The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-08-08
WHOLE NO.. 297.

servants at the inn generally put off
with the most indifferent accommOda-
tionS. He said once he never SO COM
pletely felt his own unworthiness as
when he stood face to face with real,
live hotel clerk
HE was never" says one of his com
paniOns on the circuit, "seated next the
landlord at crowded table and never
got chicken liver or the best cut from
the roast He never complained Of the
food, bed or lodgings If every other
fellow grumbled at the bill of fare which
greeted us at many of the dingy taverns,
Lincoln said nothing. Yet he loved the
life and never went home without re-
luctance. Accommodations at the tav-
erns We're exceedingly limited, for things
then We're necessarily crude and primi-
tive. When the court moved from one
county to another, there Were great bus
tie and activity at each successive place
Men came together when il term of court
rolled around to meet the celebrities at
the bar, to buy family supplies, to ne
gotiate loans, to buy and sell live stock
to hear the lawyers plead - and, i'll
pose The best room at the tavern was
reserved for the judge and such choice
spirits among the lawyers as he might
select. The other lawyers slept two in
bed, and three or four beds were located
III one room. AT meals the Judge, law
yers, suitors, jurors, witnesses, court
officers and prisoners out OH bail ate to-
gethcr at Il long dining table. The CON
versation was general. Il we'll recol-
lcct, relates one Of this promiscuous
company, "a term of court at one place
whore IL prisoner who was ON trial for
perjury used to spend the evenings with
us in Judge Davis room, and at another
place where the prisoner on trial for
larceny not only spent his evenings in
our room but took walks with us ard
ate i'll our immediate company.
In this crude society and nomad life
Lincoln spent over half of each year.
Without the convcniences of the modern
lawyer, stcnographer, typewriter, with
out books even, he moved from court to
court, his papers i'll his hat or coat
pocket, his business in his head. The
consideration and trial Of each case be-
gan and ended with itself, and each
successive county brought new business
and different class of clients. In the
matters of food and dress he was less
fastidious than any other man on the
circuit, and his personal habits We're of
the very simplest character. His hat
was usually brown and faded, and the
nap almost invariably worn or rubbed
off. He Wore IA short cloak, and some
times Il shawl. His coat and vest hung
| loosely on his giant frame, and his
trousers We're always trife short. He
carried with him in one hand faded
green umbrella, with his name, A. Lin
coin, i'll large, white cotton or muslin
letters sewed on the inside. The knob
was gone from the handle, and when
closed piece Of cord was usually tied
around it in the middle to keep it from
flying open. In the other hand he car
ried Il literal carpctbag, III which Were
slowed the few papers to be used in
court and Undertaking enough to last
| till his return to Springfield
81 shall never forget, :" related an H.
linois lawyer to me several years ago,
"the first time | over saw Mr.. Lincoln
1t was in Danville in 1858. | had set
out from my home III the east to find in
the great west a suitable place in which
| to locate and begin the practice of law.
A friend had given me note Of intro
duction to A. Lincoln, Esq, whom he
designated one of the leading lawyers
in central Illinois. / had expected to
meet Mr.. Lincoln i'll Springfield, but
was told that he was then out ON the
circuit and that l would doubtless find
| him at Danvillc. In few days | re-
at the hotel ! was told that | would
find him in Judge Davis room In the
region where | had been brought up the
| judge of court was a man generally
whose presence was gravity itself, and
| was therefore not Il little abashed aft
er | had climbed the unbanistered stair
way to find myself so near the presence
and dignity of Judge Davis, in whose
room ! expected to find Lawyer Lincoln.
In response to my timid knock, two
voices responded almost simultaneously
| Come inn Imagine my surprise when
the door opened to find two men un-
dressed, or rather dressed for bed, en-
gagged in IL lively battle with pillows,
fiinging them at each others heads
One, low, heavy set man, who ex-
hausted with the sport, leaned against
the foot Of the bed and puffcd like a
lizard, answered to the description of
Judge Davis. His companion was a man
of tremendous stature. In comparison
to Davis he looked as if he We're feet
tall. He was incascd in a long, indescrib-
able garment, yellow as saffron and from
beneath which protluded two of the
largest feet it has ever been my privi-
lege to behold. This immense shirt, for
such il must have been, looked as if it
had been literally chopped out of the
original bolt of flannel of which it was
made and the pieces joined together
without reference to either measurement
or capacity. The only thing that kept it
from slipping off his gaunt, attenuated
frame was the single button at the
throat, and confess to shudder at the
thought Of the result in case that button
should by any mischance lose its hold. |
cannot describe my sensations as this ap-
partition, with the announcement, My
name is Lincoln, sir, strobe across the
room and grasped my trembling hand.
will not say he reminded me Of satan,