The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-03-14
Fun Among Great Men.

white haired Illinois Judge who had
been asked if he Was acquainted With
Lincoln and Douglas in their circuit
riding days; and two outrageous jokers
they were, too Why's schoolboy now
a-dsys would never plan such nonsense
- those eminent legal gentlsmen were
up to continually. 1t was more of q
circus with them than s judicial curcnit.
They were perfect boys.
Tell you about it. Yes. l will tell .
couple of their practical jokes that
was witness to. Lincoln could tell
more storiss than any lawyer of his
day. Sometimes it would happen that
q dozen of us lawyers would be in
company together in little country
tavern for several days. Then there
was . certainty Of fun-not always OF
the most refined sort either.
Whenever . new lawyer. and especi-
ally an Eastern man. made his advent
upon the circuit. they were full of thei,
jokes for bis benefit. l remember a
young lawyer who made his first bow
to these two great men at Havana, now
Mason county. The two giants were
as unlike as two men could be. Lin.
coin was very tall-all legs-with a
long. gaunt face that added TO his
peculiar lauk appearance. Douglass
was short and stout. with huge head
that seemed out of all proportion to
his body. There was tolers BILE appear
anee of dignity in his court room, but
at the hotel after supper dignity Was
thrown to the winds. All sorts of
rough games were played. and there
was nothing left for the young Eastern
lawyer to learn.
'On this occasion, ct Havana, Lin
coin proposed the game of dog The
gentleman from the East, of course, did
not understand the game, so he had to
be taught.
Lincoln was the leader in the game,
also the teacher of the young lawyer.
Whenever / growl at you. you must
get down and run me until you snap
me and hold me by the calf or heels;
and down went long legs on all fours,
and went around the room 50 until he
growled at the new conner. That person
was fool enough to get down upon the
floor and chase dog number one until
he caught him by the calf of his jean
pants Dog no one now escaped, leav-
ing huge mustard plaster in the teeth
and eyes of dog number two. There 10
no need to mention the roar Of laughter
that followed.
Douglas share of the entertainment
came the second night The new conner
after his lesson from Lincoln, was shy
of games. There was to he q dance in
the village the second night. and the
young lawyer took extra pains to 6x
himself for the dance After supper,
and before il was time for the dance,
those great lawyers were full of their
nonsense. Finally. Douglas proposed
. game of goat and the whole party
joined except the new lawyer. He was
not ready to play any more games he
did not understand.
The centre of the room was cleared
for the game. and the young lawyer
stood back before an open window-it
WAS warm weather. The 'goat'-Doug-
lss--went hopping around the room
threatening to butt everybody aud
everything. The late Judge Murry
Mcconnell was goat number two. the
cspers of those goats were outrageously
foolish. just in the heigth of their
capers, Douglas made butt at the
young man stasding before the window.
There was no resisting such butt as
Douglas large head would make. This
young lawyer was knocked backwards
out of the window. There was half
hogshe.d Of rain water standing under
the window, and the plunge into that
saved the young lawyer from broken
neck.
1t was fun for me- Well, yes; but
l would have enjoyed it more if l had
not happened to be that young lawyer
PKACHAM.