Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-04-04


ton. but had pointed out what should do
l related the story TO Mr.. Stanton, and al
ways referred to the contest in Kentucky
as tbat between two BOOSTERS. Once wrote
to Mr.. Wade: Tell Mr.. Lincoln our
high-combed cock is doing very we'll aud
can hardly fail to win. The squire bets
three to one on him at present. In his
next letter, Wade replied: Il delivered
your me sage to Mr.. Lincoln and he
laughed heartily, and told me an ant story,
| which you should get him to repeat to you
the frat time you see him" e
'sBlassed Old Abe, was there ever q m an
like him" Certainly not in this country,
and doubt if ever in any other.
One day not long after Mr.. Lincoln is,
sued his emancipation proclamation, Mr..
and said:
well. Old Abe has just done the damn
| eldest thing you ever heard of. He has
given out he has the small. pox, to keep the
politicians and otfce.seekers away from the
white house" .,s
The story ran thus: Mr.. Wade went to
the white house to see Lincoln, who had
been i'll. He found the president q little
pale, but Jolly as he could be.
sit down, Wade, am glad to see you.
Oh, have the the funniest thing to tell
youi II will M lake you laugh. never did
such a thing before in my life, and never
will again" Then the president laughed
until the tears ran down his cheeks.
fNow, Wade, he said, you are not to
repeat this outside, for it would give. Of
Tense. and 1t by no mani er of means COM
hedge a president about. The doctor put
me up to it to rid myself of a bore; Fought
not to have done II, but couldn't help it,
it was 90 funny. You know / have been
i'll and a great many people have wondered
what allied me, but none Of them could
fnd out. The truth is / was worried to
death and talked sick prett Y much by one
man, the most everlasting bore you ever
saw who wanted an office. knew he
would comeagain as soon as was able to
situp, and the doctor put me up to get rid
Of him BY saying had the smallpox. |
only got out yesterday, and sure enough
termined TO be polite to him. but he staid
so long the humor seized me and / sent for
the doctor. Giving him the wink. l held
out my hand and inquired
Doctor, what marks are those on my
hand2,
THAT'S varioloid, or mild smallpox, !
said the doctor.
"'Well." said I, IT'S all over me- It's
contagious, is II nos DOCTOR
cry UOBtHSiCubi luu0bu,' Ho aE6plIeu,
dyou should see no onel'
my visitor, who had be,n getting more
and more nervous every moment, now
could stand It no longer, and rising said,
"sWeil, Mr.. Lincoln, can't stop any
longer / just called to see how you were,
and then he started to hurry out.
stop minute; want. 10. talk to you,
said l.. about that Office
asExcuse me, Mr. President. You are
notlwell this morning, and won't bother
you'll said he, showing toward the door.
Mover mind, said !, don't be In
hurry It's all rivht, and if you are going
anyhow; so you might as well sit down.
THANK you, sir, but I'll call. again,
be replied, fairly turning liyid and execut.
ing mastery retreat from the fearful
contsgion with which he supposed me to
be afflicted
''sNow,' said Uncle Abe, 1T will be all
over tho city in an hour that l have the
smallpox. and you can contradict the
story. but / want you to promise you
won't repeat what have just told you. "
Wade laughed until he was weak, and
when he could get his breath sufficiently
to speak be looked at the clock, ss was
his custom, and said:
Nov for little business, and then l
will go =,
".Dop,t ge," cried Uncle Abe and lay
ing his head in his bands on the desk in
front of him, he laughed until he shook
all over. Presently raising up his face
from between his hands, he wiped his eyes
and blew his nose until the report sounded
like the winding of horn. After another
fit of laughing he said
Wade, you should have seen him, and
how scared he was. I'll bet that fellow
never comes back here while anl Presi-
dent."~ " "" OH -
As might have. been expected, hardly
had Mr.. Wade quilted the White House
when he heard the president had the small
pox, and wss very sick. Wade promptly
contrad cited the story, but that night il
was telegraphed all over the country, and
many people will yet remember the story
of Mr.. Lincoln's having 1.-The ysrioloid
during the war
Commenting on the report, Uncle Abe
said to Wade: "Some people said they
could not take my proclamation very well.
but when / get the smallpox, Wade, l
shall then be happy to say have some
thing everybody else can take"
JAMES BRIsBIN.
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