Lincolniana; Or, The Humors of Uncle AbeAdderup, Andrew
General
Lincolniana; Or, The Humors of Uncle Abe
Adderup, Andrew
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Anecdotes
Johnson was led forward. Hundreds recognized him immediately, The
excitement was so great that the Judge adjourned the Court.
It seems that the parties had quarreled, Johnson had been pushed into
the river, but had got out and wandered off in a state of partial
aberation of mind and had been working on a farm. His passion for
Metropolitan Bank Notes and his name suggested an idea that he was the
missing man, and he was opportunely produced in time to save a man from
being hung.
Joe Reed's Mule Hunt.
One of the best natured fellows in the world, when he is not mad, is
Joe Reed, of Logan County, Illinois, Joe is a staunch Republican--a real
rip-rarer in the cause, and has given Uncle Abe the lift of a mighty
broad pair of shoulders more than once, although at first he had a poor
opinion of the rail-splitter. Thereby hangs a tale.
In 18--, (the date is forgotten on account of the coldness of the
weather that winter,) Joe lost a couple of mules. After they had
been gone for a long time, he chanced to hear of them in a settlement
somewhere within the present bounds of Macon County. Illinois. At the
first opportunity Joe started on a mule hunt, determined to find either
the mules or some _trace_ of them. On reaching the neighborhood in
question, Joe was satisfied that an old fellow named Bosby Sheel, had
his mules; and when he went in person, and saw them, the assurance of
his eyes made "assurance double sure." He at once made claim, but the
old fellow had heard that possession was nine points of the law--he
declined to surrender them; Joe immediately appealed to old Squire
P------, who at once summoned the holder of the mules to his Court. The
Squire informed Joe that he would have to prove property; but Joe said
he would only have to swear to his property. In this dilemma, the Squire
adjourned Court till after dinner and remarked to Joe that he had better
get a lawyer.
"There is young Abe Lincoln, he don't live far from here, and he'll be
at my house after dinner."
As he was the only lawyer immediately thereabouts, Joe thought he had
best employ him, in order to "have the law on his side."
Soon after dinner a stranger arrived, and the Justice (who was landlord
of the only hotel in the settlement,) whispered to Joe, that that was
the lawyer.
"What!" exclaimed Joe, "that lean, lank gawky? Why, I'll bet both
of them mules I know more law nor he does, for I'm a 'Squire at home
myself--I am."
"But his looks is mighty deceivin', I tell you," said Boniface. "He's
gin out to be one of the piertest young fellows short o' Sangamon."
But Joe was decided, and the 'Squire re-convened his Court, he having
the meantime laid the case before his young friend, the lawyer, and got
his opinion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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