The National tribune., 1890-10-16

Lincoln was facile princeps-t champion end
man of the limo.
Sometimes sarcastic, his stories were always
pat
Don't go. don't CO." said he to well-know
writer in war time Won have been Mt the
front Sit down and tell me all you know. Il
won't take you long"
The same author was once urging Lincoln e
send certain army officer upon a delicate
| mission.
No, no." / have known him for 90 years
He would never do; no is too honest buff
some one like you were to so, tho thing might
| be accomplished"
Balling, the artist, while engaged on a sketch
| OF MT Lincoln, once heard funny converse.
ton between him and the Governor of Ohio.
Lincoln took me for a German. and hence
! has significant look Mt mo when no was chat.
| ting away humorously with the Governor OF
| Ohio, who was invited by Lincoln to sit on that
chair out of my way.
was, of course, no attentive listener, rs I
| had enough to attend to- but | heard Mr. Lin
coin speak some German words, and then |
| heard the Governor say, Why, Mr.. President,
| you are quite n scholar in the German lam
guage.' All = said Lincoln, mo wonder. /
once took whole evening TO study that Ian
guaRe. can speak whole phrases; for in
stance "Geben sic mir Elm glass lager beer."'
This he spoke very correctly, and he looked at
me in establishment when / dropped by brush
and said, with all polteness MIR. President
that is wrong
?" lis expression was very curious, and /
never can forget it. 'What2' he said. is that
wrong2' Most certainly; your Excolency
ought TO say: Geben sic mir zwei lager
" What is that2' he said; 'zwei lager I!
zwei lager! What does that mean p | an
swered: Zwei lager means two glasses of beer
ono for you and one for the Governor
never shall forget the good humor and tho
hearty laugh over what he called a splendid
Improvement on his use of German social
phrases
They went on talking and working, when
suddenly heard the President say, in response
to something the Governor had said: That
Governor, reminds me of an unfortunate story
teller who once had splendid audience around
MN and he told them about q smart young
tarmer who was moving hay right before his
cabin door, and scared up rabbit. Quick as n
flash he ran into the cabin, and, as you know
those fellows always keep their guns loaded and
over the door, he soon graspcd it, cooked il and
was out again-but the rabbit was gone; vet
he could trace him easy enough, because there
was about half an inch of snow on the ground
Hello! shouted one of the audience; you
said he was moving hay, and now you say
there was half an inch of snow on the ground:
how IS that?' All, excuse me, said the story
teller; got parts OF two stories mixed to-
gether.'"
Perhaps pointed n joke as Mr.. Lincoln
ever pcrpctrated is TO be found in his reply TO
Gen. Mcclellan, whom he had asked to explain
why he had made such strong Notifications to
the north of Washington.
Gen. Mcclellan replied "Why, Mr.. Presi.
dent, according 10 military science. il is our
duty TO guard against every possible or suppos-
able contingency that may arise. For example,
u under any circumstances, however fortuitous,
the enemy, by any chance or freak, should, in
q last resort, get in behind Washington. in his
efforts to capture the city, why there the fort
is 10 defend it,
" Yes, that's SO, General ;" said the President
" the precautOn is doubtless a wise one, and
I'm glad to get so clear an explanation. for IL
reminds me of an interesting question once
discussed for several weeks in our lyccum or
moot court at Springfield, H., soon after be-
gan reading law"
"Ah - says Gen. Mcclellan, What question
was that, Dir. Prcsident?"
=" The question" Mr. Lincoln replied. 4" was
" Why does man have breasts 2" and no added
that after many evenings debate the question
was submitted 70 the presiding Judge. who
wisely decided That. If under any circnm- |
stances, however fortuitous, or by any chance |
Or freak, no matter of what nature or by what |
cause, man should have a baby, there would |
be the breasts 10 uurge IL -