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

Yarns and Stories, by Alexander K. McClure 126Ward Lamon and the others with Lincoln were instantly alarmed, andwould have struck the stranger had not Lincoln hastily said, "Don't strikehim! It is Washburne. Don't you know him?"Mr. Seward had given Congressman Washburne a hint of the time the trainwould arrive, and he had the right to be at the station when the trainsteamed in, but his indiscreet manner of loudly addressing thePresident-elect might have led to serious consequences to the latter.HIS "BROAD" STORIES.Mrs. Rose Linder Wilkinson, who often accompanied her father, JudgeLinder, in the days when he rode circuit with Mr. Lincoln, tells thefollowing story:"At night, as a rule, the lawyers spent awhile in the parlor, and permittedthe women who happened to be along to sit with them. But after half anhour or so we would notice it was time for us to leave them. I remembertraveling the circuit one season when the young wife of one of the lawyerswas with him. The place was so crowded that she and I were made to sleeptogether. When the time came for banishing us from the parlor, we went upto our room and sat there till bed-time, listening to the roars that followedeach ether swiftly while those lawyers down-stairs told stories and laughedtill the rafters rang."In the morning Mr. Lincoln said to me: 'Rose, did we disturb your sleeplast night?' I answered, 'No, I had no sleep'--which was not entirely true butthe retort amused him. Then the young lawyer's wife complained to himthat we were not fairly used. We came along with them, young women, andwhen they were having the best time we were sent away like children to goto bed in the dark."'But, Madame,' said Mr. Lincoln, 'you would not enjoy the things we laughat.' And then he entered into a discussion on what have been termed his'broad' stories. He deplored the fact that men seemed to remember themlonger and with less effort than any others.