"I think, sir, that you must be mistaken," replied the banker. "I
have the impression that your majority was considerably increased at
the last election,"

"No," rejoined the President, "you fell off about six hundred votes."
Then taking down from the bookcase the official canvass of 1860 and
1864 he referred to the vote or the district named and proved to be
quite right in his assertion.

Philosophy of Canes.

A gentleman calling at the White House one evening carried a cane
which in the course of conversation attracted the President's
attention. Taking it in his hand he said: "I always used a cane when I
was a boy. It was a freak of mine. My favorite one was a knotted beech
stick, and I carved the head myself. There's a mighty amount of
character in sticks. Don't you think so? You have seen these
fishing-polls that fit into a cane? Well, that was an old idea of
mine. Dogwood clubs were favorite ones with the boys. I suppose they
use them yet. Hickory is too heavy, unless you get it from a young
sapling. Have you ever noticed how a stick in one's hand will change
his appearance? Old women and witches wouldn't look so without sticks.
Meg Merrilies understands that."

Common Sense.

The Hon. Mr. Hubbard, of Connecticut, once called upon the President
in reference to a newly invented gun, concerning which a committee had
been appointed to make a report.

The "report" was sent for, and when it came in was found to be of the
most voluminous description. Mr. Lincoln glanced at it and said: "I
should want a new lease of life to read this through!" Throwing it
down upon the table he added: "Why can't a committee of this kind
occasionally exhibit a grain of common sense? If I send a man to buy a
horse for me, I expect him to tell me his points--not how many hairs
there are in his tail."

Lincoln's Confab with a Committee on "Grant's Whisky."

Just previous to the fall of Vicksburg a self-constituted committee,
solicitous for the _morale_ of our armies, took it upon themselves to
visit the President and urge the removal of General Grant.

In some surprise Mr. Lincoln inquired, "For what reason?"

"Why," replied the spokesman, "he drinks too much whisky."

"Ah!" rejoined Mr. Lincoln, dropping his lower lip. "By the way,
gentlemen, can either of you tell me where General Grant procures his
whisky? because, if I can find out, I will send every general in the
field a barrel of it!"

A "Pretty Toler