[htoolkit-users] E made no sound. "What are you saying to yourself?" S

[Talboti Z. <red...@ge...>]

, had grown up. His partner, William Jones, was one of Abe's best
friends, and Abe spent nearly every evening at the store. It became the
favorite meeting place for the men and boys who lived close by. "Howdy,
Abe!" Everyone seemed to be saying it at once when he came in. "The
Louisville paper came today," William Jones might add. "Here you are!
The fellows have been waiting for you to holler out the news."
[Illustration] Abe sat on the counter, swinging his long legs, as he
read the newspaper out loud. The men sat quietly, except when William
got up to throw another log on the fire or to light another candle. Abe
read on and on. After he finished the paper, they talked about what he
had read. They argued about many things from politics to religion. They
always wanted to know what Abe thought. Many times they stayed until
nearly midnight listening to him. * * * * * One evening, not long after
Abe's nineteenth birthday, he walked home from the store in great
excitement. He had been very sad since his sister Sally had died in
January, but tonight he seemed more cheerful. Sarah looked up to find
him standing in the doorway. "What do you think has happened, Ma?" he
asked. "I am going to New Orleans." "How come, Abe?" Sarah knew that
prosperous farmers sometimes loaded their corn and other farm products
on big flatboats. These flatboats were floated down the Ohio and
Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, where the cargoes were sold. But the
Lincolns raised only enough