7. ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND THE PIG
One day as Abraham Lincoln was riding along a country road on horseback, in company with some friends, he saw a pig stuck fast in a deep place filled with mud, struggling to keep from going in deeper. The poor pig was squealing in terror, and the comical sight filled the friends with laughter and delight. After Lincoln had ridden on a little distance, he turned back his horse, saying, “Gentlemen, excuse me a few moments,” and rode back as fast as he could to the place where the poor creature was, got down from his horse, and drew the pig out of the mud. When he rejoined his companions they asked, “Why did you go back?” He told them what he had done, adding, “I couldn’t sleep well to-night, if I hadn’t done that thing.”
8. GLADSTONE AND THE STREET-SWEEPER
The minister of a church in London was called one day to see a street-sweeper in his parish who was ill. Asking him if any one had been to see him, to the surprise of the minister, the sweeper replied, “Yes, Mr. Gladstone came to see me.”
“Which Mr. Gladstone?” asked the minister.
“Mr. Gladstone, he told me his name was,” replied the poor sick boy.
“But how came he to see you?” said the minister.
“Well,” answered the boy, “he always had a nice word for me when he passed my crossing, and when I was not there he missed me. He asked my mate, who had taken my place, where I was, and when he heard I was ill he asked for my address, and he put it down on paper. So he called to see me.”
“And what did he do?” asked the minister.
“He brought me some nice oranges,” answered the boy, “and then he read to me some Bible and prayed, and it was so good!”