Lincoln Story Book, The

<h3>"MATCHING" STORIES.</h3> <p>The President looking in at the telegraph-room in the White House, happened to find Major Eckert in. He saw he was counting greenbacks. So he said jokingly:</p> <p>"I believe you never come to business now but to handle money!"</p> <p>The officer pleaded that it was a mere coincidence, and instanced a story in point:</p> <p>"A certain tailor in Mansfield, Ohio, was very stylish in dress and airy in manner. Passing a storekeeper's door one day, the latter puffed himself up and emitted a long blow, expressive of the inflation to oozing-point of the conceited tailor, who indignantly turned and said: 'I will teach you to blow when I am passing!' to which the storekeeper replied: 'And I'll teach you not to pass when I am blowing!'"</p> <p>"Very good!" returned the hearer. "That is very like a story <i>I</i> heard of a man driving about the country in an open buggy, caught at night by a pouring rain. Passing a farmhouse, a man, apparently struggling with the effects of whisky, thrust his head out of a window, and shouted loudly:</p> <p>"'Hello!'</p> <p>"The traveler stopped for all of his hurry for shelter and asked what was wanted.</p> <p>"'Nothing of you!' was the blunt reply.</p> <p>"'Well, what in the infernals are you shouting 'Hello' for when people are passing?' angrily asked the traveler.</p> <p>"'Well, what in the infernals are you passing for when people are shouting hello?'"</p> <p>The rival story-tellers parted "at evens." <br/> <br/> <br/></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />