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

Yarns and Stories, by Alexander K. McClure 210KEEP PEGGING AWAY.Being asked one time by an "anxious" visitor as to what he would do incertain contingencies--provided the rebellion was not subdued after three orfour years of effort on the part of the Government?"Oh," replied the President, "there is no alternative but to keep 'pegging'away!"BEWARE OF THE TAIL.After the issue of the Emancipation Proclamation, Governor Morgan, ofNew York, was at the White House one day, when the President said:"I do not agree with those who say that slavery is dead. We are like whalerswho have been long on a chase--we have at last got the harpoon into themonster, but we must now look how we steer, or, with one 'flop' of his tail,he will yet send us all into eternity!""LINCOLN'S DREAM."President Lincoln was depicted as a headsman in a cartoon printed in"Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper," on February 14, 1863, the title ofthe picture being "Lincoln's Dreams; or, There's a Good Time Coming."The cartoon, reproduced here, represents, on the right, the Union Generalswho had been defeated by the Confederates in battle, and had suffereddecapitation in consequence--McDowell, who lost at Bull Run; McClellan,who failed to take Richmond, when within twelve miles of that city and noopposition, comparatively; and Burnside, who was so badly whipped atFredericksburg. To the left of the block, where the President is standingwith the bloody axe in his hand, are shown the members of theCabinet--Secretary of State Seward, Secretary of War Stanton, Secretary ofthe Navy Welles, and others--each awaiting his turn. This part of the"Dream" was never realized, however, as the President did not decapitate