Best Lincoln stories, tersely toldGallaher, J. E. (James Ernst)
History
Best Lincoln stories, tersely told
Gallaher, J. E. (James Ernst)
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Anecdotes
Mr. Lincoln once remarked to a fellow-passenger on the old-time mud-wagon
coach, on the corduroy road which antedated railroads, that all men were
prompted by selfishness in doing good or evil. His fellow-passenger was
antagonizing his position when they were passing over a corduroy bridge
that spanned a slough. As they crossed this bridge, and the mud-wagon was
shaking like a sucker with chills, they espied an old, razor-back sow on
the bank of the slough, making a terrible noise because her pigs had got
into the slough and were unable to get out and in danger of drowning.
As the old coach began to climb the hillside Mr. Lincoln called out:
“Driver, can’t you stop just a moment?” The driver replied. “If the other
feller don’t object.” The “other feller”--who was no less a personage
than, at that time, “Col.” E. D. Baker, the gallant general who gave his
life in defense of old glory at Ball’s Bluff--did not “object,” when
Mr. Lincoln jumped out, ran back to the slough and began to lift the
little pigs out of the mud and water and place them on the bank. When he
returned Col. Baker remarked: “Now, Abe, where does selfishness come in
in this little episode?” “Why, bless your soul, Ed, that was the very
essence of selfishness. I would have had no peace of mind all day had I
gone on and left that suffering old sow worrying over those pigs. I did
it to get peace of mind, don’t you see?”
LINCOLN REMOVES A LICENSE ON THEATRES.
One of the most interesting anecdotes about the beloved Lincoln is the
one quoted from Joe Jefferson’s autobiography. Jefferson and his father
were playing at Springfield during the session of the legislature, and,
as there was no theaters in town, had gone to the expense of building
one. Hardly had this been done when a religious revival broke out. The
church people condemned the theater and prevailed upon the authorities to
impose a license which was practically prohibition.
“In the midst of our trouble,” says Jefferson, “a young lawyer called on
the managers. He had heard of the injustice and offered, if they would
place the matter in his hands, to have the license taken off, men then
in vogue he remarked how much declaring that he only desired to see fair
play, and he would accept no fee whether he failed or succeeded. The
young lawyer began his harangue. He handled the subject with tact, skill
and humor, tracing the history of the drama from the time when Thespis
acted in a cart to the stage of to-day. He illustrated his speech with a
number of anecdotes and kept the council in a roar of laughter. His good
humor prevailed and the exorbitant tax was taken off. The young lawyer
was Lincoln.”
HOW LINCOLN GOT THE WORST OF A HORSE TRADE.
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