these
brats (the seceding States) their places, and, like the old woman, we
don't want any 'sneakin' round' by other countries, that would like to
find out how we are going to do it either."

"WINNING A DOG'S GRATITUDE"

Abe strode along in the mud, driving the four oxen much of the time,
for the houses he could visit with his peddler's pack were few and far
between. A dog belonging to one of the family--an insignificant little
cur--fell behind. After the oxen had floundered through the mud, snow
and ice of a prairie stream, they discovered that the animal was
missing. The other men of the party thought they could now get rid of
the little nuisance, and even the women were anxious, as the hour was
late, to go on and find a place to camp for the night. To turn back with
the clumsy ox-team and lumbering emigrant wagon was out of the question.

Abraham gave the whip to one of the other men and turned back to see if
he could discern the dog anywhere. He discovered it running up and down
on the other bank of the river, in great distress, for the swift current
was filled with floating ice and the poor little creature was afraid to
make the attempt to swim across. After whistling in vain to encourage
the dog to try if it would, the tender-hearted youth went to its rescue.
Referring to the incident himself afterward, he said:

"I could not endure the idea of abandoning even a dog. Pulling off shoes
and socks, I waded across the stream and triumphantly returned with the
shivering animal under my arm. His frantic leaps of joy and other
evidences of a dog's gratitude amply repaid me for all the exposure I
had undergone."

SPLITTING THE HISTORIC RAILS

After two weary weeks of floundering through muddy prairies and jolting
over rough forest roads, now and then fording swollen and dangerous
streams, the Lincolns were met near Decatur, Illinois, by Cousin John
Hanks, and given a hearty welcome. John had chosen a spot not far from
his own home, and had the logs all ready to build a cabin for the
newcomers. Besides young Abe, with the strength of three, there were
five men in the party, so they were able to erect their first home in
Illinois without asking the help of the neighbors, as was customary for
a "raising" of that kind.

Nicolay and Hay, President Lincoln's private secretaries, in their great
life of their chief, gave the following account of the splitting of the
rails which afterward became the talk of the civili