Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-07-19
Three Stories of Mr.. Lincoln.

The special correspondent of the New
York Commercial Advertiser, writing from
Chicago, furnishes that paper the follow
ing stories about Mr.. Lincoln:
STORY NUMBER ONE.
One summer, years ago, at the close Of
session Of the court at Springfield, Mr..
Lincoln proposed to the judge and lawyers
horseback excursion to the compare
lively unknown re- ion Of Illinois lying
to the South and West. They had all
been wearied with professional labors. es-
peeially with a case or cases which con-
cerned the interference Of navigation on
rivers by proposed bridges. A recreatiye
trip would be good thing for all
The proposition was received with favor,
horses were procured, and the party start.
ed for the country beyond the Kaskaskia
river, ! believe, and expected to reach il in
two or three days. Mr.. Lincoln only was
familiar with the region. About the an
ticipated time they came to broad sweep
Of water, and the general expression was
that the river was before them. The
question arose, how shall we cross what
appeared to bo the river oyerhowed. Mr..
Lincoln alone knew that it was nothing
but swale, covered with water one or two
feet deep, but he acceeded to the proposal
that il was best (as the horses would, prob
ABLY they said, have to swim at the deepest
part) that all the party should divest them
selves so much Of their clothing as would
get wet, and fasten the bundle on their
backs. So the divesture was accomplished,
the packs fastened the horses mounted and
the procession, in single file, began to
move across the broad waters, with Lin
coin at the head. Imagine the groupe
What a scene for painter.
Cautiously they move on, watching the
slow steps of the horses, with reins secure.
ly held, momently expecting the plunge
when they should so down the submerged
bank into the deep water of the river. On
they move, half way across, two-thirds
across, and the water not reaching the
horses kneesl Yet not a word was spoken,
until as they approached the other side.
Mr. Lincoln turned his stead about, end
addressing the party with mock solemui,y,
said: as il the judgement Of the Court
that bridge across this stream would Sc.
rioaSy interfere with navigation?'
The Crier could not eniighten us, but
have a theory that the expidition was
planned aud executed by Mr.. Lincoln for
the sake Of holding up to ridicule some
lawyers argument before the Court on q
bridge case.
STORY NUMBER TWO.
In certain case in Court, Mr.. Lincoln
had for an opponent a lawyer, whose ex.
cellent character, thorough knowledge of
law, and supreme logic combined to exert
a controlling influence over the jury. This
lawyer (whom we will call Judge Jones)
had made his speech, and most able
speech it was. 1t was necessary in some
way to dissipate its impression. Mr.. Lin
coin, in reply, opened his speech substan-
TALLY as follows:
"May it please the Court aud eutlemen
of the jury, we have just heard the learned
and mastery argument on the other side
We know how thoroughly versed is Judge
Jones in the law. and how upright he is
and we say, really, Judge Jones cannot bc
mistaken in his position. We also know
how true gentlemen Judge Jones Is, how
irrerroachable are his manners and dress;
and presume if should say to you thai
Judge Jones had put on his shirt wrong
side foremost this morning you would re.
ply, il is impossible--and yet Judge Jones
has PIT on his shirt Croag side forcp,os
this morning; you can look for yourselves
gentlemen, and so IN this case he has gol
things wrong end foremost, and his whol'
argument is wrong from beginning to end.
Surely enough, the irreproachable law
yer. while pondering over his comm: