ds ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of the Union,
and demands that it shall be admitted to all the privileges of
undisguised loyalty."

Here the excited chap blushed ingenuously, and says he:

"Any offices which you might have to dispose of would be acceptable to
the Organization of which I am a prominent part."

The Honest Abe was wiping the blade of his jack-knife with his thumb at
the time, and says he:

"What you say about the present willingness of the Organization to
sacrifice everything for the sake of the Union, neighbor, reminds me of
a small tale. When I was beating the prairies for clients in Illinois,"
says the Honest Abe, smiling at the back of the hand in which he held
the jack-knife,--"when I was stalking for clients, I knew an old 'un
named Job Podger, who lived at Peoria."

Here the honest Abe leaned away over the arm of his chair toward the
attentive political chap, and says he--

"Podger didn't know as much as would fill a four-inch spelling-book;
but he had enough money to make education quite dispensable, and his
wife knew enough for all the rest of the family. This wife was a very
good woman in her way," says the Honest Abe, kindly,--"she was a very
good woman in her way, and made my friend Podger so happy at home that
he never dared to go away from home without her permission. Her
temper," says the Honest Abe, putting one of his feet upon the sill of
the nearest window,--"her temper was of the useful nature to keep my
friend Podger and the children sufficiently warm all the year round,
and I don't think she ever called Job Podger an Old Fool except when
company was present. If she had one peculiarity more than another, it
was this: she was always doing something for Podger's sake."

Here the political chap was seized with a severe cough; but the Honest
Abe only smiled pleasantly at his jack-knife, and went on:

"She was always doing something for Podger's sake. Did she buy a new
dress, it was for Podger's sake; did she have a tea-party and a
quilting-bee, it was solely for the sake of Podger; did she refuse to
contribute for the fund of the heathen, it was solely on account of Mr.
Podger. But her strong point in this matter," says the Honest Abe,
leaning back in his chair against the wall, and scraping the sole of
his left boot with his knife, "her strong point was, that she endured a
great deal of suffering for Podger's sake. Did she sprain her ankle on
the cellar-stairs, she w