This was spring.
This
was
spring
.
One day in spring four men were riding on horseback along a country road.
One
day
in
spring
four
men
were
riding
on
horseback
along
a
country
road
.
These men were lawyers, and they were going to the next town to attend court.
These
men
were
lawyers
,
and
they
were
going
to
the
next
town
to
attend
court
.
There had been a rain, and the ground was very soft.
There
had
been
a
rain
,
and
the
ground
was
very
soft
.
Water was dripping from the trees, and the grass was wet.
Water
was
dripping
from
the
trees
,
and
the
grass
was
wet
.
The four lawyers rode along, one behind another; for the pathway was narrow, and the mud on each side of it was deep.
The
four
lawyers
rode
along
,
one
behind
another
;
for
the
pathway
was
narrow
,
and
the
mud
on
each
side
of
it
was
deep
.
They rode slowly, and talked and laughed and were very happy.
They
rode
slowly
,
and
talked
and
laughed
and
were
very
happy
.
As they were passing through a row of small trees, they heard a great fluttering over their heads and a weak cry in the grass by the roadside.
As
they
were
passing
through
a
row
of
small
trees
,
they
heard
a
great
fluttering
over
their
heads
and
a
weak
cry
in
the
grass
by
the
roadside
.
Some voice came from the green branches above them.
Some
voice
came
from
the
green
branches
above
them
.
Some voice came from the wet grass.
Some
voice
came
from
the
wet
grass
.
The ground was wet.
The
ground
was
wet
.
It is obvious that there had been a heavy wind and rain.
It
is
obvious
that
there
had
been
a
heavy
wind
and
rain
.
And soon, one of the men, Speed, recognized that the sounds were from the robins.
And
soon
,
one
of
the
men
,
Speed
,
recognized
that
the
sounds
were
from
the
robins
.
They came to the grass, and found there were two robins were in the grass.
They
came
to
the
grass
,
and
found
there
were
two
robins
were
in
the
grass
.
It was probable that the birds had been blown out of their nest by the storm.
It
was
probable
that
the
birds
had
been
blown
out
of
their
nest
by
the
storm
.
The birds were hurt and their mother was very worried about it.
The
birds
were
hurt
and
their
mother
was
very
worried
about
it
.
The birds were in danger!
The
birds
were
in
danger
!
Lincoln believed that something should be done to help the birds.
Lincoln
believed
that
something
should
be
done
to
help
the
birds
.
But his companions did not think it important.
But
his
companions
did
not
think
it
important
.
They went away, but Lincoln stayed.
They
went
away
,
but
Lincoln
stayed
.
The three men, as they passed, looked down and saw the little birds fluttering in the cold, wet grass.
The
three
men
,
as
they
passed
,
looked
down
and
saw
the
little
birds
fluttering
in
the
cold
,
wet
grass
.
They saw the mother robin flying about, and crying to her mate.
They
saw
the
mother
robin
flying
about
,
and
crying
to
her
mate
.
Then they rode on, talking and laughing as before.
Then
they
rode
on
,
talking
and
laughing
as
before
.
In a few minutes they had forgotten about the birds.
In
a
few
minutes
they
had
forgotten
about
the
birds
.
But the fourth lawyer, whose name was Abraham Lincoln, stopped.
But
the
fourth
lawyer
,
whose
name
was
Abraham
Lincoln
,
stopped
.
He got down from his horse and very gently took the little ones up in his big warm hands.
He
got
down
from
his
horse
and
very
gently
took
the
little
ones
up
in
his
big
warm
hands
.
They did not seem frightened, but shouted softly, as if they knew they were safe.
They
did
not
seem
frightened
,
but
shouted
softly
,
as
if
they
knew
they
were
safe
.
Mr. Lincoln wanted to put the little birds into their nest.
Mr.
Lincoln
wanted
to
put
the
little
birds
into
their
nest
.
Then he looked up to find the nest from which they had fallen.
Then
he
looked
up
to
find
the
nest
from
which
they
had
fallen
.
It was high, much higher than he could reach.
It
was
high
,
much
higher
than
he
could
reach
.
But Mr. Lincoln could climb.
But
Mr.
Lincoln
could
climb
.
He had climbed many a tree when he was a boy.
He
had
climbed
many
a
tree
when
he
was
a
boy
.
He put the birds softly, one by one, into their warm little home.
He
put
the
birds
softly
,
one
by
one
,
into
their
warm
little
home
.
Two other baby birds that had not fallen out were there.
Two
other
baby
birds
that
had
not
fallen
out
were
there
.
All joined down together and were very happy.
All
joined
down
together
and
were
very
happy
.
Soon the three lawyers who had ridden ahead stopped at a spring to give their horses water.
Soon
the
three
lawyers
who
had
ridden
ahead
stopped
at
a
spring
to
give
their
horses
water
.
