Conrad Hyers in his book, And God Created Laughter, tells a wonderful story about Abraham Lincoln. It seems that an eight-year-old girl once wrote to Lincoln suggesting that he grow a beard. In her opinion, Lincoln would stand a better chance of election if he would grow a beard to hide his homely face. Rather than being offended, Lincoln answered her letter personally and thanked her for her suggestion. He further added that should his campaign be coming in her vicinity, he would like to meet her to express his appreciation.

A television comedy of the 1970s picked up on this amusing story. In the television version the letter from Lincoln spurred a flurry of activity in the girl's town. Her father was a member of the local Republican party. The officials of the party were ecstatic at the p…