Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-28

HIS MODEST AND NERITcRIDJS CAREER, DESPITE |
THE DRAWBACKS OF sEING THE son OF A
GREAT MAN.
Gath" in Cincinnati Enquirer
NEW YORK. Nov. 19-On Sunday met 1T the
Victoria Hall Mr. Isham. the law partner OF Sec
retary Robert Lincoln. The prominen. south
frn lawyer who introduced Inc said that Mr..
Isham was one of the ahlest lawyers iii the
country. He did not have time TO anpllfy. rs
his friend returned at the moment. but from q
subsequent remark infer that he meant that
Mr. sham had a solid mind. which grasped the
bowels OF case. To look at Mr. Isham is a
rather handsome man. with al inclination to he
stout. He has n clean skin a face with both
force and iIumor in it. 4 uiu>tache and @oatee.
and what he has to say is given with discretion
and influence There was no interview. but
opened the conversation by sayin. that a num-
Der of persons had said tn me that Mr. Isham
was the brains Of the firm of Isham Il Lincoln.
lie replied. very gravely:
That Is extremely unjust to Mr. Lincoln
No Young man i'll this country has been the
subject oil more Common filings than he. Our
people. or That portion OF them who address
the public. do not seem Capable OF understand
lH@ the mOdcSty ana worth of Il man Of strong
descent. | have never found in my career Il
than iir. Lincoln. Nv business connection with
him has been highly To my advantage. He is still
In business with me. He is Oniv in public life be
cause his friends desired him To escape from the
mean Consequences of the little local paragraphs
constantly started at him about Chicago The
man was asS;,iied for nothing that lie ever did
or did not do. but merely because he was the
s0n of President Lincoln. He thought. and
thought, il advisable for him tn 30 to Washing
ton under the invitation President Garfield eX-
frlt; INT
men whether he or not an incapable
man. He has hfcG at the head of the War de
partment under both Garfield aud Arthur and
has made the best Secretary of War since Jeffer
Son Davis
Attracted by that last sentence l said to Mr.
Isham: e" hat state are you a native or"
Il am from Vermont"
'IiOw CAME You to enter into legal business
with Mr. Lincoln:
After the Chicago fire." said Mr. Isham.
everybody who had an office was pressed to
give hospitality to the thousands who had none
happened To have room Surviving that con-
1ia-ration. ami Mr. Lincoln came to it and asked
ne If he could have n desk there. He was
young lawyer. with matters pressing liz "a upon
him, a. You may well imagine they might upon
any lawyer after such fire. and particularly
LAWYER with large insurance interests
Had Nh Lincoln connection with insurance
CompaEiesi'
'.Yes he was the agent for Chicago and the
Company, one OF the richest corporations in the
land. which places the greater portion of its
money in the northwest. They have always
found Lincoln substantial. discreet and reliable.
Ihe:r business has since been handled 10y our
firm. Making new relations after the fire. Mr.
Lincoln and myself got to understand each
other, and Went into blsiHess together"
-" hat Is the character OF Robert Lincoln" /
inquired
EVERY motive he has is of the highest.na
ture. In his domestic life. his business life and
his politics he is down to tine ground IN nothing
He bears the principles you might expect from
the son OF his father In every department he en-
tets He is resolutc-nO man can sit down on
h,ill ltf he Is not vain or sensitive. You must
seek to understand him in the Wilderness of his
character rather than in little spur.s or sayings
have now known him good many years anu
to me. and Think 70 any who have known him
well. he has neverdiminishcd one point. but has
steadily grown with years and experience and
he Is now man of ripe knOwled of affairs
DID You ever hear of his leaning on somebody
else: venture not. He forms his own views
deliberately. and has managed his department
Without mourning criticism from any personeX-
ceit some one professionally bound to dislike
Slih EetauSe he was 4 great mans SON.
Has Secretary Lincoln strong friends"
lie las some oil the best friends in this coun-
Try &c and ask David Davis about Robert Lin
fnin. who has known him from infancy Ask
Mark skinner: aSi. John Wentworth ask James
Harlan lie Is no light creature. seeking out
luhilc;ty nervous whether he, shall or shall not
make poiHt with some passing public Senti-
meAt. He l. now forty years Old. If YOU
enter Lis family YOU VII find him there all the
Time. when hr i not at his work He has three
chIitien. ene q; when. boy named Abraham
IL 1t" nct yuuch fer the categorical nature OF
'i4is report; Its r!rit is nearly as | remember.
They Ssy that he cannot appreciate a joke:"
THAT l. absurd said Mr.. lsham. Il know
no man who ENJOYS clean hImor more than
Robert Lincoln. nor any one who can tell
anecdotes better. 1t is by such remarks as
that that this gentleman is undervalucd. |
viii venture to say that the man who made
that TelTark. though he may have gone to
school with Robert Lincoln. never had his ac-
GliaiI.tance.
Said |: Il do not hear much about his family
socially. in WaShngton:'
'How can You. said Mr. I-ham. when his
wife Is sick nearly all the time? Both in Chi
:s.9o and Washington the wCnlen seem to have
tnted III dlsfaraGi1g her because she could
lot return their calls The simple fact is she
has not TIE strength to 90 it. She is most
'stliilabIe woman. aUd perfect wife and
motirr; but her health has been bad almost
ever since her marriage. and her husband has
devoted himself to her care and COMPANY
Within the conditions of her strength she is as
Inc a WOlnan a. We have ON this continent