The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-02-09

presidency was softened greatly BY
knowledge of Lincoln's election.
Douglas spoke first. l shall not re.
peat what he said. 1t seems to me,
though, worth while to chronicle q
happening that has been little noted.
Ottawa was the home district of owen
Lovejoy, who sat, with ether Republic
ans, on the platform. Personally and
politically he was Douglas most bitter
enemy. Although he sat there Of right,
his presence was to Douglas like a red
rag to n bull. Toward the close of his
speech he made direct charge that in
the preceding senatorial fight there
had been conspiracy between Love
joy, Trumbull, Lincoln and others by
which Mr.. Lincoln was to succeed
Shields, and Trumbull Douglas him
self. But when it came to action they
euchred Lincoln - good, easy fellow
that lac ISL Douglas said, with more
bitterness than | ever saw in him at
any other time, eff he does not look
sharp, they will euchre him agirln. even
if they have permitted him to receive
the unanimous nomination of their flu
SION convention.
| think Douglas felt intuitively that
he had spoken too rancorously. He
closed with reference to early days
how when he had first met Lincoln the
latter was clerk in country store and
Douglas himself young and very
briefiess attorney on the circuit. Lin
coin had been kindly .hospitable, he
said, they had become friends, and
friends, he hoped, they would always
remain.
AS to the accusation of conspiracy
Lincoln said simply that it was, so far
as it concerned him, false. Then he
passed quickly to what Douglas had
recalled of their early acquaint-
ance. yes, the judge Is right. | was
a clerk--in fact, the Junior clerk. with
no voice as to what l sold" he said
you See we had dry goods in front.
groceries in the middle and wet goods
at the back, which was my domain
When the judge tied his horse to our
hitching post, he never stopped in front.
No, gentlemen! He trotted right back to
see Abe OF course | appreciated his
friendship then-I appreciate it now
though | am bound to tell you he was
my best customer"
| was present at each of the joint
speaklngs and also at some of the aJl-
dresses to their own partisans. which
Lincoln called jokingly 'the side show"
They did not travel together, but
rather upon each others trail, speak
ing every day, sometimes twice a day,
to those Of their own political house
holds and. in nay Judgment, much bet
ter than In the debates, which seemed
to me to have an air of "for publication
only" about them. 1t was a joyous
and light hearted progress. Commonly
! the friends of each conveyed them
FROM, place to place, Now and again
the two travelling parties met at cross
roads or country tavern; now and then,
too, they were forced to take passage
! by the same common carrier.
Commonly a delegation with bands
and banners met each man some miles
out of the town where he was to hold
/ forth.
Whenever the two parties met on the
|
cheer. Upon one such occasion a rooster
near by answered the cheers with lusty
Growing. THAT Is good Omen," Doug
las said, waving his hand to Lincoln,
who answered, Yes, but you know
any rooster can crow on his own dung
hill" Another time, down in Egypt
Douglas and his party went to a Mis-
slssippi river landing very early, only
to find Lincoln's crowd there ahead of
them, likewise intent on taking the
steamboat down the stream. Greet.
lngs were hardly over before there
came word that the boat was aground
and no telling when she would get off
Just then a stern wheeler came round
the bend. How will she doT' some
| one asked of Mr.. Lincoln. He squinted
critically at her, then said: "Oh, she's
Il White river craft. She can cross any
bar passable by n good sized catfish"
AS the Mississippi was very low
| this was recommendation. Both
speakers were due that afternoon at
lower river towns. So we hailed, got
aboard and made rush for the wash
room, whose appliances were, it need
scarcely be said, of the most primitive
sort. There was, however, a surpris-
ing number of dirty combs and brush.
es. Baggage had been sent ahead by
express, so most of us had to use them
or go without. Douglas alone of us
had pocket case containing combs, a
toothbrush. etc. He offered one Of the
combs to Mr.. Lincoln, who took 1t, say
ing, with qulzzical smile: "Thank
you, judge! But really they seem to
have supplied us with everything but
tOOthbrushes." PRENTICE BRITroN.