Was It Politeness ?

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 91

Was It Politeness ?

Sh > (sighing): "Oh, I met such a lovely, polite nian to-day." He: "Where was that?" She ■ "On the street. I must have been carrying my umbrella carelessly, for he bumyed his eye into it. And I said, 'Pardon me;" and he sai-1, 'Don't mention it: Ij have anc-iher eye left.' " |

A x\ew Anecdote of Lincoln. The day after the great fire following the fa'l of Richmond, Lincoln, with a small body-guard, walked through the streets of the charred city. As he approached the corner occupied by General I'ickett's residence he directed the guard to wait, and to their astonishment ran two steps at a time up to the door and lapped. The servants had fled. The "baby bride" hati never seen President Lincoln, but she had read his letters to her husband, and from him had learned to hcvd in the highest esteem the great Northern President. With hor baby in her arms «ho opened the door and looked up at tha tall, garni* man with the face and uncouth ways. Without a word of explanation he asked : ''Is George Pickett about?" To hear her husband's name bereft of its title by a. Yankee at that moment was almost the limit, especially as many a rumour rad floated about Richmond concerning the fate which awaited 1 the leaders of the confederacy. With a.ll the proud dignity she could command the baby bride replied: General Pickett is not at home." The stj anger seemed disappointed, and. as h" returned to go, remarked : 1 am Abraham Lincoln, an old friend of George's." "X-ot President Lincoln!" Mrs Pickett cxcloimed The tall man shook his head, repeating: "No. Just Abraham Lincoln, George Pickett's old friend." Following the instant promptings of the heart which still governs her, "the baby bride" thrust her baby boy into the arms of tne gaunt Yankee, as her best pffort to express her veneration and confidence, saying: '"I dm George Pickett's wife, and this is Geoige Pickett's baby."