HARD TO BEAT!

Of his Washington experience in 1848, Lincoln brought a pack of tales
about the statesmen then prominent. He declared to have heard of
Daniel Webster the subjoined:

In school little Dan had been guilty of some misdoing for which he
was called up to the teacher to be caned on the hand. His hands were
dirty, and to save appearance he moistened his right hand, on his
way up, and wiped it on his pants. Nevertheless, it looked so foul
on presentation to the ferule that the teacher sharply protested:

"Well, this is hard to beat! If you will find another hand in this
room as filthy, I will let you off!"

Daniel popped out his left hand, modestly kept in the background, and
readily cried:

"Here it is, sir!"

(Told by Lincoln before "the Honorable Mr. Odell, and others." This
is not the ex-governor, Mr. Odell, of New York, who pleads guilty
to the editor of "being too young to have the honor of speaking with
Mr. Lincoln." The worse luck--both would have profited by the mutual
pleasure.)


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