Lincoln's yarns and stories : $b A complete collection of the funny and witty anecdotes that made Lincoln famous as America's greatest story tellerMcClure, Alexander K. (Alexander Kelly)
History
Lincoln's yarns and stories : $b A complete collection of the funny and witty anecdotes that made Lincoln famous as America's greatest story teller
McClure, Alexander K. (Alexander Kelly)
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Anecdotes
“MAJOR GENERAL, I RECKON.”
At one time the President had the appointment of a large additional
number of brigadier and major generals. Among the immense number of
applications, Mr. Lincoln came upon one wherein the claims of a certain
worthy (not in the service at all), “for a generalship” were glowingly
set forth. But the applicant didn’t specify whether he wanted to be
brigadier or major general.
The President observed this difficulty, and solved it by a lucid
indorsement. The clerk, on receiving the paper again, found written
across its back, “Major General, I reckon. A. Lincoln.”
WOULD SEE THE TRACKS.
Judge Herndon, Lincoln’s law partner, said that he never saw Lincoln
more cheerful than on the day previous to his departure from Springfield
for Washington, and Judge Gillespie, who visited him a few days earlier,
found him in excellent spirits.
“I told him that I believed it would do him good to get down to
Washington,” said Herndon.
“I know it will,” Lincoln replied. “I only wish I could have got there
to lock the door before the horse was stolen. But when I get to the
spot, I can find the tracks.”
“ABE” GAVE HER A “SURE TIP.”
If all the days Lincoln attended school were added together, they would
not make a single year’s time, and he never studied grammar or geography
or any of the higher branches. His first teacher in Indiana was Hazel
Dorsey, who opened a school in a log schoolhouse a mile and a half
from the Lincoln cabin. The building had holes for windows, which were
covered over with greased paper to admit light. The roof was just high
enough for a man to stand erect. It did not take long to demonstrate
that “Abe” was superior to any scholar in his class. His next teacher
was Andrew Crawford, who taught in the winter of 1822-3, in the same
little schoolhouse. “Abe” was an excellent speller, and it is said that
he liked to show off his knowledge, especially if he could help out
his less fortunate schoolmates. One day the teacher gave out the word
“defied.” A large class was on the floor, but it seemed that no one
would be able to spell it. The teacher declared he would keep the whole
class in all day and night if “defied” was not spelled correctly.
When the word came around to Katy Roby, she was standing where she
could see young “Abe.” She started, “d-e-f,” and while trying to decide
whether to spell the word with an “i” or a “y,” she noticed that Abe had
his finger on his eye and a smile on his face, and instantly took the
hint. She spelled the word correctly and school was dismissed.
THE PRESIDENT HAD KNOWLEDGE OF HIM.
Lincoln never forgot anyone or anything.
At one of the afternoon receptions at the White House a stranger shook
hands with him, and, as he did so, remarked casually, that he was
elected to Congress about the time Mr. Lincoln’s term as representative
expired, which happened many years before.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account