The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-08-09
OF LINCOLN.
Settling Down to the Practice
of Law.
EFFECT OF HIS POLITICAL DEFEAT.


His Talent as a Story Teller-How ae Ap
peared In the Law Office-His Most strilx
Ing Characterization the Fees Were
Divided.
From ''The Life of Lincoln by William Fl
Herndon and Jesse W. Weik. Copyright, 1888
by Jesse W. Weik. Copyright, 1892, by d. Ap
pleton q Co.
XVI
While a member of congress and other
wise immersed in politics, Lincoln seemed
to lose all interest in the law. OF course
what practice he himself controlled passed
into other hands. retained all the bust
ness l could and worked steadily on until,
when he returned, our practice was as ex-
tensive as that of any other firm at the
bar Lincoln realized that much Of this
was due to my efforts and on his return
he therefore suggested that he had no right
to share in the business and profits which
had made I responded that, as he had
aided me and given me prominence when
was young and needed it, / could afford
now to be grateful if not generous. 1
therefore recommended a continuation of
the partnership, and we went on as before
l could notice a difference in Lincoln's
movement as lawyer from this time for
ward. He had begun to realize a certain
lack of discipline-a want of mental
training and method. Ten years had
wrought some change in the law and
more in the lawyers of Illinois. The con-
Viction had settled in the minds of the
people that the pyrotechnics of courtroom
and stump oratory did not necessarily i'm
Ply extensive or profound ability in the
lawyer who resorted to them. The courts
were becoming graver and more learned,
and the lawyer was learning as prelimi-
nary aud indispensable condition to sue
cess that he must be close reasoner, be-
sides having at command broad knowl-
edge of the principles on which the statu-
tory law Is constructed. There was, of
course, the same riding on circuit as be-
fore, but the courts had improved in tone
and morals, and there was less laxity-at
least it appeared so to Lincoln.
Political defeat had wrought marked
effect on him. 1t went below the skin and
made changed man of him. He was not
soured at his seeming political decline,
but still he determined to eschew politics
from that time forward and devote him
self entirely to the law. And now he be-
gan to make up for time lost In politics by
studying the law In earnest, No man had
greater power of application than he. Once
fixing his mind on any subject, nothing
could interfere with or disturb him. Ere
quently would go out on the circuit with
him. We usually at the little country
inns occupied the same bed. In most cases
the beds were too short for him, and his
feet would hang over the footboard thus
exposing a limited expanse of shin bone.
Placing candle on a chair at the head Of
the bed, he would read and study for
hours. I have known him to study in this
position till 2 O'Clock in the morning
Meanwhile I and others who CHANGED to
occupy the same room would be safely
and soundly asleep.
On the Circuit.
On the circuit in this way he studied
Euclid until he could with ease demon
strate all the propositions in the six books.
How he could maintain his mental equilib
rum or concentrate his thoughts on an
abstract mathematical proportion while
Davis, Logan, SWEET, Edwards and 1 SO
industriously and volubly filled the air
with our interDinable snoring was prob |
lem none of US could ever solve. / was on |
the circuit with Lincoln probably one
fourth of the time The remainder of my
time was spent in Springfield looking aft
or the business there, but know that life
On the circuit was gay one. 1t was rich
with incidents and afforded the nomadic
lawyers ample relaxation from all the irk-
some toll that fell to their lot Lincoln
loved it. I suppose it would be fair es-
innate to state that he spent over half the
gear following Judges Treat and Davis
around on the circuit. On Saturdays the
court and attorneys, If within reasona-
Die distance, would usually start for their
homes. Some went for fresh supply of
but the greater number went
simply to spend day of rest with their
families The only exception was Lin
,oln, who usually spent his Sundays with
he loungers at the country tavern and
)nly went home at the end of the circuit
)r term of court.
At first, relates one of his colleagues
IN the circuit, I'VE wondered at it. but
oon learned TO account for his strange
iisinclination to go home. Lincoln him.
ielf never had much to say about home
md we never felt free to comment on it,
Most of us had pleasant, inviting homes
md as we struck out for them I'm sure
ZACH one of Us down in our hearts had a
mingled feeling of pity and sympathy for
him" If the day was long and he was
oppressed, the feeling was soon relieved
~ the narration of story. The tavern
oungers enjoyed it, and his melancholy,
aklng to itself wings, seemed to fly away.
As Story Teller.
In the role of a story teller am prone
o regard Mr.. Lincoln as without an equal.
have seen him surrounded by crowd
mbering as many as goo and in some
ases 300 persons, all deeply interested in
be outcome of story which, when he
ad finished it, speedily found repetition
q every grocery and lounging place with
n reach. His power of mimicry, as I
ave before noted, and his manner of re-
ital were in many respects unique II not
His countenance and all his
9atures seemed to take part In the per- I
ormance AS he neared the pith or point
the joke or story every vestige of seri-
usness disappeared from his face. His
tile gray eyes sparkled smile seemed {
gather up, curtainlike the corners of
is mouth. his frame quivered with sup
ressed excitement and when the point,
r "nub, F" of the story, as he called it, came
o ones laugh was heartier than his.
hese backwoods allegories are out of date
ow, and any lawyer ambitious to gain
rfarFn frasaF 4