Page:Six Months at the White House.djvu/49

42 is," was the answer; "when there are vacancies I appoint, not without."  The clergyman here alluded to his having left with the private secretary a war-sermon which he had lately preached.  Stepping out, he returned with the pamphlet, saying, as he handed it to the President, "I suppose, sir, you have little time to read anything of this kind; but I shall be very glad to leave it with you."  Upon this he bowed himself out, and the sermon was carelessly tossed aside, never to be thought of again by Mr. Lincoln.

Subsequently the sermon fell into my hands. The only thing I remember about it was the practical application of a professional incident. The clergyman one day fell in with two soldiers fighting. One had the other down, and was severely handling him. Rebuking the men, the one underneath responded very heartily, "Plase your riverince, I am willing to give up this minute, solely out of respect for your riverince." And so the preacher thought the South should be made to say "in regard to the Constitution."

The examples given of the observations of two days, are fair illustrations of the usual White House routine, varied of course by official or diplomatic business, and a greater or less pressure of visitors, some of whom would linger in the anteroom