He laid the book on his knee and stared into the
flames. His lips were moving, although he made no sound.
"What are you saying to yourself?" Sarah asked. "You look so far away."
"Why, Mamma." Abe looked up with a start. "I was just recollecting some
of the words out of the Declaration of Independence. It says all men are
created equal."
"You don't mean to tell me!" Sarah was pleased because Abe was.
"I'm going to learn as much of the Declaration as I can by heart, before
I take the book back," he said. "That way I can always keep the words."
"I declare," said Sarah, "you grow new ideas inside your head as fast as
you add inches on top of it."
7
[Illustration]
Abe went right on adding inches. By the time he was fourteen he was as
tall as his father. Sally was working as a hired girl that summer for
Mr. and Mrs. Josiah Crawford. Abe worked for them off and on. One
afternoon he finished his chores early, and Mrs. Crawford sent him home.
Abe was glad. Josiah had lent him a new book--a life of George
Washington--and he wanted to start reading it.
When he reached the Lincoln cabin, he found Betsy and Mathilda waiting
outside for their mother.
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