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horses the finest he could buy. He loved a good horse.

On returning home after considerable absences, Mr. Stanton invariably brought presents for all, including the servants. He never came to Steubenville without visiting the grave of his wife. When at home for any length of time he went twice weekly to her resting-place. I often accompanied him, to trim the grass and cultivate the flowers. He wept and was very sad at these times, and his mind seemed to slip way back into the past. His grief made such an impression on me that I thought he would never marry again and that I, who loved him so well, ought never to marry at all, and I have kept the faith.

Mr. Stanton was liberal not only to the great number in his house, but to the churches. He gave freely to all. I was a Catholic and he gave money to me to spend as my own for church purposes. I recollect that he entertained Archbishop Purcell of Cincinnati in his own home and always listened to the Archbishop's sermons in Steubenville. He liked Purcell because he had brains. He sought and cultivated smart men, and he loved little children.

I do not think he cared for women generally. He did not seem to know many of them and spent no time with those he did know. But he loved his son Eddie passionately. Often I have seen them walking about the yard, which was surrounded by a high, closed fence so as to keep the public out, clasped arm and arm about like two school girls. He mourned deeply over the loss of an eye* by his son Eddie, and was ever warning the lad to be careful of his health.

In the summer of 1848 I took the horses and carriage over to Pittsburg-a very long, rough drive. On arriving I went for my meal to the St. Charles Hotel, where Mr. Stanton boarded. I was very hungry, but as I did not know how to order from a fancy French bill-of-fare, and was too much scared by the splendor of the surroundings to ask questions, I had nothing to eat except a glass of water and a couple of crackers that happened to be left near my plate. As I came out of the grand dininghall Mr. Stanton noticed that I looked crestfallen and asked me if I had a good meal. I told him the truth. He enjoyed the joke but promptly took me to a fine restaurant and, ordering a heavy meal for me, told the waiter to see that I made no mistake this time. When I saw him pay a dollar for it I was astonished, truly. I wrote back to my friends in Ireland that in America a snug little hostler like myself, when away on a journey, could have grand dinners in gilded dining-halls at the master's expense of a dollar each, and everybody should make haste to come over.

As to work, Samson could not outdo him. Frequently, at 10 or 11 at night I have taken the cart and gone with him to the office to fetch a load of law books to the house, and whenever I did that, I do not believe he slept a wink but plowed and studied and thought and walked up and down the room all night.

* "Destroyed when small," W. S. Buchanan says, "by a penknife which Stanton threw into the fire during his first distress over the painful acci dent."

I can remember but little about his law practise except that he was going all the time and that it was important and profitable. Once, while I was in the office, a farmer for whom he won a suit involving perhaps $20,000, came in. "What is your bill?" inquired the man. "One thousand dollars," replied Mr. Stanton. The man was speechless, for he had brought in a little jag of farm truck to sell to pay the bill. He walked back and forth with his head down for some time without saying a word. Finally, he exclaimed: "One thousand dollars!" "Yes," said Mr. Stanton; “do you think I would argue the wrong side for you for less?"

He was the best and kindest friend I ever had and the best man who ever lived in Steubenville. If every person, living and dead, who was ever aided and befriended, or defended without fee by Mr. Stanton, were to rise up and make a procession in his honor, it would be long indeed, and the character of those in it would astonish the world. God bless him, God bless him forever!

CHAPTER X.

IN PITTSBURG-WHEELING BRIDGE CASE.

Having arranged a partnership with Charles Shaler in the thriving city of Pittsburg, Stanton began, about the middle of 1847 to devote much of his time to his Eastern business. He was admitted to the bar of Allegheny County on October 30, 1847, and the firm opened offices on the ground floor of their own building on Fourth Avenue, near Wood Street. His qualities were already known in Pittsburg, and he sprang at once into a lucrative practise. However, appearing for the so-called "Cotton Kings" in the litigation which grew out of the famous ten-hour law of 1848, he earned a large share of momentary hatred. The principal employers of Pittsburg, many of whom were his clients, were arrayed against the act, while the Pittsburg Post was aggressive in sustaining it and denouncing the "Cotton Kings." Stanton, in order to counteract the influence of the Post, wrote a series of opposing articles which were published anonymously in the Commercial Journal. At last, in July, 1848, the trouble culminated in a riot and then went into the courts.

During the trial he took exceptions to the ruling of the Court and presented a charge to be given to the jury. The judge silently read the instructions and looked inquiringly over the paper at Stanton, who exclaimed: "I demand that those instructions be read to the jury." The Court withdrew the instructions already given, ordered the jury to be kept together until morning and then instructed them according to Stanton's request. His bold and decided } manner had its effect; but many marveled that the judge did not fine him for contempt.

In 1848 he actively supported Martin Van Buren, the Free-Soil candidate for president, as against Lewis Cass, the regular Democratic nominee, whose bank notions he abhorred. As his large and wealthy clientage was almost unanimously Whig, he was charged with really working and voting for Taylor* although pretending to

*Says Lecky Harper, at that time editor of the Pittsburg Post, organ of

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