'clever but strange' - An Abe Lincoln anecdote

A large part of Abraham Lincoln’s humor was based on his self-awareness. 

He was freakishly tall and skinny-looking for his times - 6'4"' (or more). He was also very homely - a big nose, large ears, all topped with a mop of coarse, unruly hair. But rather than let those facts be "limiters", he used them. By making himself the butt of many of his jokes and stories, other people relaxed around him - became less self-conscious - listened more closely.

That Abe was no buffoon. And the stories he sometimes selected were used as funny explanations about who he was. That reminds me of a story he loved to tell about a friendly Kentuckian with whom he once rode in a carriage. 

"It seems that during the ride, the man offered Lincoln a chew of tobacco. Then a cigar. And finally a sip of brandy. Each offer was politely declined. As they were parting, the Kentuckian said good-humoredly: 'See here, stranger, you’re a clever but strange companion. I may never see you again, and I don’t want to offend you, but I want to say this: my experience has taught me that a man who has no vices has damned few virtues. Good-day.'”

With that anecdote, Lincoln's audience learned that he didn't drink, smoke, or "chew". He poked fun at people's suspicions of those who didn't. But he never said HE was virtuous

He DID brag, however, about being "clever".

Interesting.

This was another tale from Abe Lincoln, storyteller.

Mac

Works Cited

[1] Gross, Anthony (1912). Lincoln's Own Stories. New York City, NY: Harper Brothers Publishers. p. 28.