Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1914-02-05

and prowling over the harvest machinery. as full
of questions as a schoolboy, more insatiably
curious than any of Ewes daughters. AS he
walked the streets of Springfield every vehicle he
saw interested him. and the interior economy OF
the kitchen clock pleased him unutterably.
In the house he spent most of his time indulging
his children playing with the cat, like Montague,
or lying sprawled out like Caliban, on the oor OF
the hall reading. He didn't like the parlor, be-
cause the haircloth chairs and marble table. tho
wax flowers under a glass bell, the portrait al
bum and the family Bible. with their huge glass
clasps represented Mrs. Lincoln's ideas OF mag
nifcence and not his own notion of solid comfort.
He would be in his shirt sleeves, and II loud
knocking at the front door disturbed his elegant
leisure he would go to the door just as he was
and promise to "trot the women folks out" without
delay Mrs. Lincoln never forgave him for help
ing himself to butter at the table with his own
knife.
Lincoln's favorite outer garb as he sailed forth
IN winter for his Office was an ancient gray SHAWL
he took particular pains never to have his nat
brushed or his shoes BACKED; his carpet bag
threatened at the seams to dsgorge its burthen OF
legal documents; his green cotton umbrella had
no handle to speak Of and inside was the legend
"A. Lincoln" the letters cut out Of white muslin
and sewed to the faded cloth. Altogether he
looked like the advance agent OF Denman
Thompson show In 1856 a pair Of spectacles
cost him thirty-seven and onehalf cents.
The office was in character with the notorious
indifference to appearances OF the senior partner
of the firm Once young law student attempted
to blaze a trail through the accumulated rubbish
and found that some seeds given by a congress
man had taken root and sprouted in the dirt.
The mailbox was Lncoln's old plug hat, as was
formerly the case when he was postmaster at
New Salem He also used the hat as repository
for legal papers of Importance Miscellaneous
transactions were confded to the safekeeping OF
n mammoth envelope, on which Lincoln had
scrawled when you can't find 1T anywhere else.
look into this"
When Lincoln went into court there was none
Of the seethe-conquering-hero swagger about him.
He would say, We'll, here am amt you glad to
see me?" and II in the course Of the argument 1t
was necessary for him to concede a point to the
other side he would remark, II reckon 1t would be
fair to let in that" and when overruled by the
court would laugh and say, We'll, reckon must
be wrong"
When a lawyer asked him II an attachment had
the force Of a summons his confession Of ignor-
ance was cheerfully frank, 'Damhno" On long
palavering letter requesting his legal service he
wrote Iaconically, Count me in. A. Lincoln"
The accounts of the firm never bothered him
he left all that to Herndon. He never dishgured
the account book himself with a reckoning. When
ANYBODY gave him money for legal services he
would divide with Herndon. II the latter was In
the ONCE and when Herndon was not there he
would wrap the money up In piece OF paper,
mark II In pencil, Case Of Smith vs.. Jones
Herndon's half" and leave II In q drawer Of his
partners desk.
When they made him president and he was Just
about to take the train for Washington he went
70 the old once for the last time and found Hem
don there.