Lincoln strode out again, "seemingly utterly unconscious," says Hay's diary, "that he, with his short shirt hanging about his long legs and setting out behind like the tail feathers of an enormous ostrich, was infinitely funnier than anything in the book he was laughing at."
"That fellow Lowell" was James Russell Lowell, an American critic, poet, and essayist, later our Minister to England.
One day Tom had a welcome letter from his father, saying he was on his way home and would be in Washington almost as soon as his letter was. The letter was written from St. Petersburg and had upon its envelope Russian stamps. Tom had never seen a Russian stamp before. He showed the envelope as a curiosity to little Tad Lincoln and at that small boy's eager request gave it to him. Tom happened to lunch with the Lincoln family that day. Tad produced his new possession at the table, crying to his mother:
"See what Tommy has given me."
"Who wrote you from Russia?" asked Mrs. Lincoln.
"My father," the boy answered. "He sent me good news. He's coming home right away."
"Your father sent me good news, too," said Mr. Lincoln from the head of the table.