The herald., 1895-06-06

most beyond the point of endurance I
once asked him why ho did so. This was
his explanations when l read aloud, two
senses catch the idea-first, see what
read; second, 1 hear it, and therefore
can remember it better - He never studied
lawbooks unless case was on hand for
consideration, never followed up the de-
cisions of tho supreme courts, as other
LAWYERS did 1t seemed as If be depended
for his effectiveness in managing lawsuit
entirely on the stimulus and inspiration
Of the final hour He paid but little at
tention to the fees and money matters of
the firm, usually leaving all such to me.
He never entered an item in the account
book. If any one paid money to him
which belonged to the firm, on arriving
at the Office he divided it with me- If
was not there, he would wrap up my share
in piece of paper and place it in my
drawer, marking it with pencil: Case Of
Roe versus Doe. Herndon's half" "
AS Taller and Listener.
On many topics he was not good con-
versationIst, because he felt that he was
not learned enough. Neither was he a
good listener. Putting it a little strongly,
he was often not even polite. II present
with others or participating in a conver-
sation, he was rather abrupt, and in his
anxiety to say something apt or to Illus.
trate the subject under discussion would
burst in with a story. In our office l have
known him to consume the whole fore
noon relating stories II a man came to
see him for the purpose of finding out
something which he did not care to let
him know and at the same time did not
want to refuse him, he was very adroit.
7 i i
the talking, swinging around what he
suspected was the vital point, but never
nearing it, interlarding his answers with
a seemingly endless supply Of stories and
jokes The interview being both interest
ing and pleasant, the man would depart
in good humor, believing he had accom-
plished his mission. After he had walked
away few squares and had cooled off the
question would come up, Well, what did
find out?" Blowing away the froth of
Lincoln's humorous narratives he would
find nothing substantial left
''As he entered the trial, " relates one
OF his colleagues at the bar, where most
lawyers would object he would say he
'reokoned it would bo fair to let this in
or that and sometimes, when his adver.
sary could not quite provo what Lincoln
knew to be tho truth, he 'reckoned' it
would be fair to admit the truth to be so
and so. When he did object to the court,
and when he heard his objections an
swered, he would often say, We'll, reck-
on l must be wrong Now, about the
time he had practiced this three fourths
through the case, if his adversary didn t
understand him, he would wake up in a
few minutes, learning that he had feared
the Greeks too late and find himself beat
Ell. He was wise as u serpent in the trial
of q cause, but have had too many scares
from his blows to certify that he was
harmless as dove. When the whole
thing was unraveled, the adversary would
begin to see that what he was so blandly
giving away was simply what he couldn t
get and. Keep. BY giving away six points
md carrying the seventh he carried his
case, and the whole case hanging on the
seventh he traded away everything which
would give him the least aid in carrying
that. Any man who took Lincoln for a
simple minded man would very soon wake
up with his back in ditch"
His Power "a Lawyer.
Lincolns restless ambition found its
qualification only in the field of politics.
He used the law merely as a stepping
stone to what he considered more attract
i've condition in the political world In
the allurements held out by the latter he
seemed to bo happy Nothing in Lincoln:
life las provoked more discussion than
t.s question of his ability as lawyer
feel warranted in saying that he was at
the same time Q very great and very in
significant lawyer. Judge David Davis.
in his eulogy on Lincoln at indianapolis,
delivered at the meeting of the bar there
in May, 1863, said this: ''In all tho cle-
monts that constituted lawyer he had
few equals He was great at nisi prius
pnd before al appellate tribunal. He seized
the strong points Of cause and presented
them with clearness and great compact
ness His mind was logical and direct
nnd he did not indulge in extraneous dis
cussion. Generalities and platitudes hal
no charm for him. An unfailing vein o
humor never deserted him, and he was
atle to claim the attention of court anc
Jury when the cause was most uninterest
ing by tho appropriateness Of his anec
dotcs His power of comparison wa
large, and he rarely failed in legal dis
.assinn to nse that node of. r.s.s....i4.,z