on, absorbed in his own reflections.  He wore on such occasions an old gray shawl, rolled into a coil and wrapped like a rope around his neck.  The rest of his clothes were in keeping.  ’He did not walk cunningly—­Indian-like—­but cautiously and firmly.’  His tread was even and strong.  He was a little pigeon-toed; and this, with another peculiarity, made his walk very singular.  He set his whole foot flat on the ground, and in turn lifted it all at once—­not resting momentarily upon the toe as the foot rose nor upon the heel as it fell.  He never wore his shoes out at the heel and the toe, as most men do, more than at the middle.  Yet his gait was not altogether awkward, and there was manifest physical power in his step.  As he moved along thus, silent and abstracted, his thoughts dimly reflected in his sharp face, men turned to look after him as an object of sympathy as well as curiosity.  His melancholy, in the words of Mr. Herndon, ’dripped from him as he walked.’  If, however, he met a friend in the street, and was roused by a hearty ‘Good-morning, Lincoln!’ he would grasp the friend’s hand with one or both of his own, and with his usual expression of ‘Howdy! howdy!’ would detain him to hear a story; something reminded him of it; it happened in Indiana, and it must be told, for it was wonderfully pertinent.  It was not at home that he most enjoyed seeing company.  He preferred to meet his friends abroad,—­on a street-corner, in an office, at the court-house, or sitting on nail-kegs in a country store.”  Mrs. Lincoln experienced great difficulty in securing the punctual attendance of her husband at the family meals.  Dr. Bateman has repeatedly seen two of the boys pulling with all their might at his coat-tails, and a third pushing in front, while paterfamilias stood upon the street cordially shaking the hand of an old acquaintance.

After his breakfast-hour, says Mr. Lamon, he would appear at his office and go about the labors of the day with all his might, displaying prodigious industry and capacity for continuous application, although he never was a fast worker.  Sometimes it happened that he came without his breakfast; and then he would have in his hands a piece of cheese or bologna sausage, and a few crackers, bought by the way.  At such times he did not speak to his partner, or his friends if any happened to be present; the tears perhaps struggling into his eyes, while his pride was struggling to keep them back.  Mr. Herndon knew the whole story at a glance.  There was no speech between them, but neither wished the visitors at the office to witness the scene.  So Lincoln retired to the back office while Mr. Herndon locked the front one and walked away with the key in his pocket.  In an hour or more the latter would return and perhaps find Lincoln calm and collected.  Otherwise he went out again and waited until he was so.  Then the office was opened and everything went on as usual.