The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-06-14
SKETCHES OF LINCOLN.
His Habits and Methods oil
Study.
PHASES OF A LOFTY CHARACTER

Intellectually Energetic, but Physically
Lazy-His Hatred of Shams-How He
"Peeled" the Court-A Gratifying Pro-
fessional Triumph-A Sticking Juror.
from ''The Life of Lincoln" by William H.
Herndon and Jesse W. Weik. Copyright, 1888,
by Jesse ". Weik.. Copyright, 1892, by D. APP
pleton 6 Col
XVII.
A young man once wrote to Lincoln
inquiring for the best mode of obtain
ing thorough knowledge of the law.
''The mode is very simple, he respond
ed, Though laborious and tedious. 1t
is only to get books and read and study
them carefully. Begin with Black
stones Commentaries, and afterreading
carefully through, say, twice, take up
'Chitty's Pleadings,' 'Greenleaf's Evil
dence' and 'Story's Equity in success
sion. Work, work, work, is the main
thing"
Effect of q Woman's Tears.
Lincoln never believed in suing for a
fee. If client would not pay on re.
quest, he never sought to enforce collec-
tion. I remember once a man who had
been indicted for forgery or fraud en-
ployed US to defend him. The illness OF
the prosecuting attorney caused some
delay IL the case, and our client, becom-
ing dissatisfied at our conduct of the
case, hired some one else, who suppressed
ed US most effectually. The defendant
declining to pay US the fee demanded,
on the ground that we had not repre-
sented him at the trial of the cause,
brought suit against him in Lincoln s
absence and obtained judgment for our
fee. After Lincoln's return from the
circuit the fellow hunted him up and by
means of a carefully constructed tale
prevailed on him to release the judg-
ment without receiving a cent of pay.
The mans unkind treatment of us de-
served no such mark of generosity from
Lincoln, and yet he could not resist the
appeal of any one in poverty and want.
He could never turn from woman in
tears 1t was no surprise to me or any
of his intimate friends that so many de-
signing women with the conventional
widows weeds and easy flowing tears
overcame him in Washington. 1t was
difficult for him to detect an impostor,
and hence it is not to be marveled at
that he cautioned his secretaries, "KeeI
them away-I cannot stand it,"
On many questions I used to grow
somewhat enthusiastic, adopting some
times lofty metaphor by way of en-
bellishment. Lincoln once warned me:
"Billy, don't shoot too high-aim lower,
and the common people will understand
you. They are the ones you want to
reach-at least they are the ones you
ought to reach. The educated and re-
fined people will understand you any
way. If you aim too high, your ideas
will 60 over the heads Of the masses and
only hit those who need hitting"
While it is true that from his peculiar
construction Lincoln dwelt entirely in
the head and in the land of thought,
and while he was physically lazy man,
yet he was intellectually energetic. He
was not only energetic, but industrious;
not only industrious, but tireless; not
only tireless, but interchangeable. There.
fore if in debate with him man stood
on questionable foundation he might
well watch whereon he stood. Lincoln
could look long distance ahead and
calculated the triumph of right With
him justice and truth were paramount.
If to him a thing seemed untrue, he
could not in his nature simulate truth.
Messrs. Stuart and Edwards once
brought suit against client Of ours
which involved the title to considerable
property. At that time we had only two
or three terms Of court, and the docket
was somewhat crowded. The plaintiff s
attorneys were pressing us for trial,
and we were equally anxious to ward it
off. What we wanted were time and a
continuance to the next term. We dared
not make an affidavit for continuance,
founded on facts, because no such perth
nent and material facts as the law con-
templated existed. Our case for the time
seemed hopeless. One morning, how
ever, I accidentally overheard a remark
from Stuart indicating his fear lest a
certain fact should happen to come into
our possession. felt some relief, and at
once drew up fictitious plea, averring
as best l could the substance of the
doubts / knew existed in Stuart's mind
The plea was as skillfully drawn as I
could do it and was framed as if we had
the evidence to sustain it. The whole
thing was sham, but SO constructed as
to work the desired continuance, because
knew that Stuart and Edwards believed
the facts were as pleaded them. This
was done in the absence and without the
knowledge of Lincoln. The plea could
not be demurred to, and the opposing
counsel dared not take the issue on it.
It perplexed them sorely.
At length, before further steps were
taken, Lincoln came into court. He
looked carefully over all the papers in
the case, as was his custom, and seeing
my ingenious subterfuge asked, sis this
seventh plea a good one?" Proud of the
exhibition of my skill, answered that
it was But" he inquired incredulous-
", is it founded on fact?" I was
obliged to respond in the negative, at
the same time following up my answer
with an explanation of what had over
heard Stuart intimate, and of how these
alleged facts could be called facts if a
certain construction were put upon
them. insisted that our position was
;,,cti f ob1o on5 that o1r c1iaDt rOuct