“I’ll tell her I did it with the axe,” she said in the midst of her crying. “That will be the truth, won’t it?”
“Yes,” replied the boy, “that’s the truth as far as it goes, but it is not all of the truth. You tell the whole truth and trust your mother for the rest.”
Tilda went home limping and weeping with the whole truth, and the good mother thought she had been punished enough.
The self-possessed way in which Lincoln conducted himself is well illustrated in his experience with the boaster who was telling of his horse-race, and especially endeavoring to impress his story upon the youthful Lincoln.
Uncle Jimmy Larkins, the boastful owner of the fast horse, was much of a hero in the eyes of a small boy who grew up to be Captain John Lamar, the man who tells the story.
Lincoln paid no attention to the boasting. Uncle Jimmy did not like this and the Lamar boy thought it very rude in Lincoln. Finally Uncle Jimmy said, “Abe, I’ve got the best horse in the world: he won that race and never drew a long breath.”
But Abe still paid no attention. Uncle Jimmy didn’t like it some more and the Lamar boy was disgusted that Lincoln did not give due respect for something so important.
“I say, Abe,” repeated Uncle Jimmy emphatically, “I have the best horse in the world; after all that running he never drew a long breath.”