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
“Don’t be in a hurry,” said the President placidly; “sit down and talk
awhile.”
“Thank you, sir; I’ll call again,” shouted the Westerner, as he
disappeared through the opening in the wall.
“Now, that’s the way with people,” the President said, when relating
the story afterward. “When I can’t give them what they want, they’re
dissatisfied, and say harsh things about me; but when I’ve something to
give to everybody they scamper off.”
TOO MANY PIGS FOR THE TEATS.
An applicant for a sutlership in the army relates this story: “In the
winter of 1864, after serving three years in the Union Army, and being
honorably discharged, I made application for the post sutlership at
Point Lookout. My father being interested, we made application to Mr.
Stanton, the Secretary of War. We obtained an audience, and were ushered
into the presence of the most pompous man I ever met. As I entered he
waved his hand for me to stop at a given distance from him, and then put
these questions, viz.:
“‘Did you serve three years in the army?’
“‘I did, sir.’
“‘Were you honorably discharged?’
“‘I was, sir.’
“‘Let me see your discharge.’
“I gave it to him. He looked it over, then said:
‘Were you ever wounded?’ I told him yes, at the battle of Williamsburg,
May 5, 1861.
“He then said: ‘I think we can give this position to a soldier who has
lost an arm or leg, he being more deserving; and he then said I looked
hearty and healthy enough to serve three years more. He would not give
me a chance to argue my case.
“The audience was at an end. He waved his hand to me. I was then
dismissed from the august presence of the Honorable Secretary of War.
“My father was waiting for me in the hallway, who saw by my countenance
that I was not successful. I said to my father:
“‘Let us go over to Mr. Lincoln; he may give us more satisfaction.’
“He said it would do me no good, but we went over. Mr. Lincoln’s
reception room was full of ladies and gentlemen when we entered.
“My turn soon came. Lincoln turned to my father and said:
“‘Now, gentlemen, be pleased to be as quick as possible with your
business, as it is growing late.’
“My father then stepped up to Lincoln and introduced me to him. Lincoln
then said:
“‘Take a seat, gentlemen, and state your business as quickly as
possible.’
“There was but one chair by Lincoln, so he motioned my father to sit,
while I stood. My father stated the business to him as stated above. He
then said:
“‘Have you seen Mr. Stanton?’
“We told him yes, that he had refused. He (Mr. Lincoln) then said:
“‘Gentlemen, this is Mr. Stanton’s business; I cannot interfere with
him; he attends to all these matters and I am sorry I cannot help you.’
“He saw that we were disappointed, and did his best to revive our
spirits. He succeeded well with my father, who was a Lincoln man, and
who was a staunch Republican.
“Mr. Lincoln then said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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