As you are aware, Lincoln had a rather broad sense of humor, and was prone to tell silly stories (sometimes with a serious purpose, often not). Not everyone appreciated this propensity, and some were driven crazy by it. Lincoln was not above using others' lack of appreciation for his humor to his advantage -- people who thought him an unsophisticated hick, with his southern Indiana drawl and homey analogies, tended to misunderestimate him (as a later president would actually say of himself).
An excerpt from Dave Eggers's new novel, published in Sunday's New York Times, brilliantly captures a certain earnest corporate humorlessness: "...she swept her arm around, indicating about a dozen offices surrounding the open space. Each was walled in glass, revealing the occupants -- all of the supervisors slightly older, a bit more polished, preternaturally calm.
'The architects really like glass, eh?' Mae said.
Renata stopped, furrowed her brow and thought on this notion. She put a strand of hair behind her ear and said: 'I think so. I can check. But first we should explain the setup and what to expect on your first real day.'"
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