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the sentinel was ordered to halt, and the word demanded. He gave the word "Potomac."

"Nicht right; you don't pass mit me dis way."

"But this is the word, and I will pass."

"No, you stan'," at the same time placing a bayonet at his breast, in a manner that told the officer that "Po

tomac" didn't pass in Missouri.

"What is the word then?" "Buttermilk."

"Well, then, buttermilk."

"Dat is right; now you pass mit yourself all about your piziness."

There was then a general overhauling of the password, and the difference between Potomac and Buttermilk being understood, the joke became one of the laughable incidents of the campaign.

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Lincoln and a Clergyman.

At the semi-annual meeting of the New Jersey Historical Society,, held in Newark, N. J., Rev. Dr. Sheldon, of Princeton, read a memorial of their late President,. Rev. R. R. Rodgers, D. D., in which occurs the following incident concerning Mr. Lincoln, and the war.

One day during the war, Dr. Rodgers was called on by a man in his congregation, who, in great distress, told him that his son, a soldier in the army, had just been sentenced to be shot for desertion, and begged the minister's interposition.

The Doctor went to Washington with the wife and infant child of the condemned man, and sent his card up to Mr. Lincoln. When admitted, the President said:

"You are a minister, I believe. What can I do for you, my friend?"

'The reply was: "A young man from my congregation in the army has so far forgotten his duty to his country and his God as to desert his colors, and is sentenced to die. I have come to ask you to spare him.' With characteristic quaintness the President replied: 'Then you don't want him hurt, do you?'

'Oh, no,' said the petitioner, 'I did not mean that; he deserves punishment, but I beg for him time to prepare to meet his God.'

'Do you say he has father, wife and child?' said Mr. Lincoln.

'Yes.'

'Where do you say he is?'

On being told, he turned to his secretary, said a few words in an undertone, of which that official made note,, and added to Dr. Rodgers, 'You have your request. Tell your friends I have reprieved him.'

With a 'God bless you, Mr. President,' Dr. Rodgers: turned away to bear the glad news to the distressed family."

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The President Advises Secretary Stanton to Prepare for Death.

The imperious Stanton, when Secretary of War, took a fancy one day for a house in Washington that Lamon had just bargained for. Lamon not only did not vacate, but went to Stanton and said he would kill him if he interfered with the house. Stanton was furious at the

threat, and made it known at once to Lincoln. The latter said to the astonished War Secretary:

"Well, Stanton, if Ward has said he will kill you, he certainly will, and I'd advise you to prepare for death without further delay."

The President promised, however, to do what he could to appease the murderous Marshal, and this was the end of Stanton's attempt on the house.

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"A Great Deal of Shuck for a Little Nubbin."

At the peace conference which occured in February, 1865, at Fortress Monroe, President Lincoln and Secretary Seward were on one side, and Alexander H. Stephens, John A Campbell and R. M. T. Hunter on the other. The attenuation of Mr. Stephens has so long been a matter of such general notoriety that it is not offensive to speak of it. It seems that Mr. Lincoln had never seen Mr. Stephens before. At that time a kind of cloth was worn by Southern gentlemen. nearly the shade of ordinary corn husk, and Mr. Stephens' great coat was made of that material. But Mr. Stephens, who always had been a frail man, wore many other garments beneath to protect him against the raw wind of Hampton Roads; and Mr. Lincoln watched with much interest the process of shedding until the man was finally reached. At last Mr. Stephens stood forth in his physical entity, ready for business. Mr. Lincoln, giving Gov. Seward one of his most comical looks, and pointing to the discarded coats, said:

"Well, I never saw as much shuck for as little a nubbin in my life."

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"Tad's" Rebel Flag.

One of the prettiest incident's in the closing days of the civil war occurred when the troops "marching home again" passed in grand form, if with well-worn uniforms and tattered bunting, before the White House, says Harper's Young People.

Naturally, an immense crowd had assembled on the streets, the lawns. porches, balconies, and windows, even those of the executive mansion itself being crowded to excess. A central figure was that of the President, Abraham Lincoln, who, with bared head, unfurled and waved our nation's flag in the midst of lusty cheers. But suddenly there was an unexpected sight.

A small boy leaned forward and sent streaming to the air the banner of the boys in gray. It was an old flag which had been captured from the Confederates, and which the urchin, the President's second son, Tad, had obtained possession of and considered an additional triumph to unfurl on this all-important day.

Vainly did the servant who had followed him to the window plead with him to desist. No, Master Tad, the Pet of the White House. was not to be prevented from adding to the loyal demonstration of the hour.

To his surprise, however, the crowd viewed it differently. Had it floated from any other window in the capital that day, no doubt it would have been the target of contempt and abuse; but when the President, understanding what had happened, turned, with a smile on his

grand, plain face and showed his approval by a gesture and expression, cheer after cheer rent the air.

It was, surely enough, the expression of peace and good will which, of all our commanders, none was better pleased to promote than our commander-in-chief.

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A Position That Lincoln Wanted.

A gentleman named Farquhar of York, Pa., did not enlist because he was a Quaker. In the course of the war General Early marched before York and threatened to burn the houses of its peaceful citizens unless a ransome of $25,000 was forthcoming.

Mr. F was foremost in arranging matters and struck a bargain with the Confederates which, while they were near, seemed very clever to his fellow-townsmen, but when they marched away, brought forth many bitter complaints.

The whole matter set Mr. F—— thinking. The war ought to be ended. So he set out for Washington to offer his services to the government. He called upon Mr. Lincoln, told him how he felt, and said he wished to help his country.

"Well," said Mr. Lincoln, "come with me to the Secretary of war and I will give you a position which I would gladly take myself."

They were soon in Mr. Stanton's office. Lincoln made a sign to the Secretary, who produced a Bible and proceeded to swear Mr. Finto the United States service.

The ceremony had not gone very far when he discov

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