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AbrahamLincoln—agreatreaderHebecameagreatreader.Hereadeverybookandnewspaperhecouldgetholdofandifhecameacrossanythinginhisreadingthathewishedtorememberhewouldcopyitonashinglebecausewritingpaperwasscarceandeitherlearnitbyheartorhidetheshingleawayuntilhecouldgetsomepapertocopyiton.Hisfatherthoughthereadtoomuch.〃Itwillspilehimforwork,zhesaid.〃Hedontdohalfenoughabouttheplaceasitisnowandbooksandpapersain,tnogood./zButAbrahamwithallhisreadingdidmoreworkthanhisfatheranyday;hisstepmothertootookhissideandatlastgotherhusbandtolettheboyreadandstudyathome.〃Abewasagoodsontome〃shesaidmanymanyyearsafter“andwetookparticularcarewhenhewasreadingnottodisturbhim.Wewouldjustlethimreadonandontillhequitofhisownaccord.〃Theboykeptasortofshinglescrap-book;hekeptapaperscrap-booktoo.Intothesehewouldputwhateverhecaredtokeep—poetryhistoryfunnysayingsfinepassages.Hehadascrap-bookforhisarithmeticsums〃tooandoneoftheseisstillinexistencewiththisboyishrhymeinaboyishscrawlunderneathoneofhistablesofweightsandmeasures:AbrahamLincolnGoddidknowwhen;andthatboyallunconsciouslywasworkingtowardthedaywhenhishandandpenweretodomoreforhumanitythananyotherhandorpenofmoderntimes.LampsandcandleswerealmostunknowninhishomeandAbrahamflatonhisstomachwouldoftendohisreadingwritingandcipheringinthefirelightasitflashedandflickeredonthebighearthofhislog-cabinhome.AnoldercousinJohnHankswholivedforawhilewiththeLincolnssaysthatwhen〃Abe〃ashealwayscalledthegreatPresidentwouldcomehomeasaboyfromhisworkhewouldgotothecupboardtakeapieceofcornbreadforhissuppersitdownonachairstretchouthislonglegsuntiltheywerehigherthanhishead一andreadandreadandread.〃AbeandI〃saidJohnHanksworkedbarefoot;grubbeditplougheditmowedandcradledit;ploughedcorngatheredcornandshuckedcornandAbereadconstantlywheneverhecouldgetachance.〃OnedayAbrahamfoundthatamanforwhomhesometimesworkedownedacopyofWeemss“LifeofWashington.〃Thiswasafamousbookinitsday.Abrahamborroweditatonce.Whenhewasnotreadingitheputitawayonashelf一aclapboardrestingonwoodenpins.Therewasabigcrackbetweenthelogsbehindtheshelfandonerainydaythe“LifeofWashingtonfellintothecrackandwassoakedalmostintopulp.OldMr.CrawfordfromwhomAbrahamborrowedthebookwasacrosscrankyandsouroldfellowandwhentheboytoldhimoftheaccidenthesaidAbrahammustworkthebookout.〃Theboyagreedandtheoldfarmerkepthimsostrictlytohispromisethathemadehim“pullfodderforthecattlethreedaysaspaymentforthebook!AndthatisthewaythatAbrahamLincolnboughthisfirstbook.ForhedriedthecopyofWeems,s“LifeofWashington〃andputitinhisz,library.z,Butwhatboyorgirloftodaywouldliketobuybooksatsuchaprice。