One man who knew Lincoln at New Salem, says the first time he saw him he
was lying on a trundle-bed covered with books and papers and rocking a
cradle with his foot.
The whole scene was entirely characteristic--Lincoln reading and
studying, and at the same time helping his landlady by quieting her
child.
A gentleman who knew Mr. Lincoln well in early manhood says: “Lincoln at
this period had nothing but plenty of friends.”
After the customary hand-shaking on one occasion in the White House at
Washington several gentlemen came forward and asked the President for
his autograph. One of them gave his name as “Cruikshank.” “That reminds
me,” said Mr. Lincoln, “of what I used to be called when a young
man--‘Long-shanks!’”
“PLOUGH ALL ‘ROUND HIM.”
Governor Blank went to the War Department one day in a towering rage:
“I suppose you found it necessary to make large concessions to him, as
he returned from you perfectly satisfied,” suggested a friend.
“Oh, no,” the President replied, “I did not concede anything. You have
heard how that Illinois farmer got rid of a big log that was too big to
haul out, too knotty to split, and too wet and soggy to burn.
“‘Well, now,’ said he, in response to the inquiries of his neighbors
one Sunday, as to how he got rid of it, ‘well, now, boys, if you won’t
divulge the secret, I’ll tell you how I got rid of it--I ploughed around
it.’
“Now,” remarked Lincoln, in conclusion, “don’t tell anybody, but that’s
the way I got rid of Governor Blank. I ploughed all round him, but it
took me three mortal hours to do it, and I was afraid every minute he’d
see what I was at.”
“I’VE LOST MY APPLE.”
During a public “reception,” a farmer from one of the border counties
of Virginia told the President that the Union soldiers, in passing his
farm, had helped themselves not only to hay, but his horse, and he
hoped the President would urge the proper officer to consider his claim
immediately.
Mr. Lincoln said that this reminded him of an old acquaintance of his,
“Jack” Chase, a lumberman on the Illinois, a steady, sober man, and the
best raftsman on the river. It was quite a trick to take the logs over
the rapids; but he was skilful with a raft, and always kept her straight
in the channel. Finally a steamer was put on, and “Jack” was made
captain of her. He always used to take the wheel, going through the
rapids. One day when the boat was plunging and wallowing along the
boiling current, and “Jack’s” utmost vigilance was being exercised to
keep her in the narrow channel, a boy pulled his coat-tail and hailed
him with:
“Say, Mister Captain! I wish you would just stop your boat a
minute--I’ve lost my apple overboard!”