The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-03-07


advice on law and business. and ex.
ceiling particularly in the ingenuities
of anecdote and illustration The
story telling reputation he retains was
no fabulous qualification, nor was it an
idle and gossipy recreation, but means
of making intelligence plain to rude
minds. At this stage of his life he
wore moccasins and a hunting shirt,
and was in great request by thick
headed people because Of his clearness
and skill in narration. The jury al
ways got from him fair statement of
any case in hand, and years later it
was remarked by the Chief Justice of
Illinois that when Lincoln spoke be
argued both sides Of the case so well
that speech in response was always
superfuous. The habit he had of en-
forcing fact with an anecdote 20 far
survived ms moccasin days that it
seems to have been constitutional in
sense. No man ever told so many
stories, and he was seldom known
either 10 repeat one twice or to tell one
that was hackneyed. His long vari-
able, and attentive experience with
common, native people, made him ac.
quainted with thousand oddities, and
he had familiar way of relating them
that was piquant as his application oc
them. 1t is also true that some of
these stories were more cogent than
delicate, yet in no single case was he
remembered TO have told an exception.
al anecdote for the sake of that in
which it was exceptional. Mr.. Hern-
don remembers a person who SO far
mistook Mr.. Lincoln onco as to tell
coarse story without purpose: During
its recital Mr.. Lincoln's face worked
impatiently. When the man had gone
be said.
81 had nearly put that fellow out of
the office. lie disgusts me-"
Finally at Springfield Mr.. Lincoln
found the law jealous and nigga-d. He
was always able to keep horse, and
was very fond Of riding but he madc
poor income, though not incommen-
surate with the general smallness of
his colleagues at the Illinois bar. Now
and then he was pinched to distress,
and went to bed with no notion of how
he should meet the morrow's claims.
For nearlya fifth part of his whole
life he owed money that he could not
pay, and although of easy disposition,
8 the debt CALLED him and FASTENED his
t wrinkles. He cleared himself finslly
j, on his return from Washington City,
: where he sat as Representative in
: Congress. When he quilted Spring
- field for the White House he was
e worth Just 100000. Never moody moi
petulant, he yet loved solitude and
s self communion, and has been known
|, to sit six hours in ore place; to lie or
his back, for example, on the floor O
c his house, looking absently at the cell
J. ing, or to sun himself sitting upon
If fence or in a hay. NOW all the day
a passing the processes of a plea through
G his mind or forming some politica
n Judgment
st The tenderness of his nature wa
n not always manifest, yet he had hi
Il romance in early manhood, and as o
1t this Mr.. Herndon had spoken in pub
,r lie, I asked particularly about it.
W At Sangamon, Illinois, q pret'.
y high spirited girl, without fortune
In made havoc in many hearts, and MI
ve Lincoln constituted one OF three eal
n nest suitors who wanted her in mar
Y riage. She preferred the addresses
of a Young merchant of the town, an
of gave the other twotheir congo. Her'atl
to anced soon aherward went East
ad buy goods, but as he returned he wi
taken with brain fever in some wa.
lis side town, and lay raving for thr'
ia. months, unknown by name or res
ey dence to his entertainers. A rune
cs, started that he had run away to avo
nd marrying his lady, ana, waiting son
lie time in vain to hear from him. she r
in ceived anew the attentions Of Mr. In
Ike coin. About the time when the
ew passed from courtesy to tenderness
in and marriage between them was mo
vs. than hinted at, the sick man return'
ost like ghost, gauged the condition
er- affairs, and upbraided the lady wi
his 6ckleness. She had delicate sen
'ed of honor, and felt keenly the shame
rer having seemed To trife with two ge
He tlemen at once this preyed upon h
i'm mind till her body, not very stror
ian suffered by sympathy, and Mr.. Her
rn- don has oral and written testimo
cap that the girl died out oflegret at t
lgi- eouivocal position she had unwilling
Mr.. assumed. The names of all the pi
out ties be has given me, but do not CT
pa to print them.
We On the dead woman's grave J
Lincoln promised himself never
der marry. This vow be kept We
we long. His marriage was in every
the spect advantageous to him. 1t VIII
vim ted his ambition, did not Nurse too mt
aw- penchant for home Incidence that
cad had, and taught him particularly t
to thei was something called society
1t OF He was always loyal and rever
to husband, a gentle but not post
and father, and his wife saw the Presid
cy for him before the thought o
wen troubled him. j.
he He built the frame house in Spr!
ami field which is now so celebrated,
ant comparatively recent period l W
his over it yesterday. with Amusement
best its utter practicality. 1t stands u
in q mosaic corner. in an inferior qua
Mr.. of the town, and the design of
from penter, not an architect, A mar