Captain T. W. S. Kidd of Springfield was the crier of the court in the
days when Mr. Lincoln used to ride the circuit.
“I was younger than he,” says Captain Kidd, “but he had a sort of
admiration for me, and never failed to get me into his stories. I was a
story-teller myself in those days, and he used to laugh very heartily at
some of the stories I told him.
“Now and then he got me into a good deal of trouble. I was a Democrat,
and was in politics more or less. A good many of our Democratic voters
at that time were Irishmen. They came to Illinois in the days of the
old canal, and did their honest share in making that piece of internal
improvement an accomplished fact.
“One time Mr. Lincoln told the story of one of those important young
fellows--not an Irishman--who lived in every town, and have the cares
of state on their shoulders. This young fellow met an Irishman on the
street, and called to him, officiously: ‘Oh, Mike, I’m awful glad I
met you. We’ve got to do something to wake up the boys. The campaign is
coming on, and we’ve got to get out voters. We’ve just had a meeting up
here, and we’re going to have the biggest barbecue that ever was heard
of in Illinois. We are going to roast two whole oxen, and we’re going to
have Douglas and Governor Cass and some one from Kentucky, and all the
big Democratic guns, and we’re going to have a great big time.’
“‘By dad, that’s good!’ says the Irishman. ‘The byes need stirrin’ up.’
“‘Yes, and you’re on one of the committees, and you want to hustle
around and get them waked up, Mike.’
“‘When is the barbecue to be?’ asked Mike.
“‘Friday, two weeks.’
“‘Friday, is it? Well, I’ll make a nice committeeman, settin’ the
barbecue on a day with half of the Dimocratic party of Sangamon county
can’t ate a bite of mate. Go on wid ye.’
“Lincoln told that story in one of his political speeches, and when the
laugh was over he said: ‘Now, gentlemen, I know that story is true, for
Tom Kidd told it to me.’ And then the Democrats would make trouble for
me for a week afterward, and I’d have to explain.”