The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-06-21

he said to me oncp, why hafdidu kick
hinIaout Il told him he was too fresh
altogether. a. Lincoln 8 answer was, "It
/ did, Dennis, it would be difficult to
find another man to fill his place" The
president cousin sat in the office dur
ing the endless interviews that take
place between the head of the nation
and the. latter's loyal subjects He saw
smodesty and obseurity- mingling with
the arrogance of pride and distinction.
One day an attractive and handsomely
dressed woman called to procure the re-
lease from prison of a relative in whom
she professed the deepest interest She
was good talker, and her winning
ways seemed to be making a. deep inn
preston on the president. After listen
ing to her story, he ,wrote,a few lines. on
card, inclosing it in an envelope and
directing her to take it to the secretary
of war. Before sealing it he showed it
to Dennis. 1t read, ''This woman, dear
Stanton, is a little smarter than she
looks to be. - She had, wonanlike, evil
IDENTITY overstated her case. alI5 iii
Before night another woman called,
more humble in appearance, more plain
~ clad, 1t was the old story-father
and son both in the army, the former
in prison Could not the latter be dis
charged from the army and sent home
to help his mother? "A few strokes of
the pen, a gentle nod of the head, and
the little woman, her eyes filing with
tears and expressing a grateful acknowl1
edgment her tongue could not utter,
passed out f,5,s.....s
A Near Friends Testimony.
1t will interest the reader and no
doubt aid him greatly in drawing 1.-THE
portrait of Lincoln to call up for the
purpose friend of his, whose testimony
is mot only vivid and minute, but for
certain reasons unusually appropriate
end essential. The friend referred to is
Joshua f Speed. Under date of Dec. 6.
1866, he says: "Mr. Lincoln was so I'M
like all the men had ever known be-
fore or seen or known since that there
is no one TO whom | can compare him
"Tne beauty of, his character waists
entire simplicity He had no affectation
in anything. True to nature, true, to
himself, he was true to everybody and
everything around him. When he was
ignorant on any subject, no matter how
simple it might make him appear, he
was always willing to acknowledge it.
His whole aim in life was to be true to
himself, and being true to himself he
could be false to no one. 1 ao
"He had no vices even as a young
man. Intense thought with him was
the rule and not, as with most of us, the
exception. He often said that he could
think better after breakfast, and better
walking than sitting, lying or standing.
His worldwide reputation for telling
anecdotes and telling them SO well Twas,
in my Judgment, necessary to his very
existence. Most men who have been
great students, such as he was, in their
hours of idleness have taken to the bot
tie, to cards or dice He had no fond
ness for any of these. Hence he sought
relaxation in. anecdotes. SO far as | now
remember of his study for composition,
it was to make short sentences and a
compact stylenrst salsl8 ai.
Unlike all other men, there was en-
tire, harmony between his public and
private life. He must believe he was
right, and that he had truth and justice
with him, or he was weak man, but
no man could be stronger if he thought
he was right G
s His Kindness of Heart.
1.-THE last interview but one | had
with him was about ten days prior to
his last inauguration. Congress was
drawing to close. 1t had been an i'm
portant session Much attention had to
be given to the important bills he was
signing. A great war was upon him
and the country. Visitors were com.
ing and going to the president with
their varying complaints and griev-
ances from morning till night with
almost as much regularity as the ebb
and flow of the tide, and he was worn
down in health and spirits.
'sOn this occasion / was sent for to
come and see him. Instructions were
given that when came should be adj.
mitted When | entered his office, it was
quite full and many more, among them
not few senators and members of con-
gress, still waiting. As soon as I was
fairly inside the president remarked that