Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-02-27

day the Indebtedness of Secession and
the divinity of bondage, these two Hi
nois lawyers, in their little square Office
read every ysunting, cruel word, paid
to read it, and educated themselves
out of their mutual indignations-the
one to grand agency, the other to as
grand adherence.
Mr.. Lincoln had some six or seven
places of residence during his life; be
was Of full age before he left his family
never to return, and the pleasantest
of his "reminiscences were of his mother,
to whom he imputed the best and the
brightest qualities he had inherited
He broke out once TO Mr.. Herndon, as
they were returning from Court in an
other county:
"Billy, ell 1 am or can be 1 owe to
my angel mother"
As q boy Lincoln made a frontier
mans living by hard work, polling q
hat-bost, getting out cedar and chest
nut rails, even saving wood. The scene
of his early struggles was Indiana, and
there he developed into a sort of anna
teur public clerk, writing letters for
folks to whom a steel pen wss'a myste-
ry, giving miscellaneous advice on law
and business, and excelling particular
ly in the ingenuities of anecdote and
illustration. The storytelling reputa-
ton he retains was no fabulous qualif-
cation, nor was it an idle and gossipy
recreation, but means of making in
teIligence plain to rude minds. At
this stage of his life he wore moccs-
sins and hunting shirt, and was in
great request by thick-headed people,
because of his clearness and skill in
narration. The jury always got from
him 8 fair statement of any case in
hand, and years later it was remarked
by the Chief Justice of Illinois that
when Lincoln spoke he argued both
sides of the case 50 well that q speech
in response was always super1uous.-
The habit he had of enforcing a fact
with an anecdote 50 far survived his
mocasin days that it seems to have
been constitutional in a sense. No
man ever told so many stories, and he
was seldom known either to repeat
one twice or to tell one that was hack
neyed. His long, variable, and atten-
tive experience with common, native
people made him acquainted with q
thousand oddities, and he had . fa-
miliar way Of relating them that was a
piquant as his application of them. 1t
is also true that some of these stories
were more cogent than delicate, yet in
no single case was he ever remember-
ed to have told an exceptional anec-
dote for the sake of that in which it
was exceptional. Mr.. Herndon re-
members a person who so far mistook
Mr.. Lincoln once as to tell a coarse
story without purpose. During its re-
cital Mr.. Lineoln's face worked impa-
tiently. When the man had gone he
said:
81 had nearly put that fellow out of
the Office. he disgusts me-"
Finally settled at Springfield, Mr..
Lincoln found the law jealous and mig
gard. He was always able to keep 8
horse, and was very fond of riding
but he made a poor income, though one
not incommensurste with the general
smSllness of his colleagues at the Illi-
nois bar. Now and then he was pinch
ed to distress, and went to bed with no
notion how he should meet the NOR
rows's claims.
For nearly fifth part of his whole life
he owed money that he could not pay
and although of easy disposition, the
debt CALLED him and hastened his wrin-
kles. He cleared himself finally on
his return from Washington City, where
he sat as q representative in Congress.
When he quilted Springfield for the
White House he was worth just $780,
900. Never moody nor petulant, he
yet loved solitude and self-communion,
and has been known to sit six hours in
one place; to lie on his back, for ex-
ample, on the floor of his house, look
ing sbsently at the ceiling, or to sun
himself sitting upon 4 fence or in
hay-mow all the day, passing the pro-
ceSses of . plea through his mind or
forming some political Judgment.
The tenderness of his nature was not
always manifest, yet he had his ro-
nance in early manhood, and as of
this Mr.. Hsrndon had spoken in pub
lie, asked particularly about it.
At Sangamon, Illinois, a pretty and |
high-spirited girl, without fortune,
made havoc in many hearts, and Mr.. |
Lincoln constituted one of three earn
est suitors who wanted her in marriage. |
She preferred the address of a young /
merchant of the town, and gave the /
other two their congo. Her afianced
soon afterwsrd went East to buy goods,
but as he returned was taken with
brain fever in some wayside town, and
lay raVing for three months, unknown
BY name or residence 20 his entertain
ers. A rumor started that he had run /
away to avoid marrying his lady, and,
waiting some time in vain to hear from
him, she received anew the attentions
Of Mr.. Lincoln. About the time when
hey passed from courtesy to tender
ness, and marriage between them was
more than limited at, the sick man re-
turned like . ghost, gagged the condi-
ion of affairs, and upbraided the lady
With frickleness. She had 9 delicate
Isnse of honor, and felt keenly the
IhAms Of having seemed trifie with
.Wo gentlemen at once this preyed
1pon her mind till her body, not very
Itrong. suffered by sympathy. and Mr..
Herndon has oral and written testimo-
ly that the girl died out of regret at
he squiVocal position she had unwil-
ingly assumed. The names of all the
,srties he has given me, but 1 do not
are to print them.
On the dead Woman's grave Mr..
lincoln promised himself never 10
marry. This VOW he kept very long,
Ills marriage was in every respect ad-
antsgeous to him 1t Whetted his
mbition, did not nurse too much a !
for home Incidence that he
lad, and taught him particularly that
here was something called society,
7hich observed ones boots as well as
is principles: He was always q loyal !
nd reVerent husband, a gentle but !
lot positive father, and his wife saw
be Presidency for him before the |.
hought Of it troubled him.
He built the frame house in Spring ?
ED which is now 30 celebrated, at q
recent period. went 1
yer it yesterday with amusement at,
Is utter practically. 1t stands upon q
prosaic corner, in an inferior quarter
{ the town, and was the design of
not an architect. A narrow 7
ard and palings shutit from the street;
he door is in the middle, and is ap- !,
by four or FIVE wooden steps;
n the abutment beside these he stood o
fter mis- nomination, In the blaze of q
inc torches, the thunder of huzzas a
rerking around his head, the only n