too many weeping widows in the United States. For God's sake don't ask me to add to the number, for I won't do it."

To Gen. B. F. Butler, 1863, when the general asked for the pardon of a man whom he himself had sentenced to be shot :

"You? Asking me to pardon some poor fellow ?-Give me that pen!"

After listening to a plea on behalf of a soldier condemned to death:

"Well!—I don't believe shooting will do him any good.-Give me that pen."

To a friend, who had obtained from him a pardon for a deserter :

"Some of our generals complain that I impair discipline and subordination in the army by my pardons and respites, but it makes me rested,

after a hard day's work, if I can find some good excuse for saving a man's life."

To a man who had applied for a pardon for his son, condemned to be shot. A direct pardon could not be given, under the circumstances, but the president had written :

"Job Smith is not to be shot until further orders from me," and the anxious father had begged for something more definite. Said Mr. Lincoln,

"Well, my old friend, I see you are not very well acquainted with me. If your son never looks on death till further orders come from me, to shoot him, he will live to be a great deal older than Methusaleh."

LETTER TO J. G. HODGES, FRANKFORT, KY., APRIL 4, 1864, CONCERNING EMANCIPATION.

"Was it possible to lose the

nation and yet preserve the Constitution? By general law, life and limb must be protected; yet often a limb must be amputated to save a life, but a life is never wisely given to save a limb."

OF HUMOR.

A great deal has been said of Lincoln's keen appreciation of the wit and humor of others and of his own faculty for employing wit and humor, and even broad burlesque as an orator and in conversation. It is very nearly true, however, that he rarely told a joke or even a good story for its own sake,—for mere amusement. Their value to him was rather illustrative, or to sharpen the point of an argument, or to expose a weakness in the position taken by an adversary. To this is due the fact that so few of his good hits have been preserved or can be made to present their original quality apart from the

persons and the circumstances. No special effort has here been made, therefore, to collect the shrewd, or dry, or caustic utterances which made some men laugh and others wince.

He found yet another important use in his faculty for enjoying the ludicrous and of being amused by the grotesque. It brought him exceedingly helpful relief.

One morning, in 1862, when the hearts of all men were heavy, an Ohio Congressman, a personal friend, called to see him with reference to important affairs. Before making any other response, the president began to tell a humorous story that seemed to fit and his friend arose at once exclaiming :

"Mr. President, I did not come here, this morning, to hear stories ; it is too serious a time!"

responded Lincoln,

"Ashley," responded