the stock I ever saw. I used to consider myself very good, but he would gather two loads to my one.”

In 1833, President Jackson appointed him postmaster of New Salem, because he was better qualified for the position than any man in the town. The post-office was kept in Mr. Hill’s store, the proprietor taking charge of it when Lincoln was engaged in surveying or other business. When he was in the office, he made himself useful by reading letters for parties who could not read. He read all the newspapers received at the office, and frequently read them aloud to an ignorant assembly in front of the store.

A story which fastened itself to him in manhood was that when he was Postmaster in New Salem he “carried the office in his hat.” Of course mail-matter at such an office was light. Few letters were received; and, sometimes, when Lincoln was going out, he would put the letters in his hat, that he might deliver them to the parties addressed, should he meet them or go near their residences. This novel arrangement discloses both his kindness of heart and fidelity to trusts.