it no longer; then, turning
to his associate, he said: "The man is guilty; you defend him--I can't,"
and when his associate secured a verdict of acquittal, Lincoln refused
to share the fee to the extent of one cent.

Lincoln would never advise clients to enter into unwise or unjust
lawsuits, always preferring to refuse a retainer rather than be a party
to a case which did not commend itself to his sense of justice.

IF THEY'D ONLY "SKIP."

General Creswell called at the White House to see the President the day
of the latter's assassination. An old friend, serving in the Confederate
ranks, had been captured by the Union troops and sent to prison. He
had drawn an affidavit setting forth what he knew about the man,
particularly mentioning extenuating circumstances.

Creswell found the President very happy. He was greeted with: "Creswell,
old fellow, everything is bright this morning. The War is over. It has
been a tough time, but we have lived it out,--or some of us have," and
he dropped his voice a little on the last clause of the sentence. "But
it is over; we are going to have good times now, and a united country."

General Creswell told his story, read his affidavit, and said, "I know
the man has acted like a fool, but he is my friend, and a good fellow;
let him out; give him to me, and I will be responsible that he won't
have anything more to do with the rebs."

"Creswell," replied Mr. Lincoln, "you make me think of a lot of young
folks who once started out Maying. To reach their destination, they had
to cross a shallow stream, and did so by means of an old flatboat. When
the time came to return, they found to their dismay that the old scow
had disappeared. They were in sore trouble, and thought over all manner
of devices for getting over the water, but without avail.

"After a time, one of the boys proposed that each fellow should pick up
the girl he liked best and wade over with her. The masterly proposition
was carried out, until all that were left upon the island was a little
short chap and a great, long, gothic-built, elderly lady.

"Now, Creswell, you are trying to leave me in the same predicament. You
fellows are all getting your own friends out of this scrape; and you
will succeed in carrying off one after another, until nobody but Jeff
Davis and myself will be left on the island, and then I won't know what
to do. How should I feel? How should I look, lugging him over?

"I guess the way to avoid