The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-12-17
= sTORY or IIGu()Idl.

arrived in Norwich late in tho after
noon Of March day in 1860, and was
received by two or three members of
the local committee and taken to a
plain little bedroom in the Wauregan
hotel. While the committee sat on the
bed Mr.. Lincoln stripped of his coat
and began to wash up, as he called
it, striking from the very first into the
narration eff the funny stories since so
famous. His drOll manner of telling
his stories, his evident intense appreci-
alton of the humor of them, and his
perfectly natural manner set the COM
mittee at ease at once. and one of them
gave him back good local story
Lincoln was delighted and wanted
more. Finally one of the committee
said to him: you and Squire Trum--
bull ought to get together. He's got
more good stories than thistle has
down. He's just your kind of a man.,
Mr.. Lincoln"
Mr.. Lincoln urged that Squire Trum-
bull be found and brought around to
the hotel after the meeting. and was
greatly disappointed to learn that the
Squire lived in Stonington, some twenty
miles away. However, it was later
learned that Trumbull had gone to
Norwich, specially to see and hear the
man who ''had floored the Little Giant.
and Mr.. Lincoln insisted that the Squire
be brought to his room after the meet
ing. This was done, and Trumbull
was delighted with the opportunity.
Trumbull was a most interesting
character. A man of great force OF
mind and of no little culture, he was
eccentric, keen as q blade, sharp of wit.
a despiser of convention&lism and cant,
and an intense lover of all that was
humorous or ridiculous. He had ac-
cumulated an immense stock of anec-
dotcs. They were characteristic New
England stories, and therefore some
thing entirely new for MIR. Lincoln
Mr.. Trumbuu was slender and short
man, and the physical difference be-
tween the two when they met struck
MIR. Lincoln at once, and he comment
ed upon it with one of his ''that reminds
me-" Quick as thought Trumbull re-
sponded with another that Lincoln en-
joyed greatly. These two men seemed
instantly to understand each other.
and acted at once as though they had
been acquainted for years. Two or
three friends were present, but small
chance or desire had these to enter
into the lists with Lincoln and Trum-
bull. Lincoln sat in an arm chair that
had been brought in, with his leg over
the arm much of the time, and he
frequently changed that posture by
embracing one knee with his long arms.
and thus holding the leg up. When
Trumbull told a story Lincoln would
cause his long limbs and body to writhc
with the contortions of excessive laugh
ter, while Trumbull, whose manner
was as grave as an owl, would show
his merriment by beginning another
anecdote at once. At some time past
midnight it was suggested that as Mr..
Lincoln was obliged to take a very
early train in the morning he ought to
have chance to get SO me sleep.
mo, no." replied Lincoln. .'Trum-
bull, let you and me make a night of ii.
and the one that gets TIED first shall
call halt
Trumbull was quite ready for such
mild dissipation. and so they renewed
their recitals. The companions, whose
sides were sore with their own laughter.
however. went away some time in tho
small hours, leaving these two together.
When at last. only an hour or two
before dawn, they separated, Lincoln
said: 'I've been paid for coming East,
Trumbull, and if you ever get ont West
you must come and We'll have another
night of it,
During all these hours not word
had been said on the impending politi-
cal crisis which made all gloomy at
that period, and it was regarded by the
eastern Connecticut politicians who
witnessed this strange night of pleasure.
and by those who heard of it, as very
curious that a man who was engaged
in advocating the principles of the
Republican party, and who had become
one of the most serious, earnest ard
powerful of those who were so doing.
could spend a night in such seeming
triviality. It was not until long after
that it came to be understood that thus
Lincoln relieved himself from the great
mental strain that he had accepted.