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

Yarns and Stories, by Alexander K. McClure 92"There is only one change I should suggest, Mr. Lincoln, you have written'It shall be my care to not violate or disregard it in any part,' you shouldhave written 'not to violate.' Never split an infinitive, is the rule."Mr. Lincoln took the manuscript, regarding it a moment with a puzzled air,"So you think I better put those two little fellows end to end, do you?" hesaid as he made the change.HIS FIRST SATIRICAL WRITING.Reuben and Charles Grigsby were married in Spencer county, Indiana, onthe same day to Elizabeth Ray and Matilda Hawkins, respectively. Theymet the next day at the home of Reuben Grigsby, Sr., and held a doubleinfare, to which most of the county was invited, with the exception of theLincolns. This Abraham duly resented, and it resulted in his first attempt atsatirical writing, which he called "The Chronicles of Reuben."The manuscript was lost, and not recovered until 1865, when a housebelonging to one of the Grigsbys was torn down. In the loft a boy found aroll of musty old papers, and was intently reading them, when he was askedwhat he was doing."Reading a portion of the Scriptures that haven't been revealed yet," wasthe response. This was Lincoln's "Chronicles," which is herewith given:"THE CHRONICLES OF REUBEN.""Now, there was a man whose name was Reuben, and the same was verygreat in substance, in horses and cattle and swine, and a very greathousehold."It came to pass when the sons of Reuben grew up that they were desirousof taking to themselves wives, and, being too well known as to honor intheir own country, they took a journey into a far country and there procuredfor themselves wives.