on the war, $3,000,000 a day, which will amount to all this
money, besides all the lives."

LINCOLN AS A STORY WRITER.

In his youth, Mr. Lincoln once got an idea for a thrilling, romantic
story. One day, in Springfield, he was sitting with his feet on the
window sill, chatting with an acquaintance, when he suddenly changed the
drift of the conversation by saying: "Did you ever write out a story in
your mind? I did when I was a little codger. One day a wagon with a lady
and two girls and a man broke down near us, and while they were fixing
up, they cooked in our kitchen. The woman had books and read us stories,
and they were the first I had ever heard. I took a great fancy to one
of the girls; and when they were gone I thought of her a great deal,
and one day when I was sitting out in the sun by the house I wrote out
a story in my mind. I thought I took my father's horse and followed
the wagon, and finally I found it, and they were surprised to see me. I
talked with the girl, and persuaded her to elope with me; and that night
I put her on my horse, and we started off across the prairie. After
several hours we came to a camp; and when we rode up we found it was the
one we had left a few hours before, and went in. The next night we tried
again, and the same thing happened--the horse came back to the same
place; and then we concluded that we ought not to elope. I stayed until
I had persuaded her father to give her to me. I always meant to write
that story out and publish it, and I began once; but I concluded that it
was not much of a story. But I think that was the beginning of love with
me."

LINCOLN'S IDEAS ON CROSSING A RIVER WHEN HE GOT TO IT.

Lincoln's reply to a Springfield (Illinois) clergyman, who asked him
what was to be his policy on the slavery question was most apt:

"Well, your question is rather a cool one, but I will answer it by
telling you a story:

"You know Father B., the old Methodist preacher? and you know Fox River
and its freshets?

"Well, once in the presence of Father B., a young Methodist was worrying
about Fox River, and expressing fears that he should be prevented from
fulfilling some of his appointments by a freshet in the river.

"Father B. checked him in his gravest manner. Said he:

"'Young man, I have always made it a rule in my life not to cross Fox
River till I get to it.'

"And," said the President, "I am not going to worry myself over the
slavery question till I