Craig,
I think you have a good handle on the relationship with that statement. Abe was still rather "rough around the edges" at that time but like you say, Ninian saw something different in him. And time shows us that ole Abe grew into a very prosperous lawyer and family man. He was what we would call upper middle class today. In todays economy he probalbly would have a six figure income, I would imagine.
Thanks for a great assesment.
Frank