fighting up there in Pennsylvania ?" "O," replied Mr. Lincoln, "I didn't think much about it. I was not much concerned about you!" "You were not?" rejoined Mr. Sickles, as amazed. "Why, we heard that you Washington folks were a good deal excited, and you certainly had good cause to be, for it was 'nip and tuck' with us up there a good deal of the time!" "Yes, I know that, and I suppose some of us were a little 'rattled.' Indeed, some of the Cabinet talked of Washington's being captured, and ordered a gunboat or two here, and even went so far as to send some Government archives aboard, and wanted me to go too, but I refused. Stanton and Welles, I believe, were both 'stampeded' somewhat, and Seward, I reckon, too. But I said, 'No, gentlemen, we are all right, and are going to win at Gettysburg; and we did, right handsomely. No, General Sickles, I had no fears of Gettysburg." "Why not, Mr. President? How was that? Pretty much everybody down here, we heard, was more or less panicky." "Yes, I expect, and a good many more than will own up now. But actually, General Sickles, I had no fears of Gettysburg, and if you really want to know I will tell you why. Of course, I don't want you and Colonel Rusling to say anything about this-at least, not now. People might laugh if it got out, you know. But the fact is, in the stress and pinch of the campaign there, I

went to my room, and got down on my knees and prayed Almighty God for victory at Gettysburg. I told him that this was his country, and the war was his war, but that we really couldn't stand another Fredericksburg or Chancellorsville. And then and there I made a solemn vow with my Maker that if he would stand by you boys at Gettysburg, I would stand by him for the rest of my life. And he did, and I will! And after this, I don't know how it was, and it is not for me to explain, but somehow or other a sweet comfort crept into my soul that God Almighty had taken the whole thing into his own hands, and we were bound to win at Gettysburg! No, General Sickles, I had no fears of Gettysburg; and that is the reason why!"

Mr. Lincoln said all this with great solemnity and impressiveness, almost as Moses might have spoken when first down from Sinai; and when he had concluded, there was a pause in the talk that nobody seemed disposed to break. All were busy with their thoughts, and the President especially appeared to be communing with the Infinite One again. The first to speak was General Sickles, who presently resumed as follows: "Well, Mr. President, what are you thinking about Vicksburg, nowadays?" "O," answered Mr. Lincoln, very gravely. "I don't quite know. Grant is still pegging away down there, and making some head

way, I believe. As we used to say out in Illinois, I think he will make a spoon or spoil a horn' before he gets through." "So, then, you have no fears about Vicksburg, either Mr. President?" added General Sickles. "Well, no; I can't say that I have," replied Mr. Lincoln very soberly. "The fact is-but don't say anything about this either just now I have been praying to Almighty God for Vicksburg also." Of course Mr. Lincoln did not then know that Vicksburg had already fallen on July 4th.

Soon after his second election to the Presidency it was remarked by one with whom he was conversing that in all his cares he was daily remembered by those who prayed not be heard of men, as no man had ever before been remembered. He caught at that homely phrase, and said: "Yes, I like that phrase, 'not to be heard of men,' and guess it is generally true, as you say. At least I have been told so, and I have been a good deal helped by just that thought." Then he solemnly and slowly added: "I should be the most presumptuous blockhead upon this footstool if I, for one day, thought that I could discharge the duties which have come upon me since I came into this place without the aid and enlightenment of One who is stronger and wiser than all others."

One of Mr. Lincoln's notable religious utterances

was his reply to a deputation of colored people at Baltimore who presented him a Bible. He said: "In regard to the Great Book I have only to say it is the best gift which God has ever given man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this Book. But for this Book we could not know right from wrong. All those things desirable to man are contained in it." Other expressions could be given to show the deep religious character of Mr. Lincoln. We refer to only three. One was the noble reply to the remark of a clergyman that he hoped "the Lord was on our side." "I am not concerned about that," replied Lincoln, "for I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this Nation should be on the Lord's side." The second was the sentence in his reply to the deputation from the Methodist General Conference of 1864: "God bless the Methodist Churchbless all the Churches-and blessed be God who, in this our great trial, giveth us the Churches." The last was his second inaugural, than which a more sublime speech, or one containing more of the spirit of Christ and his gospel, was never uttered by emperor, king, or ruler, if indeed there be any which can compare with it. No unbeliever could have written it.

"MR.

LINCOLN AND HIS FAMILY.

R. LINCOLN," says Noah Brooks, one of his secretaries, in his "Life of Lincoln," "cared little for the pleasures of the table, and seldom partook of any but the plainest and simplest food, even when a more elaborate repast than usual was spread upon the board. Wine was set on the table when those who used it were guests; but Lincoln only maintained the form of touching it. When engrossed with the cares of his office, which was almost habitually, he ate irregularly, and the family were accustomed to see him come to the table or stay away as it suited his convenience. Even when his anxious wife had sent to his Cabinet, where he was engaged, a tray of food, he was often too busy or too abstracted to touch it. And when Mrs. Lincoln was away from home, as sometimes happened, he neglected his meals altogether, or, as he expressed it, 'browsed around,' eating when his hunger moved, when and how he could most conveniently. His youngest son-Tad,' as he was called-could bring him out of his working or meditative moods more readily than any other