Sunday my mother visited the Lincolns, and I was taken along. 'Abe'
and I played around all day. Finally, we concluded to cross the creek
to hunt for some partridges young Lincoln had seen the day before.
The creek was swollen by a recent rain, and, in crossing on the narrow
footlog, 'Abe' fell in. Neither of us could swim. I got a long pole and
held it out to 'Abe,' who grabbed it. Then I pulled him ashore.

"He was almost dead, and I was badly scared. I rolled and pounded him
in good earnest. Then I got him by the arms and shook him, the water
meanwhile pouring out of his mouth. By this means I succeeded in
bringing him to, and he was soon all right.

"Then a new difficulty confronted us. If our mothers discovered our
wet clothes they would whip us. This we dreaded from experience, and
determined to avoid. It was June, the sun was very warm, and we soon
dried our clothing by spreading it on the rocks about us. We promised
never to tell the story, and I never did until after Lincoln's tragic
end."

WOULD NOT RECALL A SINGLE WORD.

In conversation with some friends at the White House on New Year's
evening, 1863, President Lincoln said, concerning his Emancipation
Proclamation:

"The signature looks a little tremulous, for my hand was tired, but my
resolution was firm.

"I told them in September, if they did not return to their allegiance,
and cease murdering our soldiers, I would strike at this pillar of their
strength.

"And now the promise shall be kept, and not one word of it will I ever
recall."

OLD BROOM BEST AFTER ALL.

During the time the enemies of General Grant were making their bitterest
attacks upon him, and demanding that the President remove him from
command, "Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper," of June 13, 1863, came
out with the cartoon reproduced. The text printed under the picture was
to the following effect:

OLD ABE: "Greeley be hanged! I want no more new brooms. I begin to think
that the worst thing about my old ones was in not being handled right."

The old broom the President holds in his right hand is labeled "Grant."
The latter had captured Fort Donelson, defeated the Confederates at
Shiloh, Iuka, Port Gibson, and other places, and had Vicksburg in his
iron grasp. When the demand was made that Lincoln depose Grant, the
President answered, "I can't spare this man; he fights!" Grant never
lost a battle and when he found the enemy he always fought him.
McClellan, Burns