Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)

Russell Simpson: Woolridge

Quotes 

• Abe Lincoln : [In the law office with feet up on desk, arbitrating a dispute]  Now, it says here brother Hawthorne... that you owe brother Wooldridge fifty-five dollars and forty-seven cents board at the rate of a dollar and a half a week, you owe him ninety dollars for use of a team and wagon for eight months, besides one hundred dollars cash on a loan.

  Woolridge : [triumphant]  Yeah...

  Hawthorne : [indignant]  Well, I never said I didn't!

  Abe Lincoln : [scratches head, speaks slowly and methodically]  Well, I ain't no lightnin' calculator... but accordin' to my figurin'... you owe him two hundred and forty-five dollars and forty-seven cents. You're askin' two hundred and fifty dollars damages. Now, my idea is to split the difference of four dollars and fifty-three cents... which by a *strange* coincidence happens to be exactly the amount of my legal fee.

  [stands, speaks faster] 

  Abe Lincoln : And the whole thing's settled! Well, what d'ya say?

  Hawthorne : [defiant]  I won't do it!

  Woolridge : [defiant]  Me either! I'll go to the law first!

  Abe Lincoln : [strolls between Hawthorne and Wooldridge, puts hands in pockets]  Gentlemen... did ya ever hear about the time in the Blackhawk war when I... butted two fella's heads together? And busted *both* of 'em?

  [looks slowly from one man to the other] 

  Woolridge : [sheepishly]  Eh... well uh, I'm willin' if he is.

  [digs in pocket for money] 

  Hawthorne : [indignant]  'Tain't fair... but I'll do it just to be shut of him!

  [digs in pouch for money] 

  Abe Lincoln : Thanks, gentlemen. Ahh, that's gonna save us all a heap'a legal trouble... and headaches.