The San Francisco call., 1897-03-14

E1sss<OME incidents, hitherto unpub-
&a2 lished, in the life of Abraham Lin
@N coin are tod by Rev. William
Stevenson, the veteran Methodist preach
er, OF Santa Monica, Cal. MIR. Stevenson
has been engaged in his calling for over
fifty years. and during his pastorate at
Sprin gield, ILL.,, was a near neighbor OF
Lincoln. Most OF the occurrences here
related came under his personal observa-
ton and were during Inc period just pre-
ceding the time that Lincoln became
President.
II. don't think there are more than six
: or eight men of near his age now living
who were among Lincoln's intimate asso-
ciates between 1850 and 1862" said Mr..
Stevenson 10 the writer few days ago.
"Of the lawyers among this number l am
unable to recall any save Milton hay and
United States Senators Shelby Nj. Cul-
Iom and John NJ. Palmer. James Harlan,
with whom l attended college in 1914, is
the only member OF Lincon's first Cabl-
net yet living. He was Secretary OF the
Interior,
with one exception Lincoln was the
most melancholy man l ever knew. His
habit of almost continual joking seemed
10 spring from an effort o throw off the
sorrowful in his nature. The fact that ne
was sad yet cheerful, and thoughtful yet
frivolous, and withal profoundly despond-
ent, explained, L believe. good many
things in mis- character that the world
doesn't understand.
''One incident that took place about
1645 brings out Lincoln's liking for prac-
iot- 40 nd nj Sfarfad
from Spring gtield, Ill.,, 10 go 10 Postville,
the county seat of Logan County, to
attend court. That was before the
days Of stage coaches anu the party
travelled horseback. Besides Lincoln
there we're Stephen A. Douglas,
David DAVIS. who was aiterward ap-
Lc!ated TO tie bench OF the United States
Supreme Court snd who was later the
Populist candidate for President, Stephen
Logan, the noted attorney, and Lyman
Trumbu!l, famous as a dandy, and VINO in
lie United States Senate atterward voted
fo- the acQuittal of President Andrew
Johnson in the impeach hment proceedings.
In going TO Postviile the party had to
cross Salt Creek, which. when they got
near II, was found TO have overfowed its
banks far beyond the approaches of the
ouly available bridge.
Lincoln was the only man in the party
p who was familiar with III road to the
bridge .Gentiem en- said he, we can get
to tha: bridge all right. but we shall have
to swim our horses to do it. If we do so
without removing our clothing we will
present sorry. appearance when We get
to Postville. The only thing for US to do
is for each man to strip, roll his clothes
into bundle and tie it to the back of his
shoulders This advice was followed. 1t
must have been sight to behold. There
was the tall, lank form of Lincoln, the
corpulent figure Of Douglas, the tall and
feshy Davis, the small-sIzed Logan and
the tall and dudsh TrumDull. Having
made these elaborate preparations for a
wetting the members of the party
started across the intervening overdowed
land, a quarter of q mile wide on their
way to the bridge. At the deepest place
the water about reached the horses knees,
and the travellers found they had fallen
victims to one OF Lincoln's cleverIy laid
pranks. 1t was many years before they
heard the last about crossing Salt Creek.
II recall one instance in particular in
which Lincoln resorted to his characteris-
tic method of illustrating a point. He