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

Yarns and Stories, by Alexander K. McClure 63"'You'll tell.'"'Honest, Jake, I won't say a word. Hope to drop dead this minute.'"'Never say nothing, if I tell you?'"'Cross my heart three times.'"This reassured Jake, who put his mouth close to the ear of his eagerquestioner, and said, in a whisper:"'All you got to do is jes' to hide in a fence corner an' make a noise like aturnip. That'll bring the chickens every time.'"WARDING OFF GOD'S VENGEANCE.When Lincoln was a candidate for re-election to the Illinois Legislature in1836, a meeting was advertised to be held in the court-house in Springfield,at which candidates of opposing parties were to speak. This gave men ofspirit and capacity a fine opportunity to show the stuff of which they weremade.George Forquer was one of the most prominent citizens; he had been aWhig, but became a Democrat--possibly for the reason that by means of thechange he secured the position of Government land register, from PresidentAndrew Jackson. He had the largest and finest house in the city, and therewas a new and striking appendage to it, called a lightning-rod! The meetingwas very large. Seven Whig and seven Democratic candidates spoke.Lincoln closed the discussion. A Kentuckian (Joshua F. Speed), who hadheard Henry Clay and other distinguished Kentucky orators, stood nearLincoln, and stated afterward that he "never heard a more effectivespeaker;... the crowd seemed to be swayed by him as he pleased." Whatoccurred during the closing portion of this meeting must be given in full,from Judge Arnold's book: