a widowed mother and her six fatherless children, and thereby get for
you six hundred dollars, which rightfully belongs, it appears to me, as
much to them as it does to you. I shall not take your case, but will
give a little advice for nothing. You seem a sprightly, energetic man.
I would advise you to try your hand at making six hundred dollars in
some other way."

Sometimes, after having entered on a case, he discovered that his
clients had imposed on him. In his indignation he has even left the
court room. Once when the Judge sent for him he refused to return.
"Tell the judge my hands are dirty; I came over to wash them."

The most important law-suit in which Lincoln was ever engaged was the
McCormick case. McCormick instituted a suit against one Manny for
alleged infringement of patents. McCormick virtually claimed the
monopoly of the manufacture of harvesting machines. The suit involved a
large sum of money besides incidental considerations. The leading
attorney for the plaintiff was the Hon. Reverdy Johnson, one of the
foremost, if not the foremost, at the bar in the entire country. It was
the opportunity of crossing swords with Johnson that, more than
anything else, stirred Lincoln's interest. With him, for the defense,
was associated Edwin M. Stanton.

The case was to be tried at Cincinnati, and all parties were on hand.
Lincoln gave an extraordinary amount of care in the preparation of the
case. But some little things occurred. Through an open doorway he heard
Stanton make some scornful remarks of him,--ridiculing his awkward
appearance and his dress, particularly, for Lincoln wore a linen
duster, soiled and disfigured by perspiration. When the time came for
apportioning the speeches, Lincoln, although he was thoroughly prepared