Part 35 (1/2)

”'”Good morning, king,” said the farmer; ”where are you folks going?”

”'”Hunting,” said the king.

”'”Hunting! You'll all get wet,” said the farmer.

”'The king trusted his astrologer and kept on, but at midday there came up a tremendous rain that drenched the king and all his party.

”'On getting back to the palace the king had the astrologer decapitated, and sent for the farmer to take his place.

”'”Law's sakes!” said the farmer, when he arrived, ”it ain't me that knows when it's going to rain, it's my donkey. When it's going to be fair weather, he always carries his ears forward, so. When it's going to rain, he puts 'em backward, so.”

”'”Make the donkey the court astrologer!” shouted the king.

”'It was done; but the king always declared that that appointment was the greatest mistake he ever made in his life.'

”Mr. Lincoln stopped there,” said the office-seeker.

”'Why did he call it a mistake?” we asked him. 'Didn't the donkey do his duty?'

”'Yes,' said the President, 'but after that every donkey in the country wanted an office.'”

ENCOURAGE LONGING FOR WORK.

In 1861, the badgered President had so novel an application that he wrote the annexed note to facilitate its harvest:

”To Major Ramsey: The lady--bearer of this--says she has two sons who want to work. Set them at it, if possible. Wanting to work is so rare a merit that it should be encouraged.”

”BUT AARON GOT HIS COMMISSION!”

To animadversion on the President appointing to a post one who had zealously opposed his reelection, he replied:

”Well, I allow that Judge E----, having been disappointed before, did behave pretty 'ugly,' but that would not make him any less fit for the place; and I think I have scriptural authority for appointing him. You remember when the Lord was on Mount Sinai getting out a commission for Aaron, said Aaron was at the foot of the mountain, making a false G.o.d for the people to wors.h.i.+p? Yet Aaron got his commission, you know.”

SOMETHING LINCOLNIAN ALL COULD TAKE.

When the President had an attack of spotted fever, and was told he must be immured, as it was catching, he smiled and said:

”It is a pity to shut the public off--as while every act of mine is not taken to, _now_ I have something everybody might take!”