urrowed cheeks, his face pale and wan, his
breast heaving with emotion, passed through the room. He almost fell as
he stepped into the street. We sprang involuntarily from our seats to
render assistance, but he did not fall.

"With both hands pressed upon his heart, he walked down the street, not
returning the salute of the sentinel pacing his beat before the door."

PROFANITY AS A SAFETY-VALVE.

Lincoln never indulged in profanity, but confessed that when Lee was
beaten at Malvern Hill, after seven days of fighting, and Richmond,
but twelve miles away, was at McClellan's mercy, he felt very much
like swearing when he learned that the Union general had retired to
Harrison's Landing.

Lee was so confident his opponent would not go to Richmond that he took
his army into Maryland--a move he would not have made had an energetic
fighting man been in McClellan's place.

It is true McClellan followed and defeated Lee in the bloodiest battle
of the War--Antietam--afterwards following him into Virginia; but
Lincoln could not bring himself to forgive the general's inaction before
Richmond.

WHY WE WON AT GETTYSBURG.

President Lincoln said to General Sickles, just after the victory
of Gettysburg: "The fact is, General, in the stress and pinch of the
campaign there, I went to my room, and got down on my knees and prayed
God Almighty for victory at Gettysburg. I told Him that this was His
country, and the war was His war, but that we really couldn't stand
another Fredericksburg or Chancellorsville. And then and there I made
a solemn vow with my Maker that if He would stand by you boys at
Gettysburg I would stand by Him. And He did, and I will! And after this
I felt that God Almighty had taken the whole thing into His hands."

HAD TO WAIT FOR HIM.

President Lincoln, having arranged to go to New York, was late for his
train, much to the disgust of those who were to accompany him, and all
were compelled to wait several hours until the next train steamed out
of the station. President Lincoln was much amused at the dissatisfaction
displayed, and then ventured the remark that the situation reminded him
of "a little story." Said he:

"Out in Illinois, a convict who had murdered his cellmate was sentenced
to be hanged. On the day set for the execution, crowds lined the roads
leading to the spot where the scaffold had been erected, and there was
much jostling and excitement. The condemned man took matters cool