61 LINCOLN AND HIS DOG

Once there was a kind-hearted lad named Abraham Lincoln. His friends called him Abe, for short.

He lived with his father, mother, and sister in a cabin on a little farm. The cabin had only one room. They were very poor, and his father had a hard time making a living.

One day he said to his family, “I have sold the farm. This land is too poor. We will move to some place where the soil is better for farming. There we can make a better living.”

As there were no railroads in those days, people had to move from place to place in wagons. So the Lincoln family put their rough furniture into a covered wagon. With two strong oxen to pull it, they started on their journey.

It was near the end of winter, and the roads were deep with mud. Often the heavy wagon sank down almost to the hubs of the wheels. Through the woods they went, and up and down the hills.The journey was slow and tiresome.

In those days there were no bridges over the streams they had to cross. So the strong oxen had to pull the wagon across the frozen streams. They broke through the ice with every step.

It was a long, cold, hard journey. How glad they would all be to reach the little home at the end. But they knew it would be only a rough cabin like the one they had left.

Abe walked along by the wagon. Sometimes he patted the faithful oxen as they pulled their heavy load.

By his side trotted his little dog. The dog really seemed to like the hard journey. For there were many squirrels to send hurrying up the trees. There were rabbits to chase, too. It was just fun for the dog.

But one day the little dog chased a rabbit far off into the woods. While he was gone, the oxen pulled the wagon, with the family inside, through a frozen stream. The thin ice cracked under their heavy feet and then floated off down the stream.

The Lincoln family had gone on some distance when they heard a loud barking behind them. Looking back, they saw the timid little dog on the other side of the stream, barking with all his might. He was running up and down the bank.

The lad, Abe, ran back and tried to coax him to cross on the thin ice. But the frightened little animal could not be coaxed. He was afraid the ice would not bear even his light weight.

“We shall have to go on without him, ”said the older ones of the family, “The roads are so deep with mud that the oxen cannot turn back.”

“But he will starve or freeze, ”said little Abe, “We can't be so cruel as that. Listen how he whines! ”

Abe sat down and quickly pulled off his heavy shoes and stockings. Then he waded back through the cold water. The happy little dog jumped all over him in his joy.

He took the shivering little animal in his arms, and waded again through the stream. Soon he overtook the slow oxen.

All the rest of the journey the little dog kept close by the boy's side. He had found out that a good friend is worth more than many squirrels.

This kind-hearted lad, Abraham Lincoln, became one of our greatest presidents. The really great are always kind.

Word list

cabin: a small, simple, one-story house

trotted: ran

chase: to run after

coax: to talk someone into doing something

cruel: not nice, mean

waded: walked in water

shivering: shaking from cold

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) What did Abraham Lincoln's friends call him?

2) Why did Abe's father decide to move his family?

3) Why did Abe's family move at the end of winter instead of waiting until later?

4) Why did Abe's family use oxen instead of horses to pull the wagon?

5) Why did the little dog not cross the stream with everyone else?

6) Why did Abe take off his shoes and socks even though it was very cold?

B) Drawing the story—Draw a picture from the beginning, middle, and end of the story.

1) Beginning:

2) Middle:

3) End:

C) True or false? Read these sentences carefully. Write true or false for each one.

1) ______ Abe Lincoln had two sisters and a brother.

2) ______ The Lincoln family moved in a car.

3) ______ Lincoln's brother saved the dog.

4) ______ Abe Lincoln was very kind.

5) ______ Abe Lincoln chased rabbits.