The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-08-31

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tasa q oaa no - dsaoiy Wouaasa hin
di1 honor both 70 Ais disssrnmsst a.d his
magnanimlty. 10 frSsnds uho sxmssDsd 1ear
OF misehisf to come from what they sallsd
Stanton's impulsivenoss Lincoln replied:
well. 10 may have TO treat him - they are
scmetimss obliged 70 trsat Methodist minis
ter know Of out West He gets wrought mp TO
30 high pitch Of excitement In his prayers and
exhortations that they are obliRed to put bricks
In bis pockets to keep him down. We may be
Obliged to treat Stanton the same way. but
Euess We will let him jump s'whils first"
The biographer adverts. with good temper
and good sense. to the charges once 20 frequent
in the mouths Of Lincoins enemies that no had
no sense OF personal or official dignity. ana
was oftcn guilty Of profanity and buRooncry.
Mr.. stoddard recounts an incident or two
which may have served AZ pretexts for such
imputations. For example. At meeting Of tho
Naval Board. convoked to discuss the proposed
construction Of q monitor" Mr.. Lincoln ro-
marked that he knew very little about ships.
but he did understand . Gatboat and this
invention was fiat enough" Pressed finally
to give q serious and decisive opinion on
tho matter. WELL" said he. II feel about Il u
good deal as the Fat girl did when Rhe rut hor
foot into her stocking; she thought there WAS
something In It," We are told that on another
occasion-durinC the momentous winter OF
1S61-02 when tho Northern people were clamor-
ing for an advance on Richmond Lincoln was
alone In his room when a stsfY officer was an
nounced by the doorkeeper and admitted. Tho
President turned In his chair to hear and was
informed in RESPECTFUL. sot terms. that tho ad
vance could not DO made. WHY" he CURLY
demanded. The pontoon trains are not
ready" Why in hell and damnation amt
they readyp" was tho angry response.
Without attempting to defond such occa-
sional ebullitions Of temper or the l-controlled
propensity to Jest. Mr.. Stotidard appreciates
very Justly those aspects OF Llncon's character.
He labored," We read. under ono disadvan-
tage perhaps. as ruler. II no met Governor
q General. . foreign diplomat. a visitor Of es-
pecial distinction 1t WAS out Of his power to look
upon the greet parsonage before him rs other
or more or less than human being like him
self or any other man to be met and spoken to-
Some Of the dissatisfaction caused In this way
las been duly recorded by the sufferers"
Elsewhere the author tells us that
Mr.. Lincoln preferred to look on the
ludicrous side OF many incidents which
had no doubt thoir serious edo also. Ito :" FREQ
ly declared to moro than ono who conversod
with him that the most effective relief to his
heavy load OF care and anxiety was that which
he found ia his capacity FOL enjoying fun fnr It's
own sake. II, could still toll story or laugh
at q joke. and he could still use ether AS a
weapon or q shield. In any form OF employ
ment they were OF invaluable use. Tley whose
SOLEMN shallowncss enablos thom to disregard
the structure of tho human brain will probably
continue to wonder at tho trustworthy anec-
dotes Of the Presidents unaccountable lrivolity
in his days Of overstran."