Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1921-12-22

4ass8. -
This free-f or-all joust Of Individual.
ism -one Of the first fruits Of freedom
in the West gave to the life otthe lit
File village rich flavor Of comedy.
The great talents Of Douglas had not
Iabeen developed. His character was as
vet shifty and shapeless. Some of
the leading citizens openly dlstrusted
him. Lincoln never liked this little
man, in opposing whom he was to
come to the fulness of his power on
the platform. It is evident that Lin
coin regarded him as an able advocate
Of small sincerity looking chiefly for
personal advancement
There is a passage in the diary
which illustrates the character of Dou-
| glas and LincoIn's knowledge of 1t.
| The passage relates to day in the
| famous debates Of 1858. Lincoln hid
not reached Havana in time to hear
the speech Of his opponent. A great
crowd had come by train and III
wagons. Taking advantage of his alb
sence Douglas had called Lincoln "a
Tar. a coward and a sneak and de-
clared that he was going to fight him.
Lincoln heard of tIris and said In
his speech:
II shall not fight with Judge Doug
las. A fight could prove nothing at
issue in this campaign. It might prove
that he is q more muscular man than
I. or that I am more muscular man
than he, hut this subject fs not men
toned in either r'atferm. Agoin.- he
and are really very good friends and
when we are together he, would no
more think of fighting me than of
fighting his wife. Therefore, when the
Judge talked about fighting, he was
not giving vent to any III feeling, but
was trying to excite-well, let us say.
enthusiasm against ME on the part 81
hts nudience." Sf.s YAK ~ (
Justice accomplished her ends COW
and then with comic displays Of viOs
Tence fft the prairie capital. One night
Ahe Lincoln and certain Of his friends;
cantured n, shoemaker who hid beaten
his wife and held him at the village
pump while the aggr'eved woman gave
him sound thrashing. SO this phase
Of 'mnerialism WAS cured in Snring-
field by chair OF the same dog" rs
Liocoln put II. yfH M 44
One evening, while X. d. Raker was,
speaking in the crowded village court.
room above Lincoln's Office and was,
rudely interrupted and in danger Of
assault, the long legs of Honest Abe
suddenly appeared through a scuttle
hole in the ceiling above the platform.
He leaped upon 1t and selling stone
water pitcher defied any one to inter-
! fere with the right of free speech in
q worthy cause. IT,
So 1t will be seen that there We're
zestful moments in these sundry vindi-
cations of the principles of Democracy
in the prairie capital.
About this time Miss Mary Todd, the
| daughter Of a Kentucky banker. ar
rived in Springfield to visit her sister,
Mrs. Ninian w. Edwards. She was a
fashionably dressed, good-looking girl
of blue-gray eyes and dark hair.
"Well. Mary, haven't you found the
fortunate young man YETI" Mr.. Ed
| wards piayfully asked the day Of her
coming t-a2
You know, my husband is going
to be President Of the United States
and hoped that would find him in
Springfield" Mary answered in a like
| VEIN
There's great fishing here,'' said
Mr.. Edwards. II know the very man
you are hooking for. He has come up
from the ranks and is now the most
popular member Of the legislature. He
can make stirring speech and they
say: he Is going. to be the President of
the United States. He's wise, and
witty and straight as a string, but a
rough diamond-big, awkward and
homely. You're Just the girl to take
him in hand and give him little pol
fsh and push him along. His name is
Abraham Lincoln :s:fa {ssg
Speed knew the Todds. When he
called upon Mary she asked about Mr..
Lincoln and said she would like to
meet him. 5 4,
"she's just the girl for you, Abe"
Speed said t9 him that evening. "she
fs bright and well educated and her
i family has influence. She could be a
| great help, to you.' NH (. IVA;
| This interested the member from
Sangamon county, who was indeed
eager to get along. The companionship
Of refined young lady was the very
thing he needed. fsi' itiase
l ri 90 a.. "a