AN UGLY MAN.
Reading edition
Mr. Lincoln was not vain of his personal appearance. Indeed if you look at his picture in the front of this book you will see he was a homely man. He only wore a beard while president. Previous to that time he shaved all his beard. He would laugh at a joke on himself as heartily as anyone else. He used to tell and laugh over the following:
"When I was traveling the circuit in Illinois, practicing law, I was accosted one day on the cars by a stranger who said:
"'Excuse me, sir, but I have an article which belongs to you.'
"'How is that?' I asked, astonished.
"The stranger took a pocket knife out and said: 'This knife was put in my hands some time ago with the instruction that I was to keep it until I found an uglier man than myself. I have carried it ever since. Allow me to say I think it now rightly belongs to you, sir, and I respectfully hand you your property.'"