KIND OF LAWYER.
Fairness was the predominating quality of Mr. Lincoln as a trial lawyer. He did not claim his side was all right and the other side all wrong. Sometimes he would say: "I do not think my client is entitled to the whole of what he claims. In this or that point he may be in error." He was not abusive, as so many lawyers are, of the opposing side, but if he said a stern thing under necessity he would qualify it by saying he was sorry to have to make a severe statement.
AN UGLY MAN.
Mr. Lincoln was not vain of his personal appearance. Indeed if you look at his picture in the front of this book you will see he was a homely man. He only wore a beard while president. Previous to that time he shaved all his beard. He would laugh at a joke on himself as heartily as anyone else. He used to tell and laugh over the following:
"When I was traveling the circuit in Illinois, practicing law, I was accosted one day on the cars by a stranger who said:
"'Excuse me, sir, but I have an article which belongs to you.'
"'How is that?' I asked, astonished.
"The stranger took a pocket knife out and said: 'This knife was put in my hands some time ago with the instruction that I was to keep it until I found an uglier man than myself. I have carried it ever since. Allow me to say I think it now rightly belongs to you, sir, and I respectfully hand you your property.'"