was endeavoring to admonish and enlighten his brother
African of the importance of religion and the danger of the future.

"Dar are," said Josh, the preacher, "two roads befo' you, Joe; be
ca'ful which ob dese you take. Narrow am de way dat leads straight to
destruction; but broad am de way dat leads right to damnation."

Joe opened his eyes with affright, and under the spell of the awful
danger before him, exclaimed, "Josh, take which road you please; I shall
go troo de woods."

"I am not willing," concluded the President, "to assume any new troubles
or responsibilities at this time, and shall therefore avoid going to the
one place with Spain, or with the negro to the other, but shall 'take to
the woods.' We will maintain an honest and strict neutrality."

LINCOLN CARRIED HER TRUNK.

"My first strong impression of Mr. Lincoln," says a lady of Springfield,
"was made by one of his kind deeds. I was going with a little friend for
my first trip alone on the railroad cars. It was an epoch of my life.
I had planned for it and dreamed of it for weeks. The day I was to go
came, but as the hour of the train approached, the hackman, through
some neglect, failed to call for my trunk. As the minutes went on,
I realized, in a panic of grief, that I should miss the train. I was
standing by the gate, my hat and gloves on, sobbing as if my heart would
break, when Mr. Lincoln came by.

"'Why, what's the matter?' he asked, and I poured out all my story.

"'How big's the trunk? There's still time, if it isn't too big.' And he
pushed through the gate and up to the door. My mother and I took him up
to my room, where my little old-fashioned trunk stood, locked and tied.
'Oh, ho,' he cried, 'wipe your eyes and come on quick.' And before I
knew what he was going to do, he had shouldered the trunk, was down
stairs, and striding out of the yard. Down the street he went fast as
his long legs could carry him, I trotting behind, drying my tears as I
went. We reached the station in time. Mr. Lincoln put me on the train,
kissed me good-bye, and told me to have a good time. It was just like
him."

BOAT HAD TO STOP.

Lincoln never failed to take part in all political campaigns in
Illinois, as his reputation as a speaker caused his services to be in
great demand. As was natural, he was often the target at which many of
the "Smart Alecks" of that period shot their feeble bolts, but Lincoln
was so ready with his answers that few of