i have already told my readers something of mr. lincoln as a lawyer. i may add that he stood high in the estimation of his professional brethren. “for my single self,” says one, “i have for a quarter of a century regarded mr. lincoln as one of the finest lawyers i ever knew, and of a professional bearing so high-toned and honorable as justly, and without derogating from the claims of others, entitling him to be presented to the profession as a model well worthy of the closest imitation.”
now these are general terms, and do not show us how the young lawyer who had risen step by step from the hardest physical labor to an honorable position at the bar, looked and spoke. fortunately judge drummond, of chicago, gives us{106} a graphic picture of him,—and i am glad to quote it:
“with a voice by no means pleasant, and, indeed, when excited, in its shrill tones almost disagreeable; without any of the personal graces of the orator; without much in the outward man indicating superiority of intellect; without great quickness of perception—still, his mind was so vigorous, his comprehension so exact and clear, and his judgment so sure, that he easily mastered the intricacies of his profession, and became one of the ablest reasoners and most impressive speakers at our bar. with a probity of character known of all, with an intuitive insight into the human heart, with a clearness of statement which was itself an argument, with uncommon power and felicity of illustration,—often, it is true, of a plain and homely kind—and with that sincerity and earnestness of manner which carried conviction, he was, perhaps, one of the most successful jury lawyers we have ever had in the state. he always tried a case fairly and honestly. he never intentionally misrepresented the evidence of a witness or the argument of an opponent. he met both squarely, and if he could not explain the{107} one or answer the other, substantially admitted it. he never misstated the law according to his own intelligent view of it.”
i hope my young readers will not skip this statement, but read it carefully, because it will show them the secret of the young lawyer’s success. he inspired confidence! he was not constantly trying to gain the advantage by fair means if possible, but at any rate to gain it. he wanted justice to triumph, however it affected his own interests. i wish there were more such lawyers. the law would then lose much of the odium which unprincipled practitioners bring upon it.
let us look in upon mr. lincoln as he sits in his plain office, some morning. he is writing busily, when a timid knock is heard at his door.
“come in!” he says, his pen still moving rapidly over the paper before him.
the door opens slowly, and an old woman, bending under the burden of seventy-five years, enters, and stands irresolutely at the entrance.
“mr. lincoln!” she says in a quivering voice.
as these accents reach him, mr. lincoln woke up hastily, and seeing the old lady hastily undoubles himself, and draws forward a chair.{108}
“sit down, my good lady!” he says. “do you wish to see me on business?”
“yes, sir.”
“tell me what i can do for you?” and he fixes his eyes on the frail old woman, showing a respect and consideration for her, poor as she evidently is, which a rich client might not so readily receive.
encouraged by the kindness of her reception she told her story. she was entitled to a pension, as it appeared, on account of her husband, who had fought in the revolutionary war. this pension she had secured through the agency of a certain pension agent, but he had charged her the exorbitant sum of two hundred dollars for collecting her claim. this was a heavy tax upon the poor old woman with her limited means, and she was likely to be little better off for her pension if she should be compelled to pay this money.
“two hundred dollars! that is shameful!” said the sympathetic lawyer. “who is this agent?”
she told him.
“do you live in springfield?”
“no sir.”{109}
“are you in need of money?” he inquired delicately.
“yes, sir, the agent has kept back what he has collected, and——”
“i see. we will try to bring him to terms.”
“oh, sir if you can help me——” said the old lady, hopefully.
“i will do my best. here is some money for your immediate wants. now i will ask you a few questions, and we will see what we can do for you.”
mr. lincoln immediately commenced suit against the agent to recover a portion of the money which he had withheld. in his address to the jury he did not omit to allude to the patriotism of the dead husband, and the poverty of his widow, and no doubt castigated in fitting terms the unfeeling rapacity of the claim agent. he gained the suit, and compelled the fellow to disgorge one hundred dollars, which he had the pleasure of paying over to his aged client.
meanwhile he was pleasantly situated. his income would now allow him to live in comfortable style. he established himself in a pleasant two-story house, built after a fashion quite common{110} in new england, with a room on each side of the front door, and an extension in the rear. it was situated at the corner of two streets, and though neither costly nor sumptuous, might be considered a palace when contrasted with the rude cabins in which his earlier years were passed.
four children were born to him, and their childish ways were a source of constant enjoyment, when he returned to his home, weary or perplexed. one of these, willie, died after his father became president; the youngest, best known as tad, who was the pet of the white house, is also dead, and only the eldest, robert todd, now secretary of war, survives. it is said that he was a most indulgent father, and governed by love alone. his own father had often been stern and rough, but abraham lincoln’s nature was full of a deep tenderness for all things weak, small, or in distress, and he could not find it in his heart to be harsh or stern at home.
on pleasant summer mornings the young lawyer, with his tall figure, might have been seen drawing one of his children to and fro along the sidewalk in a child’s wagon. “without hat or{111} coat, and wearing a pair of rough shoes, his hands behind him holding to the tongue of the wagon, and his tall form bent forward to accommodate himself to the service, he paced up and down the walk, forgetful of everything around him, and intent only on some subject that absorbed his mind.” a young man, who as a boy used to see him thus occupied, admits that he used to wonder “how so rough and plain a man could live in so respectable a house.”
i once asked a lady who for a considerable time lived opposite mr. lincoln, at springfield, whether he was really as plain as his pictures all represented him.
“i never saw one of his pictures that did not flatter him,” she answered.
“my oldest son was a companion and playfellow of mr. lincoln’s younger boys,” she continued, “and was in and out of his house a dozen times a day. he was a very quiet man. he used to stay at home in the evening, and read or meditate, but mrs. lincoln was of a gayer temperament, and cared more for company.”
mr. lincoln was always a thoughtful man, and though amid social surroundings he could tell a{112} droll story with a humorous twinkle of the eye, his features in repose were grave and even melancholy. as he walked along the street, he often seemed abstracted, and would pass his best friends without recognizing them. even at the table he was often self-absorbed, and ate his food mechanically, but there was nothing in his silence to dull or make uncomfortable those around him. after a time he would arise from his silence, and make himself companionable as he was always able to do, and lead conversation into some channel in which members of his family could take part.
