The bewildered Illinoisan betook himself at once to the President and related the result of the conference.
“Did Stanton say I was a d—d fool?” asked Lincoln at the close of the recital.
“He did, sir, and repeated it.”
After a moment’s pause, and looking up, the President said: “If Stanton said I was a d—d fool, then I must be one, for he is nearly always right, and generally says what he means. I will slip over and see him.”
MRS. LINCOLN’S SURPRISE.
A good story is told of how Mrs. Lincoln made a little surprise for her husband.
In the early days it was customary for lawyers to go from one county to another on horseback, a journey which often required several weeks. On returning from one of these trips, late one night, Mr. Lincoln dismounted from his horse at the familiar corner and then turned to go into the house, but stopped; a perfectly unknown structure was before him. Surprised, and thinking there must be some mistake, he went across the way and knocked at a neighbor’s door. The family had retired, and so called out:
“Who’s there?”
“Abe Lincoln,” was the reply. “I am looking for my house. I thought it was across the way, but when I went away a few weeks ago there was only a one-story house there and now there is a two-story house in its place. I think I must be lost.”