"Abe" Lincoln's Anecdotes and Stories: A Collection of the Best Stories Told by Lincoln Which Made Him Famous as America's Best Story Teller
History
"Abe" Lincoln's Anecdotes and Stories: A Collection of the Best Stories Told by Lincoln Which Made Him Famous as America's Best Story Teller
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Anecdotes
When Mr. Lincoln was quite a small boy he met with an accident that
almost cost him his life. He was saved by Austin Gollaher, a young
playmate. Mr. Gollaher lived to be more than ninety years of age,
and to the day of his death related with great pride his boyhood
association with Lincoln.
"Yes," Mr. Gollaher once said, "the story that I once saved Abraham
Lincoln's life is true. He and I had been going to school together for
a year or more, and had become greatly attached to each other. Then
school disbanded on account of there being so few scholars, and we did
not see each other much for a long while.
"One Sunday my mother visited the Lincolns, and I was taken along.
'Abe' and I played around all day. Finally, we concluded to cross
the creek to hunt for some partridges young Lincoln had seen the day
before. The creek was swollen by a recent rain, and, in crossing on
the narrow footlog, 'Abe' fell in. Neither of us could swim. I got a
long pole and held it out to 'Abe,' who grabbed it. Then I pulled him
ashore.
"He was almost dead, and I was badly scared. I rolled and pounded him
in good earnest. Then I got him by the arms and shook him, the water
meanwhile pouring out of his mouth. By this means I succeeded in
bringing him to, and he was soon all right.
"Then a new difficulty confronted us. If our mothers discovered our
wet clothes they would whip us. This we dreaded from experience, and
determined to avoid. It was June, the sun was very warm, and we soon
dried our clothing by spreading it on the rocks about us. We promised
never to tell the story, and I never did until after Lincoln's tragic
end."
=WOULD BLOW THEM TO H----.=
Mr. Lincoln had advised Lieutenant-General Winfield Scott, commanding
the United States Army, of the threats of violence on inauguration
day, 1861. General Scott was sick in bed at Washington when
Adjutant-General Thomas Mather, of Illinois, called upon him in
President-elect Lincoln's behalf, and the veteran commander was much
wrought up. Said he to General Mather:
"Present my compliments to Mr. Lincoln when you return to Springfield,
and tell him I expect him to come on to Washington as soon as he is
ready; say to him that I will look after those Maryland and Virginia
rangers myself. I will plant cannon at both ends of Pennsylvania
Avenue, and if any of them show their heads or raise a finger, I'll
blow them to h----."
="I CAN STAND IT IF THEY CAN"=
United States Senator Benjamin Wade, of Ohio, Henry Winter Davis, of
Maryland, and Wendell Phillips were strongly opposed to President
Lincoln's re-election, and Wade and Davis issued a manifesto. Phillips
made several warm speeches against Lincoln and his policy.
When asked if he had read the manifesto or any of Phillips' speeches,
the President replied:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account