Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-02-12
COL. JOHNSON TELLS
OF L|NCOLN'S
%GENTLEAESS
KINDNESS FOR DUMB
ANIMALS PR0VERBIAl
Interesting "reminiscences Of
PreSidtn by Well Known
Albuquerque Veteran Who
Knew Him Intimately.

lNiiNU illll ltfltlllOlNIJ
Enjoying ansunusually intimate ac-
q%uaintancc with Abraham Lincoln.
through frequent visits Of the presi-
dent at his home, Colonel Edward
Johnson Of this city, veteran of the
ctvil war and wen known citizen,
gives a graphic description OF the man
and his character which accentuates
many Of L%incoln's traits in a most in
tcresting way.
What Is your recollection of the
personal appearance Of Lincoln? ?" was
asked Mr.. johnson by a Morning
Journal representative yesterday in
the course of a most interesting con
|versation on the topic Of the hour.
In general appearance said COL
Onel Johnson, Lincoln was tall Il man
with a finely formed forehead, mag
nctie eyes, well set back in his head,
high c~hcckboncs, firm and determine,
ed mouth, deeply marked lines that
showed determination He was a man.
| should Judge, about six feet, four
Inches in height. with the kindcst eX-
precision on his face any man yer
bore. He was a domestic and home
loving man in every sense of the word.
He was a great lover Of home and Of
children. He loved animals of all
kinds. tie never believed in making
anything suffer. He told me himself
that while riding horseback along
country roads, he had dismountcd
many times and turned right side up
poor struggling buRS which had got
ton on their backs ana were unable
TO set themselves right again
when / was a boy about fourteen
years old | was very fond of hunting.
one dav / was cleaning my gun, pre-.
pairing to 10 out into the woods Whcn
Lincoln ave me a lecture | have al
ways remembered. lie said to me.
ga. do YOU hunt because YOU love to
hunt2 If SO you are doing wrong
1t is wrong to XIII Vcn n little bird
unless il Is necessary. I doubt whcth-
or it is right 10 take the life of any
living thing, whether necessary or
not. It cost God Just as much to make
thai bird as II did to create YOU, and
II has just as much right 70 live as
a human bcing has
Colonel Johnson. although fourteen
years younger than Lincoln, was ac-
uuainted with him well While a
young attorney in Mercer county,
Illinois. and also at Monmouth, Lin
coin often stopped for DAYS at q tinc
1T the Johnson home. MI Johnson
was present at the great debates
MliEil lDOh llllt III NAOilllt'AiAh Ht
Lincoln aud Douglas, and re-
members ViNidlY the stirring scenes
which attended them
Mrs. Rachel Cannon Johnson. Co
onol Johnson's wife, was present at
one of the debates, After fincoln had
finished his talk. as he passed by her
laid his hand ON her head, and
God bless YOU, little girl" Mrs.
Johnson prizes this blessing of Lin
.-,Tp mann fIa.. nInanGf gnN gttgDt ia ]
her experience.
When in a reminiscent mood, Col
oncl Johnson can tell many entertain
ing stories ANA anecdotes of ljncolnA
life. II had a very close friend in
Illinois" said Colonel Johnson ycstcr-
day when speaking of Lincoln's great
honesty and fairness, "Who employed
Lincoln as his attorney. rms mans
name was LcWman Castle. lie and
Lincoln were great friends ana had
nlaycd together from boyhooG. cas-
tie owned thrCc-quartcrs of n section
of land car Monmouth. A poor
widow named Brown had settled on
the other quarter. but had never filed
on it. The widow had three small
children to support, After much
struggling she succeeded in building
a small cabin ANA had plowed up fit
acres for planting. Castle learn
that Mrs Brown had no legal pa
to show her right 10 the land.
ana went To Lincoln, who was then
prBctioins at Springfield, and told him
ne wanted him to take action to get
The m off the quarter section,
he needed it to fiji out his section.
Although very poor at the time and
i'm need Of the money ne would earn
by taking the case, Lincoln grew very
angry at Castle.
castle. YOU and | have beer
for "a good many years. said-r
but rom this day on. we
friends mo- longer. and YOU can
go to some other lawyer and ha!ve
him attend 20 YOUR business. But be-
we part I want TO give o a
little advice. and l won't charge YOU
anything for "a. n YOU want tina,
quarter section Of land don't try 70
get It 10y any u~nderhanded work Go
.0 &gs Reo~n. captain the situation
.o her. Buy her a quarter section or
equally as good as n q II Is
now living on. in some other part of
he township, build her "a house like
he one she has built, do work on the
new quarter section equivalent to that
lone on the old one, and then move
herself and children 60 the new
place Then YOU will have your sec.
ion complete and you Will still re-
.ain Your manhood.
Needles to say. Castle followed
he advice Lincoln M him But
Lincoln and he were never the same