The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-10

Wing party and voted for We. but I,li5,
be burned IL VIC air a-Soin' 10 follci.5a
yc into the Know Nothin's. Now don.tN
say yc haint learnt sumpthin'."
Franklin Pierce had the happy
faculty of discovering humor in nl.S;
most any situation. During his w:lrs
service in Mexico he kept ~ journal
and many of the entries are delight,
tnliy naive and optimistic. Here Is one
of them which will serve to illustrate VI;
To-day we reached another OF Santa,
Annals haciendas we'll stocked WITH
fat cattle and other stock. AS tho
owner was not at home could nor
offer to purchase. but | did not have
the heart to forbid the boys 10 pIav}
hunt buffalo. and that may be tho
reason we dined SO bountifully on
/ roast on and juicy steak FOR several
days thereafter
a Specimen of Buchnnrn's wi, fa
Contrary to the popular Impression.
James Buchanan WAS fond OF a Joke.
At the age of thirty he was at the
head OF his profession in Pennsylvania,
ana his practice was the most extern
sivc and most lucrative in the State.t5
About that time he defended before
the State Senate judge who was
being tried upon articles of impeach-
ment, accused of having accepted
bribes In return for certain decisions
IF my client has taken this money!.
demanded Buchanan in his argument.
Il should like to have YOU tell me wha.
mas become OF it. Where has he con-
ccaled it??" 5
Has the learned counsel investi-
gated his own bank account rccentIy.,
asked Senator insnuatngly
Il am obliged to the gentleman for
ms sugSestion,' returned the lawyer
promptly, but the methods which have
served him so admirably in his politi-3
cai career do not apply 10 the prac-&
ticc OF the legal profession. will
admit. however, that 1t Is because e.
am Informed as to the precise condlz5
ton of my bank account that | am
still asking. What has become of tina
money!" Is
The Rarcst Joker of Them ALL.
Abraham Lncolns sense OF humor
| was OF that rare species which no com
bination OF untoward circumstances
could put out of commission At that
critical moment IN the nations history,
and In that of his own. when lie was
about TO issue the emancipation procajl
lamation. and had called In his Cabinet
10 hear II read in it's perfected form,
he prefaced this most serious of Ill
State business with a chapter from
Artemus Ward. Quite as characteris-
ticaliy humorous was his treatment OF
the Ohio man who was dcnouncins
him and his. administration with bitter
inrectivc and calling on the North to
put him out of the way. The trouble
with Mr. NnllandinGham" said tits,
PRESIDENT when he was urged by the
leading men of his party. and even BIZ
many Of those who were his politicala
opponents. to silence the mischicg
! maker. is that lie is gcographicallyi
out OF place"
Ills lcaguagc is reasonable at th!s
time, urged Lincoln's advisors. "and
he should he put in restraint"
Ills language would be all right oa
me other side of the line" returned
the President. with n grim smile. t.nndt
that Is exactly where he is going.'' M
! So, despite the advice OF his Cabin.t5
| to do otherwise. President Lircolr
! bundled the political fanatic eff 10 the
| Confederate capital, whence. he was
returned forthwith to Washington
labeled Not Wanted Lincoln insist.
cd on being generous, and the men at
Rlchmond kept on refusing to ncrcpE.
Meanwhile the nations looked on AMI
laughed, as the President intended
they should. No more effective methoaf
OF dealing with the annoying episode
could have been devised by the in4,
Scnuity of man. a 5t9g
no one OF l'ncoln'S successors may
be described us IA fellow of iniinit.
Jest" Each OF them, down to the
time OF Colonel Rooscvclt--with the
possible exception Of Benjamin Iiar-
rison--had normal' relish for a joke
provided II were constructed on tho
lines Of his own designing and put to-
Scther after his own recipe. but none
Of them had the genius for humor thai.
was 80 conspicuous iii the Great
a. ~
rN-frcsident is most original in his
appreciation OF things that are mtrtl,.
provoking Nor must it be overlooked
mat the present executive head. of thus
republic Is not "A man whose counter
ancc reflects unsccmly gloom ~
tCopyright 1911, by the Associated
Literary press.t ~