River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-02-08
LINCOLN'S
FIRST CASE
An Incident of His Career at
New Salem, Ill.

/
The incidents of this story are taken
/ from Mrs. Mary Hartwell Gather
woods Spanish Peggy" story of
New Salem, ILL.,, at the time Lincoln
resided there. The compiler can claim
credit for nothing more than the
grouping of the incidents into COM
/ plete short story.
| Abraham Lincoln was studying
Blackstone in the cabin Of Minter
Grayham at New Salem when Richard
Yates came in. The two young men
were the best of friends, and it was the
custom of Richard to ride over from
Jacksonville whenever opportunity
offered for a few days with his
friend.
Going in for law, are you, Abe?"
said Yates, as he noticed the book
Lincoln was reading.
mighty interesting book, this" re-
piled Lincoln.
"I'm going to study law myself"
said Yates, "and let's make a bargain
to try. our first case together"
'"The bargain is made" replied Lin
coin, land whoever gets the first case
calls in the other for assistance"
Shickshack was dead and New Sa-
lem mourned for him. Shickshack
the Sac Indian who preferred to live
among the whites to life with his
tribe; who had been foster father to
Peggy since the days her Spanish ia
Their had laid her, an infant, in his
arms when the father was dying and
had none but this Indian friend with
whom to intrust his baby daughter;
the stepfather of Antywine, the
French boy.
Peggy was in reality Consuelo Lori
mer, descendant of Don Louis Lori
mer at one time Spanish governor of
his majesty's possessions in the new
world. All New Salem knew this, but
they did not know that around Shick-
shack's waist was carried a snakeskin
filled with Spanish gold that belonged
to the crippled child. That is they
did not know this until Shickshack
was dead, when Antywine turned the
snakeskin and it's contents over to
Lincoln to keep for her.
If New Salem folks had not known
of the existence of Peggy's gold Don
Pedro Lorimer, New Orleans gam
bier, had. He had been with Peggy's
father when the little fortune had
been intrusted to the Indian for safe
keeping, and he had made more than
one effort to get possession Of it, usual
~ by claiming relationship and guard
ianship of the child.
Lincoln was not to be found when
Lorimer arrived at the village after
the death of Shickshack, and demand
ed possession of the child and her
belongings. He came backed by set
of young hoodlums from Clary's
Grove It was Dick Yates who met
them at the Rutledge tavern, but he
was powerless. They wanted the girl,
but they wanted her money more than
anything else, and Lincoln had the
money. Taking the girl with them,
and accompanied by Yates, they start
ed out to find Lincoln. They found
him at the home of Antywine, the
home over which Peggy, now girl of
is, was to be mistress.
Lincoln, you have somewhere a
snakeskin filed with gold belonging to
my young cousin over whom / claim
legal guardianship. Produce it and
you shall not be harmed" 1t was
the Spaniard, Lorimer, who spoke.
Boys, you ought to be ashamed of
yourselves" said Lincoln, addressing
himself to the young fellows from
Clary's Grove rather than to the Span
/ lard.
Eve didn't come here for speech.
Abe. We want the money and we want
it quick" yelled Redmond Clary.
''And you won't get il" replied Lin
coin.
String him up like hoTsethief,"
cried man at the rear.
"Wait!" commanded Lincoln,
stretching out his long arm.
al will not wait while boys practice
speeches. This is not what was prom
ised me- Kissed the Spaniard.
what Red Clary promised you,'' re-
turned Lincoln, twas that If you would
cancel his gambling debts to yourself
| he would make me hand over the girls
| money"
Clary was on his horse and at his ac-
cuser in a mement, and Lincoln real
lied that he must fight it out. He
was standing on slight elevation
where he had stepped the better to adj
dress the crowd. and as Clary came