, and carried him a quarter of a mile
to a deserted cabin, where he made up a fire and warmed and nursed the
old drunkard the rest of that night. Then Abe gave him "a good talking
to," and the unfortunate man is said to have been so deeply impressed by
the young man's kindness that he heeded the temperance lecture and never
again risked his life as he had done that night. When the old man told
John Hanks of Abe's Herculean effort to save him, he added:

"It was mighty clever in Abe Lincoln to tote me to a warm fire that cold
night."

IN JONES' STORE

While Abe was working for the farmers round about his father's farm he
spent many of his evenings in Jones' grocery "talking politics" and
other things with the men, who also gathered there. Mr. Jones took a
Louisville paper, which young Lincoln read eagerly. Slavery was a live
political topic then, and Abe soon acquired quite a reputation as a
stump orator.

As he read the "Indiana Statutes" he was supposed to "know more law than
the constable." In fact, his taste for the law was so pronounced at that
early age that he went, sometimes, fifteen miles to Boonville, as a
spectator in the county court. Once he heard a lawyer of ability, named
Breckinridge, defend an accused murderer there. It was a great plea; the
tall country boy knew it and, pushing through the crowd, reached out his
long, coatless arm to congratulate the lawyer, who looked at the awkward
youth in amazement and passed on without acknowledging Abe's compliment.
The two men met again in Washington, more than thirty years later, under
very different circumstances.

But there were things other than politics discussed at the country
store, and Abe Lincoln often raised a laugh at the expense of some
braggart or bully. There was "Uncle Jimmy" Larkins, who posed as the
hero of his own stories. In acknowledgment of Abe's authority as a
judge of horse flesh, "Uncle Jimmy" was boasting of his horse's
superiority in a recent fox chase. But young Lincoln seemed to pay no
heed. Larkins repeated:

"Abe, I've got the best horse in the world; he won the race and never
drew a long breath."

Young Lincoln still appeared not to be paying attention. "Uncle Jimmy"
persisted. He was bound to make Abe hear. He reiterated:

"I say, Abe, I have got the best horse in the world; after all that
running he never drew a long breath."

"Well, Larkins," drawled young Lincoln, "why don't you tell us how many
_short_ breaths he