Year: 1867




the ceiling, or to sun himself sitting upon
fence, or in a hay-mow all the day, pas
sing the processes of plea through his
mind or forming some political judgement.


The tenderness of his nature was not
always manifest, yet he had his romance
In early manhood, and as of this Mr.. Hern-
don had spoken in public, ] asked particu-
larly about it. d sH e~ia


At Sangamon. Illinois, pretty and
high spirited girl, without fortune, made
havoc in many hearts, and Mr.. Lincoln
constituted one Of the three earnest suitors
who wanted her in marriage. She pre-
ferred the addresses of a young merchant
of the town, and gave the other two their
congo. Her aflianced soon afterward went
East to buy goods, but as he returned was
taken with brain fever in some wayside
town, and lay raving for three months,
unknown by name or residence TO his en-
tertainers. A rumor started that he had
run away to avoid marrying his lady, and,
waiting some time in vain to hear from
him, she received anew the attentions of
Mr.. Lincoln. About the time when they
passed from courtesy to tenderness, and
marriage between them was more than
limited at, the sick man returned like a
ghost, goaged the condition of affairs and,
upbraided the lady with fickleness. She
had delirate sense Of honor, and felt
keenly the shame of having seemed TO
trife with two gentlemen at once this
preyed upon her mind till her body, not
very strong. suffered by sympathy, and
Mr.. Herndon has oral and written testi-
mony that the gill died out Of regret at
the equyiocal position she had unwittingly
assumed. The names of all the parties
he has given me, but 90 not care to print
them.


On the dead woman's grave Mr.. Lin
con promised never to marry. This vow
he kept very long. His marriage was in
every respect advantageous to Linn. 1t
whetted his ambition, did not nurse too
much penchant for home Incidence that
he had, and taught him particularly that
there was something called society, which
observed ones boots as well as his prinei-
pies. He was always loyal and reverent
husband, a gentle but not positive father,
and his wife saw the Presidency for him
before the thought of it troubled him.


He built the frame house in Springfield
which is now so celebrated, at compare
lively recent period. went over it yes
terday with amusement at its utter practi-
cality. 1t stands upon prosaic corner, in
an inferior quarter of the town, and was
! the design of a carpenter, not an architect.
A narrow yard and palings shut it from
the street the door is in the middle, and
| is approachd by four or five wooden steps
on the abutment beside these he stood af-
ter his nomination, in the blaze of pine
torches, the thunder Of huzzas breaking
around his head. the only solemn man in
| Springfield. He might have felt that all
these gratulations were such as the Aztec>
spent upon the beautiful captive who was
to be sacrificed in the teocals.


AS a lawyer he was close student of
those cases that interested him. Slow to
take them into his mind, passing in their
consideration from stage to stage, and if he
found beneath an embodied principle, his
4 heart grew into the work of developing it.
He frequently set up all night preparing
to present it so perspc uously that dull in
tellects grew appreciative and shrewd ones
absorbed Some of his legal arguments
are described as having been classical
Yet, beneath all the drudgery of his craft
he was at soul politician rather than an
attorney. Every legal study carried him
beyond itself to the mysteries Of public
infrmi,y. g He sat-" says Mr.. Herndou,
looking through brief to the construc-
tion of society and the moral government
of God" Now and then he shut himself
up all night, and lay on his office floor
in his careless garments, revolving some
problem set by village client that had
expanded TO great human principle. At
these times he seemed to be a dreamer
reasoning. Again, he drove miles over
the prairies with his lips close shut, wrink-
ling, softly hummnig, and returned at night
strangely white and exhausted.


Before his great public call came he had
just passed the world through his silent
thought, as if it had been legal case to
be stated and argued.


"Did he ever quarrel. Mr.. Herndon +"


Is Seldom, friend but sometimes. Once
/ / saw him incensed at Judge for giving
an unfair decision. 1t was a terrible
spectacle. As he was grand in his good
nature, so he was grand in his rage. At
another time | saw two men come to blows
in his presence; he picked them up sepa-