Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-12-23

A Born Gentleman.
Mr.. Lincoln, as l remember him, had
quaintness of manner that strongly indi-
vidualized him in any place or any COM
pany. His cousin Dennis Hanks was only
voicing the general opinion in YER
nacular idiom when he said, There was
| always something peculiarsome about
Abe" In his intercourse with others his
simplicity and indebtedness were most
| engaging / never heard him use an oath
or make vulgar remark, and never knew
| OF his doing an improper thing. He was
! the purest man. both in speech and ac-
| toni make the statement deliberately
of all the men l have known on intimate
! terms. He made one feel that it was good
to be with him.
There was nothing conventional i'm his
regard for the feelings of all with whom
| he dealt. 1t was part of his being, COM
| ing as natural to him as 1t was to breathe
/ He never browbeat a witness or juggled
| the statements of one He never quizzed
an acquaintance. That his clerks de-
velopment was yet in the callow state
/ must nave been instantly apparent to him,
! but not once did he remind me of it, on
| the other hand, he encourag ed me in many
ways. Once and only once, did | succeed
in drawing from him an opinion deroga-
| tory of another and that related to a
certain attorney of very SNOWY parts yet
capable of only feeble and disconnected
arguments After expressing myself quite
! freely, | bluntly asked him whether my
| estimate was not correct. The felicitous
answer was, "Well. / consider MIN rather
! a shotgun lawyer" Thousands OF times
/ Abraham Lincoln has been written up as
] awkward, ungainly, ugly. but to me he
! had the kndliest eye. the sweetest smile
I and the most pleasing face | had ever
| known ana it is no stretch of the truth
, to say l have always thought about MIN
as of a personality most attractive. If not
actually handsome.
Mr.. Lincolns Physical Traits.
The antithess Of features and express
sion was very pronounced in Abraham
| Lincoln. The expression not merely re-
I heVed the plainness of his features; it
transformed, on occasions TRANSPORTED,
them. The look of patient beniguity
which became the abiding memory that
callers at the White House carried away
during the dreadful days of the Civil War
was a familiar one. even in the 40s, to
those who had any dealings with him.
But to strangers his appearance was not
prepossessing. While his six feet and
four inches gave him a commanding stat
ure, he was loosely built gauntly spare
in flesh. fiat-chested and inclined to stoop.
The impression of anguarity given al first
sight was heightened by his length of
arms and legs, and that of awkwardness
by the size of his hands and feet. His
complexion was sallow and his cheeks
sunken, both of which items were the
more noticeable from the fact that he
wore neither beard nor whiskers Cnor did
he ever do so till after his election to the
presidency. The prominent nose and
square chin betokened strength, but they
We're not nodded on lines of beauty. The
blue-gray eyes when in repose We're rather
Unlocking. Nevertheless, to see how
they kindled the moment he began ad-
dressing you or became Interested in a
subject under discussion was wonderful
it resembled the uprushing waves OF light
in a winter sky when an aurora borealis
is on.
In walking his step was such that his
foot came down fiat on the ground. | can
see him now, In memory, he daily APP
peared on the streets or Springfield his
arms slowly swinging, his head and body
bent slightly forward his whole aspect
that of a man in deep thought from
which, however, he was easily reused.
never failing to make a hearty acknowl-
edginent of a salutation whether from
friend or stranger. He was slow or more
properly. deliberate. in his movements.
cannot recall ever having seen him walk
brisklX, much less run. though his long
limbs carried him over the ground with
more speed than one was apt to realize at
first While possessing great physical
strength. he was sparng in its use.
His Indifference to Dress.
He manifested no concern for his per-
sonal appearance. far as dressiness
went. Provided his clothing was clean
and comfortable. the cut of it did not
trouble him in the least The blue jeans
in which he was clad when ! first saw
him, in 1870 had been discarded in favor
of broadcloth some time before his mar
riage The day | entered his office in
1915. he had on black suit-coat and
trousers of cloth. vest of satin. and the
buckram stock about his neck was COW
cred with black silk. Mrs. Lincoln. as
was generally known in Springfield wish
) ed him to spruce up" more, and perhaps
2 this had something to do with the adop.
ton of the buckram stock, forcing him
as 1t did, to carry his head more erect
than would ordinary tie. In summer
l he was accustomed to wear shoes of what
was known as the Wellington style, but IL
= winter he wore boots. His hat was
: regulation 'stove-pipe," the same Il
was when he filled the presidential chair
One anecdote that passed current il
those days derived almost as much poin
from his disregard of style in dress as
from his well-known character as n hu
morist. A friend, passing him on the side
walk one day. exclaimed ABE. your Goa
is too short in the waist" Lincoln look
ed up with a twinkle in his eye. and quicl
as a flash, retorted: Never mind; it will
be long enough before I get another!
Whether or not the same bon mot is will
Justice credited to n witty English bishop
l do not know, but its attribution to Lin
coin is strictly correct.
Lincoln Misceanles.
Mr.. Lincon's indifference respecting
dress was equaled by his indifference re
specting money. His wants were few ant
simple, and as long as he had enough t.
supply them for the present he seemed t.
have no use for money, except to give /
away or lend it, often with no expecta
ton of return to those in need of 1t. H
preferred plain food and very moderate
amount satisfied him. OF liquor he Otter
said he did not know the taste, nor dit
he use tobacco in any form.
He had a decided fondness for ches
and checkers, though no games of an.
kind were permitted at the office In play
ing either, his method was to act on tn
defensive until the game had reached
stage where an aggressive policy wa
clearly indicated He liked ten-pins also
and occasionally INDUCED in them. What
ever may have been his youthful taste
in regard to hunting and fishing, at thi
period both sports were ignored.
From his mother, a woman of superio
endowments he inherited a melanchol
that was neradcable. though it becam
less marked after his marriage. The an
gle of incidence is the same as that of re
Fiction: day and night, taking the yea
through, divide the twenty-four hour
equally Lincoln was gifted with an ex
traordinary sense of humor. and neces
sariIv he must know its cOunterpart O