Page:Samuel Scoville -Abraham Lincoln, His Story.djvu/43

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
THE LAWYER
35

"Certainly," said the other, "but how will you get it again?"

"Easy enough," replied Lincoln; "I'll stay inside of it!"

Lincoln always had trouble in getting a bed that was long enough for him. Once when traveling by steamboat he found his usual difficulty with his berth. During the day while Lincoln was on deck the captain had it lengthened and widened. The next morning Lincoln came to breakfast much puzzled and said solemnly that a great miracle had happened. During the night he had shrunk at least a foot in length and over six inches in breadth!

At the taverns the judge and lawyers sat at one end of the table, while the witnesses and prisoners, with the ordinary guests, sat at the other. Lincoln, however, was often found at the wrong end of the table among the common folks. Once Judge Davis, who ruled the whole bar with a rod of iron, tried to call Lincoln back to his end of the table.

"Come up here where you belong, Lincoln," he shouted.

"Got anything better to eat at your end. Judge?" drawled Lincoln, remaining where he was.

He soon became one of the best known and best liked men throughout this great expanse