President Lincoln's sense of humor

[LincolnMan]

More on Lincoln and humor: Gene Griessman has a chapter in his book Words Lincoln Lived By regarding Lincoln's humor. He uses a quote from Lincoln:

"Laughter {is} the joyous, beautiful, universal evergreen of life."

Here is a comment from the book:

Long before scientific evidence proved that laughter can actually prevent disease and sometimes cure it, Lincoln spoke of laughter as medicine. He realized laughter could be an anesthetic that would help him bear pain. Congressman Isaac N. Arnold remembered hearing Lincoln's distinctive laughter ringing through the White House while he and a delegation waited to be admitted to the President's office. He remarked:

"That laugh has been the President's life-preserver."