The Crisis, Volume 3

into his chair, his face relaxed into sadness save for the sparkle lurking in the eyes. S

id, "did you w

e tried to imagine a Massachusetts senator, Mr. Sumner, for instance, going through the rat story, and couldn't. Somehow, Massachusetts senators hadn't this gift. And yet he was not quite sure that it wasn't a fetching gift. St

incoln again, "did

ad been involuntary. He drew from his inner poc

tall hat, which was upside down on the floor. As he got deeper into the letter, he purse

to run till you found

s,

criss-cross, contrary, viol

an answer in

ry good to me

n broke in

m to venture into that den of his. There's only one man in the world who can beard Silas, and he's the finest states-right South

ional arguments,' s

t. If my dog and Bill's dog across the street walked around each other and growled for half a da

isn't a fighting man,"

hen was seized with a

Mr. Lincoln and Judge

exclaimed the Judge.

Mr. Lincoln, "I wante

d so have we. But Mr. Li

rought him a pang

I just couldn't resist, suh. Then I sent m'nigger Ephum to tell him not to let me catch sight of him 'round the Planters

up his silk hat and thrust that, too, into the worn lining, which was already

r my head, so as to be ready for the Little Giant to-mo

n aback, said

e of the gentlemen expostulated. "We want to kn

other, who Stephen afterwards learned was Mr. Me

stion. Farmer Bell had the prize Bartlett pear tree, and the prettiest gal in that section. And he thought about the same of each of 'em. All the boys were after Sue Bell. But there was only one who had any chance of getting her, and his name was Jim Rickets. Jim was the handsomest man in that section. He's

ing on the bank under the pear tree. Jim was all fixed up, and he says to the galoot, 'Let's have a throw.' Now the galoot knew old Bell was looking over the fence So he says, 'All right,' and he gives Jim the first shot-Jim fetched down the big pear, got his teeth i

oes to keep his boots from wearin

r. Lincoln, "you see t

to be trusted w

usly. The others laughed, too. Then they slapped their knees, looked at Mr. Lincoln's face, which wa

e," said he. "Yo

Medill, "and fight Stephen A. Douglas here and n

an with tens of thousands of blind followers. It's my

nt, and why the other gentlemen were against it. But Mr. Lincoln surprised him still further in tak

ad enough of the old boys for a while, and

n he discovered that he had forgotten his

ing to fight that duel with Shields, and now he's walking with boys before a debate with t

," said another, half laughing, half ruef

ity to follow him. When Stephen caught up with him in the little country street, he was talking earnestly to Mr. Hill, the young reporter of the Press and Tribune. And what do you think was the subject? The red comet in the sky that night. Stephen kept p

"can you elucidate the pr

urprise, Mr. H

ld Bug." "The story is grand," said he, "but it might as well have been written of Robinson Crusoe's island. What a fellow wan

Mr. Hill, slyly. "'If there were beings who lived in the depths & the earth, and could emerge th

r. Lincoln, interrupting, "you'

owned up,

man and a newspaper correspondent, than it might have been to the sub-terrestrial inhabitant to emerge on the earth's surface. Stephen's mind was in the process of a chemical chan

Mr. Lincoln, presently,

," said

does it happen that you come to me with a messag

riend of yours, s

r. Lincoln, "didn't

sir, except to tell me to

incoln. "He may not claim me because I do not b

dge Whipple is precisel

w do you feel

was rare with him, and he must

, that would drown the nation. I believe that t

his was to give Stephen stinging

t. Bob, take that down for the Press and Tribune as

out, "I-I thought you w

col

ot whether we shall or shall not have slavery, but whether slavery shall stay where it is, or be extended according to Judge Douglas's ingenious plan. The Judge is

at his side was changed. He need not have felt chagrined. Men in high places underestimated Lincoln, or did not est

Under the dim light at the bar Mr. Lincoln took off

u like to come to Freeport with m

ce lighted at the prospect, and suddenly fell again. Mr. Lincoln guesse

hinking of what th

en sm

I'm not afraid of him." He drew forth from the ine

he had finished, "a fri

orning, and he'll se

what he ha

teve for a day or

him a good

INCO

the first time Mr. Brice had been ca

Lincoln, but that gentleman's quizzical look cu

parlor from a drawing-room. What did yo

y, and his tongue clave

ristic smile, "you thought that you wouldn't pick me