The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-11

and Abe Lincoln. A number Of articles
had appeared in the newspapers signed
sRebecca.' which had been written at
Shields. and made him the laughing -stock
Of the town. Shields had suspected that
these letters had been written by Lincoln,
but be had no proof of the fact At last
one night he was al dance, and IN waltz
ing with one Of the sweet girls Of the towrn,
he squeezed her hand, as she thought,
little too ardentIy, and she rewarded him
by sticking pin into him and leaving him
on the floor Others Of the party saw the
set. and Shields became the laughing-stock
of the assegnblage. The next issue of the
paper contained very iaughable poem
describing this incident, and ridlcuiing
Shields Skieles was sure that the writer
Of the poem was Lincoln. and he swore 10
he revcnged. He called upon Lincoln AZ
his office next morning. with the paper IN
his hand. and asked in donineerlng
tone. Is he pointed TO the lines, Did you
write fhatz' Lincoln vas g very brave
man, and he looked Shields in she eye
with q sfniis and finally said, 1 snan't
tell yoss whether I wrote il or not.
's1aereapen Shields angriIy left, saying,
you shall hear from me, and that after
noon & man appeared a. Shields second,
bearing 2 challenge from Shields 70 Lin
coin. Lincoln accepted the challenge and
chose broadswords as weapons. point
near Alton as the place and Thursday
evening at ) O'Clock as the time. On the
day set for the duel, Abraham Lincoln
started out alone for the field but called
on the way al the house of John J. Har-
din, and asked ii the colonel was. in he
VAS told he was not, wheFeupon he said:
Well, tell him ! am going over here TO
fight duel with Shields and that | want
him 10 come along and be my second.
"a few minutes later Colonel Hardin ar
rived, and his wife told him what Lincoln
had said. He took a fast horse and fol-
lowed at the top Of his speed, but did not
arrive az the sela until after all the other
parties acre there. He has described TO
his friends los be found Lincoln at this
time. He was sitting on log at one end
Of the field with his shoe off and with his
big broadswoTd lying on the ground before
him. He had his stocking pulled down
over his ankle and was evidently searching
for something. As Colonel Hardin came
Up he said 10 him:
What are you doing. Lincoln q
t40ld Abe replied, i am going to kill this
flea in the fsrst place, and IN the second
place am going 10 hight this duel with
Shields
What do you want to fight duel with
Shields foT?' said he.
We'll, the fact is he has acted so mean
about this letter that can't help IT.
But did you write the letter.
10 you know who did write it?'
MA
Well, as am your second suppose /
have the right TO arrange the preliminaries
Of the duel1'
YES was Lincoln's reply; but want
you 10 understand that / came here to
light, and that do not care 20 make any
kind Of an apology
Upon this Colonel Hardin went over and
talked to Shields party. and in short
time showed them the Stiffness of lighting
with man who had done them no injury.
The result vas that the duel was patched
up and that all parties rode back home to-
gether. Lincoln with his long arms would
have had the advantage of Shields in this
hight, continued Judge Solomon, "but
according to Colonel Hardin it was
Shields intention TO have made a quick
thrust at Lincoln heart the moment the
signal was given, and while Lincoln's eye
was still on the signal. In this way he
would probably have killed him before
Lincoln would have had time TO have
slsed his sword.
i'It has been claimed by some that this
duel arose out of . rivalry existing between
James Shields and Abraham Lincoln as 10
Mary Todd's hand, Judge Solomon went
on. 81 think this il very doubtful Mary
Todd bad number OF lovers, but do not
think General Shields was among them. i
have heard a number OF good stories of
Lincoln's courfship. In fact, some have
questioned whether he ever wanted to
marry Nory Todd. He was in love with
her cousin, but she married some one
else, and at last Lincoln hesitafed as TO
the match, and al one OF his wedding en-
gsgenents be failed TO come TO time and
the wedding had 10 &c postponed from the
absence Of the groom. The night he was
-. Il L. = L.
own office. and while making these prepar-
atoms for the event, boy came in and
said.
why, SIR. Lincoln. where are you go
ing7'
Lincoln looked mp and replied. To the
devil a. fast as the Lord will let me- And
then went on blacxing his shoes II is a
question as TO whether the match was a
happy one. He certainly treated Mary
Todd very well, and If be did no. love her
he allowed no one 10 witness his trouble.
Speaking OF the funny incidents of their
courtship," Judge Solomon continued. II
heard Of one which illustrates the humor-
Gus element of Lincolns character. 1t
happened 81 Mrs. clay's house in Jackson
vile Mary Todd was sitting at the piano
playing an old tune very popular in those
days. Lincoln was standing behind her
and accompanying her in the song, which
ran something like this: L will think of
the nightly till life's sun is set Lincoln
sang, i viii think Of thee nightly if |
don't forget Whereupon. Mary Todd
hearing the last part Of the verse, turned
around and quickly said;
What's thar, Mr.. Llncoln?'
Lincoln repeated the verse and this time
rightly. 1t Is small thing, but it Illus
trstes the humor that afterwards formed
such part of his presidential administra-
tion.'
Was Abraham Lincoln good LAWYER %
i asked. There Is no doubt but that he
was, replied the judge. He had a good
practice as soon a. he Was admitted 10 the
bar, and though he was an ungainly fell
low, he knew how 70 manage q case and a
jury. He was not 50 good looking a man
then as when he was president. He was
thinner, and his tall, lean frame, his angu-
lar BODY and his rugged face were strik-
ingly homely and countrined Long be-
fore be gained any note as a lawyer or poll
lilcian, he was asked by farmer near
Springfield 10 undertake a case for him
HIGH was 70 be tried Ia Cincinnati. and
here occurred one of the most curious in
cidentS in Lincoln's history. He went
with this farmer 10 Cincinnati and it hap
peued that there were nine other defend
ants IN the case. Edwin NJ. stanton. then
ono Of the NEST prominent lawyers at the
Ohio bar, WAS the attorney for these nine
defendants. When he saw the old farmer
come in with Lincoln, be took him aside
and in stage whisper begged him for
GOD, sake not 20 bring that TALL angular
gawk into the case. His presence in the
court viii ruin us, said Stanton. 1 have
the whole proceedings well in hand
and can do you more good without him.
beg, as you regard the interest Of the
case, 10 send your man back 10 Illinois
Lincoln overheard these wonis. He was
very touchy, and was so much hurt about
II thai shortly after this he told his client
that be would not have anything 10 do
with The case and that he had hotter rrr