, 1889-08-29
The sTus JAILED COW.
Mr.. HAmlin ForAged for n Hat and Presi-
dent lincoln Told n Story.

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Mr.. HAmiin ForAged for n Hat and Presi-
dent lincoln Told n Story.
Stories of President Lincoln's keen hu-
NOR are seemingly inexhaustible. One,
which / think has never appeared in
print, comes from a man who held a
prominent office under Lincoln, and who
knew the great statesman well. At an
official ball some thieves made of with
many of the hats and overcoats of the
guests, so that when the presidential
party was ready TO take leave Vice Presi-
lent Hamlin's head covering was not to
be found.
"Tn tell you what, Hamlin," said n
friend; 'early in the evening l saw a
man, possessed of keen foresight, hide
his hat upstairs. / am sure he would be
willing 20 donate it to the administration,
and l will go and get it for you"
When he hat was produced it was dis
covered to be very much after the style
affected by Hamlin, but 1t bore a badge
of mourning, which emblem the vice
president ripped off with his penknife.
The party stood chatting merrily as they
waited for the carriages to be driven up,
when a man stopped directly in front Of
Mr.. Hamlin and stood staring at the
title" with which his head was covered.
What are you looking at, sirT' asked
Hamlin sharply.
"Your hat" answered tho man mild
ly. "If 1t had n weed on it l should say
it was mine"
"Well, it hasn't got a weed on it, has
it?' asked the vice president.
mo, sir" said the hatless man, ait
hasn't"
"Then it isn't your hat, is it?' said the
proud possessor of it.
"No, l guess not" said the man as he
turned to walk away. When this little
scene was explained to President Lin
coin he laughed heartily and said:
THAT reminds me, Hamlin, of n long
time ago when / was pioneering and sol
diering In Illinois and we put up n Joke
on some officers OF the United States
army. My party and 1 were a long way
off from the comforts of civilized life,
and our only neighbors were the garri-
son of a United States fort. We did
pretty we'll for rations, had plenty of
salt meat inc -four, but milk was NOS to
be had for love or money, and as we all
longed for the delicacy we thought It
pretty mean that the officers of the fort,
who had two cows-a studded tailed one
and n black and white one-offered us
no milk, though we threw out manya and
strong hints that it would be acceptable.
AT last, after much consultation, we de-
cided to teach them a lesson and borrow
or steal n of those cows, just as you
choose to put it. But how it could be
done without h COW being at once iden-
titled n recovered was the question.
At last we hit on a plan. One of our
party was dispatched n days ride to the
nearest slaughter house, where he pro-
cured q long red cows tail to match the
color OF the stub tailed COW, after pos
sessing ourselves of which animal we
neatly tied our purchase to the poor stub,
and with appetites whetted by long alb
stinence we drank and relished the sweet
milk which 'our cow gave. A few days
afterward we were honored by n ca II
from the commander OF the fort. So :,
boys said he, we have lost one of our
cows OF course we felt very sorry and
expressed our regret accordingly. But,
continued the commander, i came over
to say that II that cow of yours had q
stub tail l should say it was ours
"'But she hasn't a stub tail, has sheY
asked we, sure of our point.
mo said the officer. 'sho certainly
has not a stub tail
"'Well, she isn't your COW them and
our argument was unanswerable as was
Hamlin's. "-Washington Cor. New York
Tribune.