the Clary Grove Boys as well, belonged to
Lincoln. The latter's popularity among them was unbounded. They saw that
he would play fair. He could stop a fight and quell a disturbance among
these rude neighbors when all others failed."

Under whatever circumstances Lincoln was forced into a fight, the end
could be confidently predicted. He was sure to thrash his opponent and
gain the latter's friendship afterwards by a generous use of victory.
Innumerable instances could be cited in proof of this statement. It is
related that "One day while showing goods to two or three women in
Offutt's store, a bully came in and began to talk in an offensive
manner, using much profanity and evidently wishing to provoke a quarrel.
Lincoln leaned over the counter and begged him, as ladies were present,
not to indulge in such talk. The bully retorted that the opportunity had
come for which he had long sought, and he would like to see the man who
could hinder him from saying anything he might choose to say. Lincoln,
still cool, told him that if he would wait until the ladies retired he
would hear what he had to say and give him any satisfaction he desired.
As soon as the women were gone the man became furious. Lincoln heard his
boasts and his abuse for a time, and finding that he was not to be put
off without a fight, said, 'Well, if you must be whipped, I suppose I
may as well whip you as any other man.' This was just what the bully had
been seeking, he said; so out of doors they went. Lincoln made short
work of him. He threw him upon the ground, and held him there as if he
had been a child, and gathering some 'smart-weed' which grew upon the
spot he rubbed it into his face and eyes until the fellow bellowed with
pain. Lincoln did all this without a particle of anger, and when the job
was finished went immediately for water, washed his victim's face and
did everything he could to alleviate his distress. The upshot of the
matter was that the man became his life-long friend and was a better man
from that day."

The chief repute of a sturdy frontiersman is built upon his deeds of
prowess, and the fame of the great, rough, strong-limbed, kind-hearted
Titan was spread over all the country around. Says Mr. Lamon: "On one
occasion while he was clerking for Offutt a stranger came into the store
and soon disclosed the fact that his name was Smoot. Abe was behind the
counter at the moment, but hearing the name he sprang over and
introduced himself.