Year: 1878

dyes, I knew them too WELL" said an old,
white-haired Illinois Judge, who had been
asked if he was acquainted with Lincoln
and Douglas in their circuit-riding days;
"and two outrageous jokers they were too.
Why, a school boy nowadays would never
plan such nonsense as those eminent legal
gentlemen were up to continually. 1t was
more a circus with them than judicial
circuit. They were perfect boys.


"Tell you about it? Yes, I'll tell couple
of their practical jokes that l was wit
ness to. Lincoln could tell more stories than
any lawyer of his day. Sometimes it so
happened that dozen Of us lawyers would
be in company together in a little country
tavern for several days. Then there was
certainty Of fun-not always of the most re-
fined sort either.


Whenever a new lawyer, and especially
and Eastern man, made his advent upon
the circuit, they were full Of their jokes for
his benefit. l remember young lawyer
who made his first bow to these two great
men at Havana, now Mason county. The
two giants were as unlike as two men could
be. Lincoln was very tall-all legs-with
long, gaunt face that added to his peculiar
| appearance. Douglas was short and stout,
with huge head that seemed out of
all proportion to his body. There was
tolerable appearance of dignity in the court
room, but at the hotel after supper dignity
| was thrown to the winds. All sorts ofrongh
games were played, and there was nothing
left for the young Eastern lawyer to learn.


son this occasion, at Havana, Lincoln
proposed the game of dog" The young
| gentleman from the East, of course, did not
understand the game, SO he had to be
taught.


"Lincoln was the leader in the game, al
so the teacher ofthat young lawyer. "When-
eyer growl at you, you must get down and
run me till you can snap and hold me by
the calf or the heels; and down went 1ong
legs on all fours, and went around the
room so until he growled at the newcomer
That person was fool enough to get down
upon the floor and chas dog number one
till he caught him by the calf of his jeans
pants. Dog number one escaped, leaving a
huge mustard plaster in the teeth and eyes
of dog number two. There is no need to
mention the roar of laughter that followed.


douglas share of the entertainment
came the second night. The newcomer,
after his lesson from Lincoln, was shy of
games. There was to be dance in the
village the second night, and the young
lawyer took extra pains to fix himself for
the dance. After supper, and before it was
time for the dance, those great lawyers were
full of their nonsense. Finally, Douglas
proposed game of goat, and the whole
party joined except the new lawyer. He
was not ready to play any more games he
did not understand.


"The center of the room was cleared for
the game, and this young lawyer stood back
before an open window-it was warm
weather. The "goat'-Douglas- hop
ping around the room threatening to butt
everybody and everything. The late Judge
Murray Mcconnell was goat number two
and the capers of those goats were out
rageously foolish. Just in the height oi
their capers, Douglas made butt at that
young man standing before theopen window
There was no resisting such butt as Doug
las great head would make. That young
lawyer was knocked backwards out of the
window. There was half-hogshead o.
rain-water standing under the window, and
the plunge into that saved that young law.
yer from getting broken neck. As it was
he was nearly drowned.


at was fun for me? Well, yes; but
would have enjoyed it more if hadn't hap
pened to be that young Eastern lawyer"