Some one once called on President Lincoln during the war to suggest some
change of command for General B----, who did not seem to do well as a
commander anywhere. "Well," said Mr. Lincoln, "that's so. General
B----doesn't fit in well anywhere. He reminds me of an experience I once
had with a piece of iron I found while at work in the woods. I thought
it would make a good axe-head, and took it to a blacksmith. 'Yes,' said
he, 'it'll make a good axe.' So he put it into the fire, made it
red-hot and pounded away on it on his anvil. After hammering it a good
while, he stopped and said, 'No, it won't make an axe, but I tell you,
it'll make a mighty good clevis.' So I told him to make a clevis out of
it. Then he heated it again, and again pounded away at it a great while,
and then stopped and looked at it and said, 'No, it won't make a clevis
neither. But,' said he, holding it red-hot in his pincers over his tub
of water, 'I'll tell you what it will make. It will make a blame' good
fizzle.' And here he dropped it into the tub--and it fizzled."