''Abe'' Lincoln's Yarns and Stories - University of Macau Library

Yarns and Stories, by Alexander K. McClure 18Civil Wars, and was United States Senator from three states), then Auditorof State.Lincoln assumed the authorship, and was challenged by Shields to meethim on the "field of honor." Meanwhile Miss Todd increased Shields' ire bywriting another letter to the paper, in which she said: "I hear the way ofthese fire-eaters is to give the challenged party the choice of weapons,which being the case, I'll tell you in confidence that I never fight withanything but broom-sticks, or hot water, or a shovelful of coals, the formerof which, being somewhat like a shillalah, may not be objectionable tohim."Lincoln accepted the challenge, and selected broadswords as the weapons.Judge Herndon (Lincoln's law partner) gives the closing of this affair asfollows:"The laws of Illinois prohibited dueling, and Lincoln demanded that themeeting should be outside the state. Shields undoubtedly knew that Lincolnwas opposed to fighting a duel--that his moral sense would revolt at thethought, and that he would not be likely to break the law by fighting in thestate. Possibly he thought Lincoln would make a humble apology. Shieldswas brave, but foolish, and would not listen to overtures for explanation. Itwas arranged that the meeting should be in Missouri, opposite Alton. Theyproceeded to the place selected, but friends interfered, and there was noduel. There is little doubt that the man who had swung a beetle and driveniron wedges into gnarled hickory logs could have cleft the skull of hisantagonist, but he had no such intention. He repeatedly said to the friendsof Shields that in writing the first article he had no thought of anythingpersonal. The Auditor's vanity had been sorely wounded by the secondletter, in regard to which Lincoln could not make any explanation exceptthat he had had no hand in writing it. The affair set all Springfield tolaughing at Shields.""DONE WITH THE BIBLE."Lincoln never told a better story than this: