And yet Lincoln did not fail entirely to make an impression at Washington.  And again it was the Springfield experience repeated.  His companionableness was recognized, his modesty, his good nature; above all, his story-telling.  Men liked him.  Plainly it was his humor, his droll ways, that won them; together with instant recognition of his sterling integrity.

“During the Christmas holidays,” says Ben Perley Poore, “Mr. Lincoln found his way into the small room used as the Post Office of the House, where a few genial reconteurs used to meet almost every morning after the mail had been distributed into the members’ boxes, to exchange such new stories as any of them might have acquired since they had last met.  After modestly standing at the door for several days, Mr. Lincoln was reminded of a story, and by New Year’s he was recognized as the champion story-teller of the Capital.  His favorite seat was at the left of the open fireplace, tilted back in his chair with his long legs reaching over to the chimney jamb."(2)

In the words of another contemporary, “Congressman Lincoln was very fond of howling and would frequently. . . meet other members in a match game at the alley of James Casparus. . . .  He was an awkward bowler, but played the game with great zest and spirit solely for exercise and amusement, and greatly to the enjoyment and entertainment of the other players, and by reason of his criticisms and funny illustrations. . . .  When it was known that he was in the alley, there would assemble numbers of people to witness the fun which was anticipated by those who knew of his fund of anecdotes and jokes.  When in the alley, surrounded by a crowd of eager listeners, he indulged with great freedom in the sport of narrative, some of which were very broad."(3)

Once, at least, he entertained Congress with an exhibition of his humor, and this, oddly enough, is almost the only display of it that has come down to us, first hand.  Lincoln’s humor has become a tradition.  Like everything else in his outward life, it changed gradually with his slow devious evolution from the story-teller of Pigeon Creek to the author of the Gettysburg Oration.  It is known chiefly through translation.  The “Lincoln Stories” are stories someone else has told who may or may not have heard them told by Lincoln.  They are like all translations, they express the translator not the original—­final evidence that Lincoln’s appeal as a humorist was in his manner, his method, not in his substance.  “His laugh was striking.  Such awkward gestures belonged to no other man.  They attracted universal attention from the old sedate down to the schoolboy."(4) He was a famous mimic.