Page:Six Months at the White House.djvu/291

284 One of the latest of Mr. Lincoln's stories was told to a party of gentlemen, who, amid the tumbling ruins of the 'Confederacy,' anxiously asked "what he would do with 'Jeff. Davis'?"

"There was a boy in Springfield," rejoined Mr. Lincoln, "who saved up his money and bought a 'coon,' which, after the novelty wore off, became a great nuisance. He was one day leading him through the streets, and had his hands full to keep clear of the little vixen, who had torn his clothes half off of him.  At length he sat down on the curb-stone, completely fagged out.  A man passing was stopped by the lad's disconsolate appearance, and asked the matter.  'Oh,' was the reply, 'this coon is such a trouble to me!'  'Why don't you get rid of him, then?' said the gentleman.  'Hush!' said the boy; 'don't you see he is gnawing his rope off?  I am going to let him do it, and then I will go home and tell the folks that he got away from me?'"

The last story told by Mr. Lincoln was drawn out by a circumstance which occurred just before the interview with Messrs. Colfax and Ashmun, on the evening of his assassination.

Marshal Lamon of Washington had called upon him with an application for the pardon of a soldier. After a brief hearing the President took the appli-