The invidious who would themselves get a word in, accused Lincoln of
monopolizing the conversation where he wished to reign supreme. This is
contradicted in several instances. Rather his confraternity describe
their meetings as "swapping stories," the flow circulating.
Mr. Bowen pictures Lincoln as getting up half-dressed, after a speech
at Hartford, in his hotel bedroom at Mr. Trumbull, of Stonington,
rapping at the door. Trumbull had just thought of "another story I want
to tell you!" And the tired guest sat up till three in the morning
"exchanging stories." This does not resemble monopoly.
A clerk, Littlefield, in the Lincoln-Herndon office, prepared a speech,
and said to his senior employer:
"It is important that I get this speech correct, because I think you
are going to be the presidential candidate. I told him I would like to
read it to him. He consented, sitting down in one corner of the room,
with his feet on a chair in front of him.
"'Now,' said he, in his hearty way, 'fire away, John! I think I can
stand it.' As I proceeded, he became quite enthusiastic, exclaiming:
'You are hitting the nail on the head.' He broke out several times in
this way, finally saying: 'That is going to go.'"
It did go, as the fellow clerk, Ellsworth, of Chicago Zouaves fame,
borrowed it, and it disappeared--wads for his revolver, perhaps.
* * * * *