"I would almost give my other hand (he was one-armed) if I could shake Abe Lincoln's hand!"
Lincoln confronted him. "You shall do that, and it shall cost you nothing!" interrupted the revivified President, grasping the lone hand, and, while he held it, he asked the man's name, regiment, etc.
The happy soldier, in telling of this meeting, would end: "I tell you, boys, Abe Lincoln is a thundering Old Glory!"
PERFECT RETALIATION.
The more apparent it was that inconsistency reigned ins the Lincolnian Cabinet, the more earnestly the marplots strove to incite them individually against one another and their head. A speculator who had induced the latter to oblige him with a permit to trade in cotton reported with zest how Secretary Stanton had no sooner seen the paper than, instead of countersigning, he tore up the leaf without respect even for the august signature. Stanton was famous for irascibility. And he did not forbear to manifest it toward all, even to the President. But, as the latter observed, hot or cold, Stanton is generally right. This time he was not sorry at heart for the reproof as to his allowing a signal favor which might work harm. But, affecting rage, he blurted out:
"Oh, he tore my paper, did he? Go and tell Stanton that I will tear up a dozen of his papers before Saturday night!"
LET DOWN THE BARS A LEETLE.
One of the mischief-makers abounding in Washington, and doing more harm than all the rebel calumniators, hastened to repeat to the President that the secretary of war had plainly called him a "d---d fool!"
"You don't say so? This wants looking into. For, if Stanton called me that, it must be true!--for he is nearly every time right!" He took his seat, and excused himself, jerking out as he stalked forth, glad to be quit of the pest:
"I will step over and see him!"