President Lincoln and Postmaster-General Blair were talking of the war.
“Blair,” said the President, “did you ever know that fright has
sometimes proven a cure for boils?” “No, Mr. President, how is that?”
“I’ll tell you. Not long ago when a colonel, with his cavalry, was at
the front, and the Rebs were making things rather lively for us, the
colonel was ordered out to a reconnaissance. He was troubled at the time
with a big boil where it made horseback riding decidedly uncomfortable.
He finally dismounted and ordered the troops forward without him. Soon
he was startled by the rapid reports of pistols and the helter-skelter
approach of his troops in full retreat before a yelling rebel force.
He forgot everything but the yells, sprang into his saddle, and made
capital time over the fences and ditches till safe within the lines. The
pain from his boil was gone, and the boil, too, and the colonel swore
that there was no cure for boils so sure as fright from rebel yells.”