TRUE STORIES FROM HISTORY

ABRAHAM LINCOLN (1809-1865)

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the USA, was a man of humble origins. His parents were hard-working pionners and when Lincoln was a young lawyer he frequently had to walk miles to get to the town where he worked.

One day, he was walking to town when he saw a man driving his carriage in the same direction. Lincoln called him and asked, "will you have the goodness to take my coat to town for me?"

"With pleasure, answered the stranger, but how will you get it again?"
"Oh, that's easy, said Lincoln. I will remain in it!"

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE (1769-1821)
Napoleon I, emperor of France, had an almost completely predictable conversational style. Having asked his guest's name, he would ask him "what part of France do you come from?" and "how old are you?" Aware of this, the Duchess of Brissac, who was completely deaf, learned appropriate anwers and went to an evening reception at the palace.

When the emperor heard the duchess's name, however, he immediately realized who she was and omitted his usual second and third questions. Instead he asked her, "how is your husband?" "Côte d'Azur ,sire" replied the duchess. A little surprised, Napoleon then asked her, "how many children do you have? The duchess smiled brightly. " Fifty-two" sire, she said!

DOROTHY PARKER (1893-1967)
Dorothy Parker was an American writer and critic, famous for her shorty stories of social satire. She had a reputation for her ability to say thing's that are clever and funny at the same time. And she could be very sarcastic.

During a symphony concert Dorothy Parker had the bad luck to be sitting near some persistent talkers. At last she looked at them and said: " Those people on the stage are making such a noise I can't hear a word you're saying!"

On another occasion Miss Parker was at a party when she met a young man who seemed to have a high opinion about himself. It was obvious that he was not enjoying himself. " I simply can't bear fools" ! said the man. Parker replied: "That's strange. Your mother could apparently!"

Another time miss Parker was gossiping about a famous society lady. She whispered in false admiration and said: "You know, she can speak eighteen languages! And she can't say "No" in any of them...!"

MARK TWAIN (1835-1910)
Being questioned by a journalist about an imaginary world with no women ," In a world without women, what would men become?, said the man.
"Rare, Sir, very rare" replied Twain.

MAHATMA GANDHI (1869-1948)
" What do you think about Western civilisation?" asked the journalist.
" I think that would be a very good idea", replied Gandhi.