Extra Credit Questions

[RJNorton]

Abraham Lincoln made statements such as:

"The prudent, penniless beginner in the world, labors for wages awhile, saves a surplus with which to buy tools or land, for himself; then labors on his own account another while, and at length hires another new beginner to help him. This, say its advocates, is free labor---the just and generous, and prosperous system, which opens the way for all---gives hope to all, and energy, and progress, and improvement of condition to all."

So, Eva, I will guess Lincoln himself.

[Eva Elisabeth]

This is a very logical guess, Roger! Well, I doubt I could challenge you (and other members) with a (reliable) Lincoln quote.

Hint #1: It's a general whom I quoted.

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Hint #2: The quote is from a book he wrote.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Hint #3: This question would also match the "assassination trivia" category.

[STS Lincolnite]

Is it Lew Wallace?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Kudos, Scott - the quote is from his novel "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ"!

My next hint would have been: "He would first make me think of a Rolex (watch) in an inappropriate place." (Do y'all know what I mean?)

Here's a fascinating website about Lew Wallace:
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/histo..._best.html

Scott, the prize today is these further two wonderful quotes from "Ben Hur" which I hope you will like (if not I'll check if the Ben Hur Rolex is in the prize vault...):

"The happiness of love is in action; its test is what one is willing to do for others."

"It is more beautiful to trust in God. The beautiful in this world is all from his hand, declaring the perfection of taste; he is the author of all form; he clothes the lily, he colours the rose, he distils the dewdrop, he makes the music of nature; in a word, he organized us for this life, and imposed its conditions; and they are such guaranty to me that, trustful as a little child, I leave to him the organization of my Soul, and every arrangement for the life after death. I know he loves me."

[STS Lincolnite]

Kudos, Scott - the quote is from his novel "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ"!

My next hint would have been: "He would first make me think of a Rolex (watch) in an inappropriate place." (Do y'all know what I mean?)

Here's a fascinating website about Lew Wallace:
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/histo..._best.html

Scott, the prize today is these further two wonderful quotes from "Ben Hur" which I hope you will like (if not I'll check if the Ben Hur Rolex is in the prize vault...):

"The happiness of love is in action; its test is what one is willing to do for others."

"It is more beautiful to trust in God. The beautiful in this world is all from his hand, declaring the perfection of taste; he is the author of all form; he clothes the lily, he colours the rose, he distils the dewdrop, he makes the music of nature; in a word, he organized us for this life, and imposed its conditions; and they are such guaranty to me that, trustful as a little child, I leave to him the organization of my Soul, and every arrangement for the life after death. I know he loves me."

My most humble thanks Eva! I will most gladly accept the quotes and forego the Ben Hur Rolex.

[RJNorton]

In 1860 two men made a bet. One man bet on Douglas to win the presidency, and the other chose Lincoln.

Finally the two men decided how the bet would be paid off. The loser would saw a cord of wood and give it to a poor family in town.

The timing of the sawing was strange - it began at the same time Abraham Lincoln began his speech in this city on his inaugural train journey. The sawing was to take place at the same location in town where the speech would be given.

Lincoln had to speak the entire time over the sawing noise in the background. Because of this some in the audience had trouble hearing him. The sawing continued long after Lincoln had concluded his speech.

I find the bet strange in that the loser was given a chance to disturb the speech of the winner's candidate.

Which city along the inaugural journey did Lincoln have a continual sawing noise in the background as he spoke to the people?

[RJNorton]

Hint #1: A newspaper in this city described Robert Lincoln as follows:

"He is a harum-scarum sort of a college chap, with just a trifle of the ‘fast' in his composure, we imagine."

[STS Lincolnite]

Hint #1: A newspaper in this city described Robert Lincoln as follows:

"He is a harum-scarum sort of a college chap, with just a trifle of the ‘fast' in his composure, we imagine."

Was it Buffalo? I seem to remember the "harum scarum" description but not the story of the sawing.

Strangely I think that someone also described RTL's son in law Warren Beckwith (whom Robert didn't approve of by the way) as a "harum scarum fellow". What exactly did the term harum scarum mean back in those days?

[Anita]

Ditto! It was Buffalo. Thanks for the question Roger. This is from the site http://buffaloah.com/h/fagant/linc.html Lots of interesting info here.

Abraham Lincoln in Western New York
By John Fagant

A bet paid off:

"Just before the Lincoln cortege arrived at the American, one of the Buffalo & Lake Huron railroad wagons, partially filled with wood, and containing a saw and buck, was driven in front of the hotel." Mr. George Mugridge and Mr. J. H. Canfield had made a bet the previous November on who would win the Presidential election. Mr. Canfield, choosing Steven Douglas, lost, and now he was paying off that bet. Canfield was to saw a half a cord of wood in front of the American hotel and then give it to the poorest black family in Buffalo.11 This he did. The sawing began when Lincoln appeared and finished long after the speech was over. The crowd still present gave him a round of applause."

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Hint #1: A newspaper in this city described Robert Lincoln as follows:

"He is a harum-scarum sort of a college chap, with just a trifle of the ‘fast' in his composure, we imagine."

Was it Buffalo? I seem to remember the "harum scarum" description but not the story of the sawing.

Strangely I think that someone also described RTL's son in law Warren Beckwith (whom Robert didn't approve of by the way) as a "harum scarum fellow". What exactly did the term harum scarum mean back in those days?

The Buffalo Daily Courier gave its impression of the First Lady and her son, Robert:

Mrs. Lincoln "was receiving hosts of citizens in the parlors of the hotel. Mrs. L. seems a quiet, kindly looking, elderly lady, with nothing specially dignified or intellectual in her appearance, but with a sobriety and composure … which are perhaps as desirable. Her son, Robert T, or "Prince Bob" as he is familiarly styled by his chums, hovered about his mother the most of the time. He is a harum-scarum sort of a college chap, with just a trifle of the ‘fast' in his composure, we imagine."12


According to Merriam-Webster:
Definition of HARUM-SCARUM
: reckless, irresponsible
Synonyms
daredevil, devil-may-care, foolhardy, harum-scarum, hell-for-leather, irresponsible, kamikaze

[RJNorton]

Correct, Scott and Anita! Kudos to both of you.

Scott, my guess is that harum scarum meant something like "rollicking" as one reporter had written that Robert appeared "tight" in Cincinnati and perhaps word of that had spread.

In his section on the inaugural train Jason Emerson writes, "As dutiful and affectionate as Robert was, it is not incorrect to reveal his great desire and ability for smoking cigars, drinking, and carousing, which only increased during his college years."

[LincolnToddFan]

That's interesting. When I read "harum scarum sort of chap" the first thing that came to mind was that it was a description of RTL during his time in England as Ambassador to the Court of St. James. But on further reading I realized that the description dated from his college years...

[Eva Elisabeth]

What exactly did the term harum scarum mean back in those days?

Here's the etymology:
"Harum-scarum"- 1670s (adv.), probably a compound of obsolete hare (v.) "harry" + scare (v.), with 'um as a reduced form of them. As an adjective from 1751; as a noun from 1784.

[Gene C]

I always thought it was an Elvis movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSBsMVt8Zd4

[RJNorton]

Robert Lincoln was a member of the Hasty Pudding Club when he was at Harvard. Where is Robert in this picture of the club?

Image credit: Hildene