Giving both a shake of the hand, he gave them the good-by warmly. He had seen that they were innocents and shrank from letting them know that they had unconsciously offended his dignity. * * * * * THE PRIZE FOR HOMELINESS. In keeping with his proneness to jest at his own expense rather than lose a laugh, Lincoln is credited with telling the following story upon himself: "In the days when I used to be on the circuit (law), I was accosted on the road by a stranger. He said: 'Excuse me, sir, but I have an article in my possession which belongs to you.' 'How is that?' I asked, considerably astonished. "The stranger took a 'Barlow' from his pocket. "'This knife,' said he, 'was placed in my hands some years ago with the injunction of the community, through its bearer, that I was to keep it until I struck a man homelier than I. I have carried it from that time till this. Allow me to say, sir, that you are fairly entitled to the testimonial.'" * * * * * HOW LONG LEGS SHOULD BE. A quipster, harping on Mr. Lincoln's abnormal tallness, had the mishap to draw upon himself some quizzing; the President putting the _non plus_ on him by asking: "How long, then, ought a man's legs to be?" The answer was given by the sphinx: "Long enough to reach from his body to the ground." * * * * * LONG METER. John Sherman will be remembered as originator of the politicians' "cover" for electioneering activity, "I am going home to mend my fences." He was fresh from Ohio, but he included in his round of duties, on visiting the capital, an attendance of a Lincoln reception. He waited in the long file for his turn to shake hands, and, while doing so, wondered how he would be received. For the informal "function" was enlivened by the most untoward incidents, due to the host's simplicity, spontaneous acts and words, and the homelike nature of the scene. Truly enough, when his chance came, the meeting was eccentric. Lincoln scanned him a moment, threw out his large hand, and said: "'You're a pretty tall fellow, aren't you? Stand up here to me, back to back, and let's see which of us two is the taller!' "In another moment I was standing back to back with the greatest man of his age. Naturally I was quite abashed by this unexpected evidence of democracy. "'You are from the West, aren't you?' inquired Lincoln. "'My home is in Ohio,' I replied. "'I thought so', he said; 'that's the kind of men they raise out there!'" * * * * * "HARDSHIPS STRENGTHEN MUSCLES."