''Abe'' Lincoln's Yarns and Stories - University of Macau Library

Yarns and Stories, by Alexander K. McClure 119jeans-clad breast:"Here is your aristocrat, one of your silk-stocking gentry, at your service."Then, spreading out his hands, bronzed and gaunt with toil: "Here is yourrag-basin with lily-white hands. Yes, I suppose, according to my friendTaylor, I am a bloated aristocrat."WHEN OLD ABE GOT MAD.Soon after hostilities broke out between the North and South, Congressappointed a Committee on the Conduct of the War. This committee besetMr. Lincoln and urged all sorts of measures. Its members were aggressiveand patriotic, and one thing they determined upon was that the Army of thePotomac should move. But it was not until March that they becameconvinced that anything would be done.One day early in that month, Senator Chandler, of Michigan, a member ofthe committee, met George W. Julian. He was in high glee. "'Old' Abe ismad," said Julian, "and the War will now go on."WANTED TO "BORROW" THE ARMY.During one of the periods when things were at a standstill, the Washingtonauthorities, being unable to force General McClellan to assume anaggressive attitude, President Lincoln went to the general's headquarters tohave a talk with him, but for some reason he was unable to get an audience.Mr. Lincoln returned to the White House much disturbed at his failure tosee the commander of the Union forces, and immediately sent for twogeneral officers, to have a consultation. On their arrival, he told them hemust have some one to talk to about the situation, and as he had failed tosee General McClellan, he wished their views as to the possibility orprobability of commencing active operations with the Army of thePotomac.