Buttheofficerpleadedinvain。LincolnlaughinglyparaphrasedCharlesII，“Nowastopoliticalassassination，doyouthinktheRichmondpeoplewouldliketohaveHannibalHamlinhereanymorethanmyself？……Astothecrazyfolks，Major，whyImustonlytakemychances-themostcrazypeopleatpresent，Ifear，beingsomeofmyowntoozealousadherents。“[11]WithCarpenter，towhomheseemstohavetakenaliking，hewouldramblethestreetsofWashington，lateatnight，“withoutescortoreventhecompanyofaservant。“[12]
ThoughHallecktalkedhimintoacceptinganescortwhendrivingtoandfrobetweenWashingtonandhissummerresidenceattheSoldiers’Home，hewouldfrequentlygiveittheslipandmakethejourneyonhorsebackalone。inAugustof1862ononeofthesesolitaryrides，hislifewasattempted。Itwasaboutelevenatnight；hewas“joggingalongataslowgaitimmersedindeepthought“whensomeonefiredathimwithariflefromnearathand。TheballmisseditsaimandthePresident’shorse，asLincolnconfidedtohisfamiliars，“gaveproofofdecideddissatisfactionattheracket，andwithonerecklessbound，heunceremoniouslyseparatedmefrommyeight-dollarplughat……Atbreak-neckspeedwereachedahavenofsafety。Meanwhile，IwasleftindoubtwhetherdeathwasmoredesirablefrombeingthrownfromarunawayFederalhorse，orasthetragicresultofarifleballfiredbyadisloyalbushwhackerinthemiddleofthenight“[13]
Whilecarryinghislifeinhishandsinthisoddlyrecklessway，hebeliedhimself，aseventsweretoshow，bytellinghisfriendsthathefanciedhimself“agreatcowardphysically，“
thathefeltsurehewouldmakeapoorsoldier。Buthewassufficientlyjusttohimselftoadd，“MoralcowardiceissomethingwhichIthinkIneverhad。“[14]
Lincoln’shumorfoundexpressioninotherwaysbesidestellingstoriesandlaughingathimself。Heseizedeveryopportunitytoconvertapetitionintoajoke，whenthiscouldbedonewithoutcausingpain。Oneday，thereenteredagreatmanwithalonglistoffavorswhichhehopedtohavegranted。Amongthesewas“thecaseofBetsyAnnDougherty，agoodwoman，“saidthegreatman。“Shelivedinmycountyanddidmywashingforalongtime。HerhusbandwentoffandjoinedtheRebelarmyandIwishyouwouldgiveheraprotectionpaper。“ThepompousgravityofthewaythecasewaspresentedstruckLincolnasveryfunny。Hisvisitorhadnohumor。HefailedtoseejokeswhileLincolnquizzedhimastowhoandwhatwasBetsyAnn。AtlengththePresidentwrotealineonacardandhandedittothegreatman。“TellBetsyAnntoputastringinthiscardandhangitroundherneck，“saidhe。“WhentheofficerswhomayhavedoubtedheraffiliationsseethistheywillkeeptheirhandsoffyourBetsyAnn。“Onthecardwaswritten，“LetBetsyAnnDoughertyaloneaslongasshebehavesherself。A。