Francis B. Carpenter, Six Months at the White House

[114] he held the axe out at arm's length by the end of the handle, or “helve,” as the wood-cutters call it — a feat not another person of the party could perform, though all made the attempt. In such acts as this, showing that he neither forgot nor was ashamed of his humble origin, the late President exhibited his true nobility of character. He was a perfect illustration of his favorite poet's words:--

“The rank is but the guinea's stamp, The man's the gold, for aa that!”

Xxxviii.

In March, 1864, Edwin Forrest came to Washington to fulfil an engagement at Ford's Theatre. It was announced one day that he was to appear that evening in “Richelieu.” I was with the President, when Senator Harris of New York came in. After he had finished his business, which was to secure the remittance of the sentence of one of his constituents, who had been imprisoned on what seemed insufficient grounds, I told the President that Forrest was to play Richelieu that evening, and, knowing his tastes, I said it was a play which I thought he would enjoy, for Forrest's representation of it was the most life-like of anything I had ever seen upon the stage. “Who wrote the play?” said he. “Bulwer,” I replied. “Ah!” he rejoined; “well, I knew Bulwer wrote novels, but I did not know he was a play-writer also. It ”