Lincoln's Dog Fido

[DanielC]

Your full story must be told Fido. We will unconver new and interesting facts.

[RJNorton]

Author John D. Weaver describes the argument this way:

"There was a family quarrel over Fido. Tad and Willie insisted on taking their yellow, floppy-eared dog to Washington. Their father shook his head. No, Fido would have to stay in Springfield. Tad and Willie argued their case ardently, and for awhile it looked as though a small civil war might break out on Eighth Street, but the two boys finally gave in and left Fido with their friends, the Roll boys."

From p. 33 of John D. Weaver's Tad Lincoln: Mischief Maker in the White House.

[Linda Anderson]

Stanley Coren wrote Pawprints of History from which the quote about Mary not wanting to take Fido to Washington is quoted.

The author's citations for the info on Lincoln are "mostly from" Nicolay and Hay, Abraham Lincoln, (I looked it up on Google Books and couldn't find any reference to Fido).

The Kunhardts' Lincoln, 1992. P. 136 mentions Fido being given away but there is nothing about Mary demanding it.

"Bits and pieces" fromThe New York Times on CD. I searched for Fido and Lincoln and nothing came up.

Albert Beverage, Abraham Lincoln, 1809-58, which is not in our time period.

Maybe someone will have better luck finding the quotation than I did.

[Hess1865]

Liz,

Soiled Doves is one of the euphemisms used "politely" to identify prostitutes during the Victorian Age.

Or as we used to say at the long-gone Orange Blossm Cafe, "She was as pure as the driven slush...."

[ReignetteC]

I never found out.

Dear Fido,

You have your own chapter in the book, "First Dogs: American Presidents & Their Best Friends." It notes that, when "the president's body was taken home by train to Springfield for burial," you were there and "forlornly watched the funeral procession that was followed by Old Bob, Lincoln's horse."

It also notes that you are "believed to be the inspiration" of one of President Lincoln's stories: "'If you were to call a tail a leg, how many legs would this dog have?' Lincoln asked one of his sons. The boys, naturally, answered five, 'No,' replied the president. 'Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.'"

Is this true, Fido?

[Gene C]

All true. I appreciate all this attention over the past few days, but is has left me a little overwhelmed. If you'll excuse me, I am going to go crawl under the sofa.

Fido

[DanielC]

All true. I appreciate all this attention over the past few days, but is has left me a little overwhelmed. If you'll excuse me, I am going to go crawl under the sofa.

Fido

Fight through your anxiety issues Fido. You can do it! Oh, and be cautious of approaching strangers at night who appear to have had to much to drink. Your gonna have to trust me on this one.

Best,

[L Verge]

I'm proud of you Fido for going under the sofa and not on the sofa! How did the Lincolns train you to stay off the upholstery?

[Gene C]

Well.......let's just say they taught me to stay off the upholstery when they were around

[DanielC]

Well.......let's just say they taught me to stay off the upholstery when they were around

And here I had it all wrong Fido. I thought your sensitivity to loud noises was a result of you witnessing many a tirade from Mrs Lincoln, and at a very early age you learned to "duck and cover" from the impending storm. Under the sofa was as good a place as any, right? (Having paws made it virtually impossible to open a closet and seek shelter).

[RJNorton]

Well.......let's just say they taught me to stay off the upholstery when they were around

And here I had it all wrong Fido. I thought your sensitivity to loud noises was a result of you witnessing many a tirade from Mrs Lincoln, and at a very early age you learned to "duck and cover" from the impending storm. Under the sofa was as good a place as any, right? (Having paws made it virtually impossible to open a closet and seek shelter).

You two gentlemen should collaborate on a biography of Fido.

[DanielC]

Well.......let's just say they taught me to stay off the upholstery when they were around

And here I had it all wrong Fido. I thought your sensitivity to loud noises was a result of you witnessing many a tirade from Mrs Lincoln, and at a very early age you learned to "duck and cover" from the impending storm. Under the sofa was as good a place as any, right? (Having paws made it virtually impossible to open a closet and seek shelter).

You two gentlemen should collaborate on a biography of Fido.

Great idea Roger! Can you say "dual presenters" at the 2014 Surratt Society conference. As you can see by my picture (avatar) I work better with a partner. Without one it's virtually impossible for me to get around. (Or speak for that matter).

[Joe Di Cola]

Well.......let's just say they taught me to stay off the upholstery when they were around

And here I had it all wrong Fido. I thought your sensitivity to loud noises was a result of you witnessing many a tirade from Mrs Lincoln, and at a very early age you learned to "duck and cover" from the impending storm. Under the sofa was as good a place as any, right? (Having paws made it virtually impossible to open a closet and seek shelter).

You two gentlemen should collaborate on a biography of Fido.

Great idea Roger! Can you say "dual presenters" at the 2014 Surratt Society conference. As you can see by my picture (avatar) I work better with a partner. Without one it's virtually impossible for me to get around. (Or speak for that matter).

A partner, I hope, other than Mortimer Snerd!

[L Verge]

Another thing I love about this forum is that so many of its members remember the good old days of entertainment.

[Donna McCreary]

I have read that when Fido went to live with the Roll family, the Lincolns gave them a sofa for Fido to use as his bed. It was his favorite place to sleep in the Lincoln home, and they wanted him to have as many familar comforts as possible.