of the coming storm were heard. The war-cloud was gathering, dark and ominous. The thunder of arms was heard in the distance. Beaten with the ballot, the champions of slavery resolved to conquer with the bullet. War seemed inevitable.

Mr. Lincoln was overwhelmed with visitors from the day of his nomination until he removed to the White House. All classes, high and low, rich and poor, great and little, flocked to see the “tall man eloquent,” and shake his hand. Some curious incidents occurred, which exhibit the noble qualities of the presidential candidate far better than words. Two young men entered the Executive chamber of the State House, where he received his friends, and lingered near the door. Observing them, Mr. Lincoln approached them, saying,—

“How do you do, my good fellows? What can I do for you? Will you sit down?”

“We do not care to sit,” replied the shorter of the two.

“I am at your service,” continued Mr. Lincoln, in his familiar way, aiming to make the diffident young men feel at home.

“I had some talk with my friend here,” continued the young man, “about your height, Mr. Lincoln. He thinks he is just as tall as you are.”

“Ah!” responded Mr. Lincoln, with a broad smile, at the same time scanning the “tall companion,” “he is long certainly. Let us see about that.” He went for his cane, and returning, said,—

“Here, young man, we’ll see who is the longest.”

Placing the end of the cane upon the wall, he said,—

“Come under here, young man. We can settle that question in a minute.”

The young man stepped under the cane, and when it was carefully adjusted, Mr. Lincoln continued: “Now step out and hold the cane while I go under.”

No quicker said than done.

“He is just my height exactly,” he remarked to the shorter visitor; “he guessed with remarkable accuracy.” Then taking each of them by the hand with words of encouragement, he bade them good-bye.

He saw that the two young men were well meaning, but verdant, unacquainted with the proprieties of the occasion; but sooner than have them feel that they had insulted his dignity he would measure “height” with them a dozen times over.

An old woman came in to see him “because he used to dine at her house when he was on the Circuit.” Mr. Lincoln could not remember her, until she had called his attention definitely to certain incidents.

“Oh, yes; I remember now,” he said, shaking her hand heartily; “I hope it is well with you, my dear woman.”

“Do you remember that scanty dinner I gave you one day?”

“No, I am sure I do not remember anything scant at your house.”

“Well, you did have a scanty dinner one day,” she added. “You came along just as we were through dinner, and everything was eaten up; so that I had nothing to give you but a bowl of bread and milk, and you ate it, and when you got up, and I apologized for having nothing better, you replied, ‘Why, that is quite good enough for the President of the United States.’ ”