on his way to the War Department, at the west
corner of the grounds, where in times of battle he was wont to get the
midnight dispatches from the field. As the blast struck him he thought
of the numbness of the pacing sentry, and, turning to him, said: 'Young
man, you've got a cold job to-night; step inside, and stand guard
there.'

"'My orders keep me out here,' the soldier replied.

"'Yes,' said the President, in his argumentative tone; 'but your duty
can be performed just as well inside as out here, and you'll oblige me
by going in.'

"'I have been stationed outside,' the soldier answered, and resumed his
beat.

"'Hold on there!' said Mr. Lincoln, as he turned back again; 'it occurs
to me that I am Commander-in-Chief of the army, and I order you to go
inside.'"

WHY LINCOLN GROWED WHISKERS.

Perhaps the majority of people in the United States don't know why
Lincoln "growed" whiskers after his first nomination for the Presidency.
Before that time his face was clean shaven.

In the beautiful village of Westfield, Chautauqua county, New York,
there lived, in 1860, little Grace Bedell. During the campaign of that
year she saw a portrait of Lincoln, for whom she felt the love and
reverence that was common in Republican families, and his smooth, homely
face rather disappointed her. She said to her mother: "I think, mother,
that Mr. Lincoln would look better if he wore whiskers, and I mean to
write and tell him so."

The mother gave her permission.

Grace's father was a Republican; her two brothers were Democrats.
Grace wrote at once to the "Hon. Abraham Lincoln, Esq., Springfield,
Illinois," in which she told him how old she was, and where she lived;
that she was a Republican; that she thought he would make a good
President, but would look better if he would let his whiskers grow. If
he would do so, she would try to coax her brothers to vote for him. She
thought the rail fence around the picture of his cabin was very pretty.
"If you have not time to answer my letter, will you allow your little
girl to reply for you?"

Lincoln was much pleased with the letter, and decided to answer it,
which he did at once, as follows:

"Springfield, Illinois, October 19, 1860.

"Miss Grace Bedell.

"My Dear Little Miss: Your very agreeable letter of the fifteenth is
received. I regret the necessity of saying I have no daughter. I have
three sons; one seventeen, one nine and one seven years of age. They,
with their