going alone on foot along the track of
the Illinois Central Railroad from Cairo to Burkeville Junction,
in crossing the Cash bottoms, or slashes, I was assailed by two of
a numerous band of highwaymen who then inhabited those parts, and
was in danger of losing my life. In a struggle on the embankment
one of the two fell from the railroad bed to the swamp at its side,
and on being disengaged from the other I proceeded without being
further molested to my destination.

By March 1, 1858, I was again at home, resolved to practise law in
my native county, at Springfield, where I opened an office for that
purpose. To locate to practise a profession among early neighbors
and friends has its disadvantages. The jealous and envious will
not desire or aid you to succeed; others, friendly enough, still
will want you to establish a reputation before they employ you.

All will readily, however, espouse your friendship, and proudly
claim you as their school-mate, neighbor, and dearest friend when
you have demonstrated you do not need their patronage.

I did succeed, in a way, from the beginning, and was not without
a good clientage, and some good employments. I was prompt, faithful,
and persistently loyal to my clients' interests, trying never to
neglect them even when they were small. Then litigations were
sharper generally than at present, and often, as now understood,
unnecessary. The court-term was once looked forward to as a time
for a lawyer to earn fees; now it is, happily, otherwise with the
more successful and better lawyers. Commercial business is too
tender to be ruthlessly shocked by bitter litigations. Disputes
between successful business men can be settled usually now in good
lawyers' offices on fair terms, saving bitterness, loss of time,
and expensive or prolonged trials. A just, candid, and good attorney
should make more and better fees by his advice and counsel and in
adjusting his client's affairs in his office than by contentions
in a trial court-room.

I was an active member of the Independent Rover Fire Company in
Springfield, and with it ran to fires and worked on the brakes of
a hand-engine, etc.

I gave little attention to matters outside of the law, though a
little to a volunteer militia company of which I was a member; for
a time a lieutenant, then in 1860 brigade-major on a militia
brigadier's staff. We staff officers wore good clothes, much
tinsel, gaudy crimson scarfs, golden epaulets, br