Leaning over the counter Lincoln called the man's attention to the fact that there were ladies present. The man continued his abuse and swearing. Again Abe Lincoln spoke to him, this time saying in positive terms that no swearing was allowed when ladies were in the store.
The reply to this remark was worse swearing.
Abe Lincoln said nothing more until the ladies were gone. Then he walked out from behind the counter and looked the stranger over.
"There's some sort of folks who can't listen to reason," he remarked. "Them kind has to have the daylights whaled out of them. What you need, partner, and what you are goin' to get is a spankin'."
This seemed to be what the stranger had desired. Pushing out his chest he stepped before Lincoln and told him to come on.
"Let's move out onto the face of the earth," Lincoln said. "I don't want to tear up the crockery and kick the molasses over."
When they were out at the side of the store and while the big bully was yet telling what he was going to do, he was seized suddenly, thrown to the ground and rolled over a couple of times. Then the tall man grabbed a handful of smart-weeds and rubbed it in the eyes of the profane stranger until he bellowed like a bull.
A crowd had collected to discover what the row was about, among them John McNeil.
When Lincoln had extracted a promise from his visitor that he would keep his swearing for men only, he let him up, and, taking him by the arm, led him back to the store-steps and seated him. He then brought water, bathed the eyes of the subdued stranger, and shook hands with him.