The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-11-22
ANECDOTES.

4
GEORGE WAsHINGToN.-One day in a
hit OF abstraction the juvenile George
cut down Bushrod's favorite cherry tree
with hatchet. His purpose was to cut
and rum
But the old gentleman came sailing
round the corner of the barn Just as the
future Father of his Country had start
ed on the retreat.
Look here, sonny" thundered the
stern old Virginian, who cut that tree
DOWN."
George reflected moment. There
wasn't another boy or another hatchet
within fifteen miles. Besides, it occur
red to him that to be virtuous is to be
happy. Just as Washington senior
turned to go in and get his horsewhip,
our little hero burst into tears, and,
Nesting among his fathers coat-tails.
exclaimed, Father, I cannot tell lie.
1t must have been frost!'
My son, my son." stammered the
fond parent as he made pass for his
offspring, when you get to be first in
war and first In peace, just cover your
back-pay into the Treasury, and the
newspaper press will respect you!
ABRAHAM LINcoLN-Early in the war
party of distinguished gentlemen from
New England called on Mr.. Lincoln to
urge the appointment of certain Mr..
brown to the post of quartermaster.
The President, who was amusing him
self by splitting portions of the stair
case of the White House into rails, re-
celved them cordially They stated their
errand in an earnest but respectful tone,
and calmly awaited his answer Mr..
Lincoln, drawing himself up to his full
height and clapping the spokesman of
the party on the shoulder, began to tell
a story about a dog fight he once saw in
Kentucky.
By and by it had gradually grown
dark; several hours had passed away,
and neither dog appeared to get killed
or to gain any advantage over the other.
One by one the party had dropped out,
till the leader (who did not wish to dis
turb Mr.. Lincoln's hold on his shoulder)
was left alone, trying to conceal yawn
and to look interested. Suddenly, Mr..
Lincoln, with that peculiar smile on his
countenance which Mr. Carpenter can
talk about, but can't paint, remarked.
by the way, my friend, I'm sorry for
Brown, but 1 gave that appointment to
the other man yesterday y."-LippincoH
Magazine.
A TRICKY ATMosPHERE.-Much has
been written about the frauds that Colo
radios clear atmosphere plays upon stran-
gers, and the delusions into which it
leads them. The story of a man who
started from a Denver hotel to walk to
the mountain, some fifteen miles distant.
before breakfast, has doubtless been re-
peated by every correspondent who has
written from the Territory. But there
is a better one of older date Before the
days of railroads, the stages used to
stop at Church Tavern" about eight
miles north of Denver and ten northwest
of Golden. One day there left the stage
at this tavern two passengers bound for
the latter city, the one an old settler,
the other new conner. The latter in
quired where Golden was, and after the
mountain peaks Immediately overhang-
ing that little city had been pointed out
to him, asked how far off it was. When
the answer, "ten miles," came. he be-
slowed upon his informant look which
p'ainly told that he lamented his derang-
ed Judgment and demented condition
generally, and then Immediately started
off at pace man naturally takes when
he has only about mile to walk, and is
in hurry to reach his destination. The
other Golden-bound traveller followed
at a slower and more judicious pace,
and at the end of the fourth mile, came
upon his impatient fellow-traveler seated
on stone, taking rest. The latter
made no comment upon the information
that he had six miles more to walk, but
meekly and sorrowfully resumed his
way at the slower pace of the expert
enced Colorado pedestrian. Soon the
two came to ditch about five feet wide.
The old settler jumped across, and on
turning around, and seeing his compan-
ion, with boots off and trowsers rolled
up, carefully wading through, naturally
inquired why he didn't jump over"
The quick reply came, in no dulcet
tones, How did 1 know the thing was
not forty feet across?"