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

Yarns and Stories, by Alexander K. McClure 364a child will, looking at whatever interested him for the time, and when theinterview with his father was over he was ready to go.But Mr. Lincoln, ever interested in little children, called the lad to him andtook him upon his great knee."My impression of him all the time I had been playing about the room,"said Mr. Anthony, "was that he was a terribly homely man. I was ratherrepelled. But no sooner did he speak to me than the expression of his facechanged completely, or, rather, my view of it changed. It at once becamekindly and attractive. He asked me some questions, seeming instantly tofind in the turmoil of all the great questions that must have been heavyupon him, the very ones that would go to the thought of a child. I answeredhim without hesitation, and after a moment he patted my shoulder and said:"'Well, you'll be a man before your mother yet,' and put me down."I had never before heard the homely old expression, and it puzzled me fora time. After a moment I understood it, but he looked at me while I waspuzzling over it, and seemed to be amused, as no doubt he was."The incident simply illustrates the ease and readiness with which Lincolncould turn from the mighty questions before the nation, give a moment'sinterested attention to a child, and return at once to matters of state."LEFT IT THE WOMEN TO HOWL ABOUT ME."Donn Piatt, one of the brightest newspaper writers in the country, told agood story on the President in regard to the refusal of the latter to sanctionthe death penalty in cases of desertion from the Union Army."There was far more policy in this course," said Piatt, "than kind feeling.To assert the contrary is to detract from Lincoln's force of character, as wellas intellect. Our War President was not lost in his high admiration ofbrigadiers and major-generals, and had a positive dislike for their methodsand the despotism upon which an army is based. He knew that he was