Again, as Dr. Holland narrates, “Lincoln was one day riding by a deep slough or pit in which, to his exceeding pain, he saw a pig struggling, and with such faint efforts that it was evident that he could not extricate himself.  Lincoln looked at the pig and the mud that enveloped him, and then looked ruefully at some new clothes in which he had but a short time before enveloped himself.  Deciding against the claims of the pig he rode on; but he could not get rid of the vision of the poor brute, and at last, after riding two miles, he turned back, determined to rescue the animal at the expense of his new clothes.  Arrived at the spot, he tied his horse, and coolly went to work to build of old rails a passage to the bottom of the hole.  Descending on these rails, he seized the pig and dragged him out, but not without serious damage to the clothes he wore.  Washing his hands in the nearest brook and wiping them on the grass, he mounted his gig and rode along.  He then fell to examining the motive that sent him back to the release of the pig.  At the first thought it seemed to be pure benevolence; but at length he came to the conclusion that it was selfishness, for he certainly went to the pig’s relief in order (as he said to the friend to whom he related the incident) to ‘take a pain out of his own mind.’”

Instances showing the integrity, candor, unselfishness, and humanity of Lincoln’s conduct in his law practice could be multiplied indefinitely.  The following are given by Dr. Holland:  “The lawyers of Springfield, particularly those who had political aspirations, were afraid to undertake the defense of anyone who had been engaged in helping off fugitives slaves.  It was a very unpopular business in those days and in that locality; and few felt that they could afford to engage in it.  One who needed such aid went to Edward D. Baker, and was refused, distinctly and frankly on the ground that as a political man he could not afford it.  The man applied to an ardent anti-slavery friend for advice.  He spoke of Mr. Lincoln, and said, ’He’s not afraid of an unpopular case.  When I go for a lawyer to defend an arrested fugitive slave, other lawyers will refuse me.  But if Mr. Lincoln is at home he will always take my case.’”

An old woman of seventy-five years, the widow of a revolutionary pensioner, came tottering into his law office one day, and told him that a certain pension agent had charged her the exorbitant fee of two hundred dollars for collecting her pension.  Lincoln was satisfied by her representations that she had been swindled, and finding that she was not a resident of the town, and that she was poor, gave her money, and set about the work of procuring restitution.  He immediately entered suit against the agent to recover a portion of his ill-gotten money.  This suit was one of the most remarkable that Lincoln ever conducted.  The day before the case came up he asked his partner, Mr. Herndon, to get him a “Life of Washington,”