Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-01-24
That Cat S all
An llusratIv. Story Tod by
Abraham Lincoln
By ARNOl D ROBINSON

If any one should assert that Abra
ham Lincoln was the greatest Aineri
can humorist lie would have much
with which TO enforce his argument
Mr.. Lincolns hum0r. judged as to its
effectiveness ~ concise Illustration, GER
tainly stands very high. For instance,
his reply TO tie BIRTHS h ambassador,
! Lord Lyons, when that functionary an
nounced in a formal manner that the
! Prince of Wales tafterward Edward
| VIII was about to be married. enun-
ciated the breaking down of a rever-
ence the world had always felt for
! royal personaseS before republican sim
| plicity. When the ambassador, who
was bachelor. had made his an
! nounrement and awaited the formal re-
ply of the head of the American ma
ton. Mr. Lin> olD with Il twinkle in his
eye. said:
Lord Lyons. go thou and do like
wise"
The story given below contains one
Of Mr.. Lincoins remarkable efforts at
COHtISG IIluStiullO Al any Iutc. ~
served purpose-an avoidance Of en-
tering upon an untimely explanation
1t was this power that rendered Mr.
Lincoln such an effective public speak
er. for there is no field wherein an
ability for concise Illustration or to dis
miss a point without entering upon
lengthy explanation of it is so effective
as that of political oratory
The rise of Mr. Lincoln to his emf
rent position as director of the nation
In the great struggle Of 1S61-65 was
very sudden. Only two years before
his election a gentleman stood talking
| with the clerk of a hotel In Springfield.
ILL.,. when the latter said:
do you see that tall. lean man sit
ting over there reading a newspaper?
That man il going to be the next pres
ldent Of the United States"
The remark was doubtless the result
of that local pride which leads one to
predict a career for fellow citizen.
| for Abraham Lincoln was nominated
Unexpectedly. However. the mans at
tentiOn having been drawn to Mr. Lin
coin. he remembered him. and 1t Is not
likely that the next president was re-
markably prominent. for the same per-
son few months later thus describes
another view Of him. The former saw
q transparency set up on church
fence announcing that lecture on in
ventors and inventions would be de-
livered that evening for the benefit Of
the church by A. Lincoln.
Remembering what the hotel clerk
had said about Mr.. Lincoln, the man
went to hear the lecture and thus de-
scribes the scene. 1.-THE lecture room
was dingy. drafty loft There were
forty or nfty persons IN the body Of
the house scattered about and looking
exceedingly uncomfortable. At the end
Of the hall was q rickety deal table on
which stood two candles and leaning
on this table on his long thin arm,
reading occasionally from Z pile Of
j manuscript. was the lecturer"
When Mr.. Lincoln was nominated
for the presidency one Of his old
chums called among host OF others
| to offer his congratulations He ad.
dressed the future president as Abe.
and Mr.. Lincoln called him Jim.
'.See here. Abe" said Jim, Il can't
zee how you figure this thing out
When you and me was Wings together
| you was always happy when you was
hghtin' Steve Douglas. What want
| to know IL how you got In with them
abolitionists.'
| Others. including reporters, being
present. Mr. Lincoln had the best OF
| reasons for not making reply. he
smiled good naturedly and tried to put
the man on. but he was not to be put
on. Again he demanded an explana-
don.
.'WeIl," said Mr.. Lincoln. 1T was like
the boy and the tanner. A country
boy concluded to 60 to the city and
make something great OF himself He
walked all day and at evening reached
the outskirts Of small country town.
The first building he came across was
a tannery, and through hole in the
door projected the tail OF cat that
was used az a latchstring The boy
stopped and looked at It with interest
and curiosity depicted In every feature.
Just then the tanner happened to come
out through another door and. seeing
the boy standing there wondering.
asked:
what II It. boy1 Do you want
anythingY No. replied the boy. \
don't want anything was wonderin'
how that goldarned cat got through
that hole and what he went In for"
There was laugh In which Jim join
ed. and he went away far better salts
fed than II his old friend had given
In detail q statement of his reasons for
"joining the abolitionists."
Rut two years elapsed between the
frst and last of these pictures of
the great emancipation. and a few
months later still Mr.. Lincoln had en-
tered upon the work Of carrying the
country through perhaps the most g.
gantic struggle the world has ever
seen.
And who can estimate the value OF
tho facul$y ft,ct lIiustrotod In stand