The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-06-28

ludicrous features of many a lawsuit or
the circuit. 1t was at this last interview
in Springfield that he told me of the eff
forts that had been made by other law
yers to supplant me in the partnership
with him. He insisted that such men
were weak creatures who, to use his
own language, chopped to secure law
practice by hanging to his coattail " /
never saw him in more cheerful mood
He gathered bundle of books and pa
pers he wished to take with him and
started to go, but before leaving he
made the strange request that the sign
board which swung on its rusty hinges at
the foot of the stairway should remain
"Let it hang there undisturbed, he
said, with significant lowering of his
voice. "Give our clients to understand
that the election of president makes no
change in the firm of Lincoln & Hern-
don. If l live I'm coming back some
time, and then We'll go right on prac-
ticing law as if nothing had ever hap
| pened. He fingered for a moment as
If to take last look at the old quarters
and then passed through the door into
the narrow hallway. l accompanied
him down stairs. On the way he spoke
of the unpleasant features surrounding
the presidential Office. 81 am sick of
oficeholding already" he complained,
"and l shudder when l think of the
tasks that are still ahead.
He said the sorrt u of parting from
| his old associations was deeper than
| most persons would imagine, but it was
| more marked in his case because of the
| feeling which had become irrepressible
that he would never return alive. l ar
gued against the thought, characteriz-
ing it as an illusory notion not in har-
mony or keeping with the popular ideal
of a president "But it is in keeping
with my philosophy, was his quick re-
tort Our conversation was frequently
broken in upon by the interruptions of
passersby, who, each in succession,
seemed DESTROYS of claiming his atten-
ton. At length he broke away from
them all. Grasping my hand warmly
and with fervent "Goodby," he dis
appeared down the street and never came
back to the Office again.
A Metamorphosis.
One who witnessed the impressive
scene left the following graphic descrip-
ton of the Inauguration and its princi-
pal Incidents: NEAR noon found my
self a member of the motley crowd gath
cred about the side entrance to Will
lard's hotel. Soon an open barouche
drove up, and the only occupant stepped
out. A large, heavy, awkward moving
man, far advanced in years, short and
thin gray hair, full face, plentifully
scanned and wrinkled, head curiously in
clined to the left shoulder, low
crowned, broad brimmed silk hat, an
immense white cravat like poultice,
thrusting the old fashioned standing
collar up to the ears, dressed in black
throughout, with swallowtail coat not
of the newest style. 1t was President
Buchanan, calling to take his successor
to the capitol In few minutes he re-
appeared with Mr.. Lincoln on his ARM
The two took seats side by side, and the
carriage rolled away, followed by a |
rather disorderly and certainly not very
imposing procession. had ample time
to walk to the capitol and no difficulty |
in securing place where everything
could be seen and heard to the best ad |
vantage. The attendance at the inaugu- |
ration was, they told me, unusually |
small, many being kept away by antici-
pated disturbance, as it had been ru
mored-truly, too-that General Scott
himself was fearful of an outbreak and
had made all possible military prepare
70 l,o
platform had been built out from the
steps to the eastern portico, with
benches for distinguished spectators on
three Sides
Douglas. the only one recognized,
sat at the extreme end of the seat on the
right of the narrow passage leading
from the steps. There was no delay, and
the gaunt form of the president elect
was soon visible, slowly making his
way to the front. To me at least he was
completely metamorphosed, partly by
his own fault and partly through the
efforts of injudicious friends and am
bilious tailors. He was raising-to
crafty very young lady, it is saba
crop of whiskers of the backing brush
variety, coarse, stiff and ungraceful,
and in SO doing spoiled, or at least seri.
ously impaired, face which, though
never handsome, had in its original
state peculiar power and pathos. On
the present occasion the whiskers were
REINFORCED by brand new clothes from
top to toe, black dress coat, instead of
the usual frock, black cloth or satin
vest, black pantaloons and glossy hat
evidently just out of the box. To cap
the climax of novelty, he carried huge
ebony cane with gold head the size of
an egg. In these, to him, strange ha-
biliments he looked so miserably un-
comfortable that l could not help pity
ing him.
Douglas Holds His Hat.
Reaching the platform, his discom-
fort was visibly increased by not knowing
what to do with hat and cane, and so he
stood there, the target for 10, 900 eyes,
holding cane in one hand and hat in
the other, the very picture of helpless
After some hesitation
he pushed the cane into corner of the
railing, but could not find place for