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

Yarns and Stories, by Alexander K. McClure 362"One night," said Pullman in telling the story, "as we were about going outof Chicago--this was long before Lincoln was what you might call arenowned man--a long, lean, ugly man, with a wart on his cheek, came intothe depot. He paid me fifty cents, and half a berth was assigned him. Thenhe took off his coat and vest and hung them up, and they fitted the pegabout as well as they fitted him. Then he kicked off his boots, which wereof surprising length, turned into the berth, and, undoubtedly having an easyconscience, was sleeping like a healthy baby before the car left the depot."Pretty soon along came another passenger and paid his fifty cents. In twominutes he was back at me, angry as a wet hen."'There's a man in that berth of mine,' said he, hotly, 'and he's about ten feethigh. How am I going to sleep there, I'd like to know? Go and look at him.'"In I went--mad, too. The tall, lank man's knees were under his chin, hisarms were stretched across the bed and his feet were storedcomfortably--for him. I shook him until he awoke, and then told him if hewanted the whole berth he would have to pay $1."'My dear sir,' said the tall man, 'a contract is a contract. I have paid youfifty cents for half this berth, and, as you see, I'm occupying it. There's theother half,' pointing to a strip about six inches wide. 'Sell that and don'tdisturb me again.'"And so saying, the man with a wart on his face went to sleep again. Hewas Abraham Lincoln, and he never grew any shorter afterward. Webecame great friends, and often laughed over the incident."COULD LICK ANY MAN IN THE CROWD.When the enemies of General Grant were bothering the President withemphatic and repeated demands that the "Silent Man" be removed fromcommand, Mr. Lincoln remained firm. He would not consent to lose theservices of so valuable a soldier. "Grant fights," said he in response to thecharges made that Grant was a butcher, a drunkard, an incompetent and a