Mr. Alcott, of Elgin, Ill., tells of seeing Mr. Lincoln coming away from
church unusually early one Sunday morning. “The sermon could not have
been more than half way through,” says Mr. Alcott. “‘Tad’ was slung
across his left arm like a pair of saddlebags, and Mr. Lincoln was
striding along with long, deliberate steps toward his home. On one of
the street corners he encountered a group of his fellow-townsmen. Mr.
Lincoln anticipated the question which was about to be put by the group,
and, taking his figure of speech from practices with which they were
only too familiar, said: ‘Gentlemen, I entered this colt, but he kicked
around so I had to withdraw him.”’
“TAD” GOT HIS DOLLAR.
No matter who was with the President, or how intently absorbed, his
little son “Tad” was always welcome. He almost always accompanied his
father.
Once, on the way to Fortress Monroe, he became very troublesome.
The President was much engaged in conversation with the party who
accompanied him, and he at length said:
“‘Tad,’ if you will be a good boy, and not disturb me any more until we
get to Fortress Monroe, I will give you a dollar.”
The hope of reward was effectual for awhile in securing silence, but,
boylike, “Tad” soon forgot his promise, and was as noisy as ever. Upon
reaching their destination, however, he said, very promptly: “Father,
I want my dollar.” Mr. Lincoln looked at him half-reproachfully for an
instant, and then, taking from his pocketbook a dollar note, he said
“Well, my son, at any rate, I will keep my part of the bargain.”