And soon they found Mr. Lincoln lost.
And
soon
they
found
Mr.
Lincoln
lost
.
They were surprised to find that Abraham Lincoln was not with them.
They
were
surprised
to
find
that
Abraham
Lincoln
was
not
with
them
.
They waited by the spring.
They
waited
by
the
spring
.
In a few minutes Mr. Lincoln joined them.
In
a
few
minutes
Mr.
Lincoln
joined
them
.
His shoes were covered with mud; he had torn his coat on the tree.
His
shoes
were
covered
with
mud
;
he
had
torn
his
coat
on
the
tree
.
When they saw Mr. Lincoln come, they asked him where he had been.
When
they
saw
Mr.
Lincoln
come
,
they
asked
him
where
he
had
been
.
After Mr. Lincoln told them he had helped the birds in need, the three lawyers were in surprise.
After
Mr.
Lincoln
told
them
he
had
helped
the
birds
in
need
,
the
three
lawyers
were
in
surprise
.
"Well, we always thought you were a hero," said Mr.
``
Well
,
we
always
thought
you
were
a
hero
,
''
said
Mr
.
Speed.
Speed
.
"Now we know it."
``
Now
we
know
it
.
''
Then all three of them laughed heartily.
Then
all
three
of
them
laughed
heartily
.
They thought it so foolish that a strong man should take so much trouble just for some worthless young birds.
They
thought
it
so
foolish
that
a
strong
man
should
take
so
much
trouble
just
for
some
worthless
young
birds
.
"Gentlemen," said Mr. Lincoln, "I could not have slept tonight, if I had left those helpless little robins to die in the wet grass."
``
Gentlemen
,
''
said
Mr.
Lincoln
,
``
I
could
not
have
slept
tonight
,
if
I
had
left
those
helpless
little
robins
to
die
in
the
wet
grass
.
''
Abraham Lincoln afterwards became very famous as a lawyer and statesman.
Abraham
Lincoln
afterwards
became
very
famous
as
a
lawyer
and
statesman
.
He was elected president.
He
was
elected
president
.
Next to Washington he was the greatest American.
Next
to
Washington
he
was
the
greatest
American
.
This was spring. One day in spring four men were riding on horseback along a country road. These men were lawyers, and they were going to the next town to attend court.  There had been a rain, and the ground was very soft. Water was dripping from the trees, and the grass was wet.  The four lawyers rode along, one behind another; for the pathway was narrow, and the mud on each side of it was deep. They rode slowly, and talked and laughed and were very happy.  As they were passing through a row of small trees, they heard a great fluttering over their heads and a weak cry in the grass by the roadside.  Some voice came from the green branches above them.  Some voice came from the wet grass.  The ground was wet. It is obvious that there had been a heavy wind and rain. And soon, one of the men, Speed, recognized that the sounds were from the robins. They came to the grass, and found there were two robins were in the grass. It was probable that the birds had been blown out of their nest by the storm. The birds were hurt and their mother was very worried about it. The birds were in danger!  Lincoln believed that something should be done to help the birds. But his companions did not think it important. They went away, but Lincoln stayed.  The three men, as they passed, looked down and saw the little birds fluttering in the cold, wet grass. They saw the mother robin flying about, and crying to her mate.  Then they rode on, talking and laughing as before. In a few minutes they had forgotten about the birds.  But the fourth lawyer, whose name was Abraham Lincoln, stopped. He got down from his horse and very gently took the little ones up in his big warm hands.  They did not seem frightened, but shouted softly, as if they knew they were safe. Mr. Lincoln wanted to put the little birds into their nest. Then he looked up to find the nest from which they had fallen. It was high, much higher than he could reach.  But Mr. Lincoln could climb. He had climbed many a tree when he was a boy. He put the birds softly, one by one, into their warm little home. Two other baby birds that had not fallen out were there. All joined down together and were very happy.  Soon the three lawyers who had ridden ahead stopped at a spring to give their horses water. And soon they found Mr. Lincoln lost.  They were surprised to find that Abraham Lincoln was not with them. They waited by the spring.  In a few minutes Mr. Lincoln joined them. His shoes were covered with mud; he had torn his coat on the tree. When they saw Mr. Lincoln come, they asked him where he had been. After Mr. Lincoln told them he had helped the birds in need, the three lawyers were in surprise.  "Well, we always thought you were a hero," said Mr. Speed. "Now we know it."  Then all three of them laughed heartily. They thought it so foolish that a strong man should take so much trouble just for some worthless young birds.  "Gentlemen," said Mr. Lincoln, "I could not have slept tonight, if I had left those helpless little robins to die in the wet grass."  Abraham Lincoln afterwards became very famous as a lawyer and statesman. He was elected president. Next to Washington he was the greatest American.