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MOST heartily indorse the enterprise for revealing succeeding generations how large a place Abraham Lincoln had in the hearts of his countrymen. I knew and loved him well; a letter from him, now before me, shows how, in the midst of the war for the Union, his thoughts were running on the best methods of restoring fraternity and good fellowship when the strife should be over. I was in command in Missouri, and in response to his inquiries touching the administration of the semi-civilmilitary state of affairs then existing, I had the honor to suggest what he highly approved and adopted. With his own hand he wrote me as follows:

"EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, "October 13, 1863.

'GEN'L CLINTON B. FISK,

"Pilot Knob, Mo.

"My Dear Gen'l:-I have received and read, with great satisfaction, your letter of the 8th inst. It is so full of charity and good will, I wish I had time to more than thank you for it.

"Very truly yours,

"A. LINCOLN."

I regarded Mr. Lincoln as the greatest man of his times, as the most unselfish and most honest ruler of the century.

CLINTON B. FISK.

"Our hearts lie buried in the dust,

With him so true and tender,
The patriot's stay, the people's trust,
The shield of the offender.

"Let every murmuring heart be still,
As, bowing to God's sovereign will
Our best-loved we surrender."

447

Whatever shall keep green the memory of Abraham Lincoln, let that be done.

Clinton Burk

SEABRIGHT, 1882.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN,

LAWYER AND CITIZEN.

BY THE "CRIER OF THE COURT."

remember the sayings and acts of those with whom we come in every-day contact is a task made easier when the memory of events are of a pleasant character, sweetened by high personal regard. My recollections of Mr. Lincoln are all pleasant to memory. The bitterness of political campaigns could not poison the ordinary antagonist of Abraham Lincoln into the slightest show of personal disrespect, while the influence of the genial grandeur of his nature, on one who esteemed him personally, as I did, would wipe away the gauzy webs of aspersion woven by political spiders during the heat and excitement of a canvass. Politically I shall utter not another line nor syllable in reference to Mr. Lincoln-only this-I was not of Mr. Lincoln's party, hence what I may say of him will be outside of prejudice politically. introduction to Mr. Lincoln personally, whom I had known by reputation as a leading Whig politician of Illinois, since the campaign of 1848, was in the spring of 1854. I was engaged in conversation with Dr. Harrison and Rev. Peter Cartwright, explaining to them the “Atkins Self-Raking Reaper," when Mr. Lincoln came up and the doctor gave me an introduction. He told me to proceed with the explanation, which I did, and he seemed to take quite a lively interest. At the close of the explanation

My

T. W. S. KIDD.

449

Mr. Lincoln surprised me not a little by remarking in his peculiar emphatic manner, "Young man, I think you are just the one I am looking for," and without giving me an opportunity to ask for what purpose he wanted me, he said, "If you are through with the doctor and Uncle Peter, will you walk over to the state-house with me, I want to use you." I consented to go, remarking to Dr. Harrison, as I did so: "Doctor, I only know Mr. Lincoln as a Whig, but as the Whig party is dead, I suppose he will not be dangerous." He laughed and we started, but after going about twenty feet turned and said, "Ho, Doc! I hope our reaper friend will have better luck than some in this county who, thought the Whig party was dead!" This was evidently intended as a "twit" at some old Whig politician, as both the doctor and the pioneer of Methodism had a hearty laugh over it.

His use of me I soon learned; he showed me a number of pieces taken from two reaping-machines—the Manny and McCormick-which had been taken to his room for the purpose of studying the various movements,. to ascertain wherein one of the machines was an infringement of the patent granted to the other. Mr. Lincoln possessed but little practical knowledge of machinery, but his fondness for the study of mechanics very much interested him, and he could very readily, with but little explanation, comprehend the uses of different parts and their relation to other parts. It was a pleasurable task for me to explain these two machines; to aid him in ascertaining their movements; in noting the difference or pointing out the mechanical equivalents of the one for the other, or where I thought the same principle was

applied in the construction or operation of the various parts to accomplish a specific purpose, or where the mechanism of the one differed from the other, although the end reached was the same.

That little introduction knit two very opposite natures, in many respects, very closely together. Neither could, or at least did not, talk long upon a subject without a story was suggested, when it would flow out as natural as life, and frequently to the merriment of both. My business had naturally led me in contact with a great many stories, which it was the least of all my troubles to retain. I found one with an inexhaustible fund of them, and a taste for telling them unsurpassed.

This was my introduction to Mr. Lincoln, and each day I came in contact with him in our closer relation of lawyer and "Crier of the Court" only strengthened our "fellow feeling," until, without appearing egotistic, I really loved Lincoln, and I had many evidences of his personal regard for myself. As a "story-teller" Mr. Lincoln has been misunderstood, and in this short article, if I can place him before the country robbed of what some natures-who never knew the man-would make appear as a "trifling" attribute in his genial "make-up." The impression has been sought to be left on the minds. of those who have read some of the criticisms on his character that "story-telling" with Lincoln was an indication of a "great waste of time," and "a contribution to the indolent and shiftless of social life." This view of Mr. Lincoln as a story-teller is a great wrong to his memory, and they who have measured him thus knew him not. Mr. Lincoln's stories were a recreation to him,

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