Robert Todd Lincoln --The vitals

[L Verge]

Nobody loves animals more than I. At one point, my parents took out a kennel license because they had taken in so many strays (14 dogs and several cats) that it was cheaper than buying individual tags for each. Of course, we also had acres of land in those days and room to shelter them.

That said, however, I still think that picking up a barrel stave - or any other solid "instrument" of punishment - was rather harsh treatment for children. On the other hand, it is almost refreshing to see another side of Lincoln (the human side that showed real anger)... Makes me wonder what he said about the rebellious Southerners behind closed doors or edited by his biographers. Shades of President Trump? And, Richard Nixon? Remember the famous "expletives deleted" chatter that went on for months in the 1970s?