Itcaneasilybeunderstoodhowthesewomen，asarule，exertedlittleinfluenceontheirsons。Theirimaginativesidewastoodeeplyhidden，thenatureoftheirpleasurestoosecret，toomysterious。Maleyouth，followingitsobviouspleasure，wentwiththementothehuntThewomenremainedoutsiders。Theboywhochosetodolikewise，wastheincredibleexception。Inhimhadcometoaheadthedeepestthingsintheforestlife：thedarklyfemininethings，itssilence，itsmysticism，itssecretiveness，itstragicpatience。Abrahamwassuchaboy。
Itissaidthatheastoundedhisfatherbyrefusingtoownagun。Heearnedterriblewhippingsbyreleasinganimalscaughtintraps。Thoughhehadinfullestmeasuretheforestpassionforlisteningtostories，theever-populartalesofIndianwarfaredisgustedhim。Butletthetaletakeonanyglintofthemysteryofthehumansoul——asofRobinsonCrusoealoneonhisisland，orofthelordlinessofaction，asinColumbusorWashington——andhewasquickwithinterest。ThestoriesoftalkinganimalsoutofAesopfascinatedhim。
Inthisthrilledcuriosityabouttheanimalswasthesideofhimleastintelligibletomenlikehisfather。Itlivesinmanyanecdotes：ofhisfriendshipwithapoordoghehadwhichhecalled“Honey“；ofpursuingasnakethroughdifficultthicketstopreventitsswallowingafrog；ofloiteringonerrandsattheriskofwhippingstowatchthesquirrelsinthetree-tops；ofthecrowningoffenseofhischildhood，whichearnedhimamightybeating，thesavingofafawn’slifebyscaringitoffjustasahunter’sgunwasleveled。Andbywayofcommentonallthis，thereistheremarkpreservedinthememoryofanotherboytowhomatthetimeitappearedmostsingular，“Godmightthinkasmuchofthatlittlefawnasofsomepeople。“Ofhimasofanothergentlesoulitmighthavebeensaidthatalltheanimalswerehisbrothersandsisters。[7]
Onemighteasilyimaginethispeculiarboywhochosetoremainathomewhilethemenwentouttoslay，asthemeretranslationintomasculinityofhismother，andofhermothers，ofalltheconvergingprocessionsofforestwomen，whohadpassedfromonetoanotherthesecretoftheirmysticism，coloringitmanywaysinthedarkvesselsoftheirsuppressedlives，tillitreachedatlasttheirconcludingchild。Butthiswouldonlyinpartexplainhim。Theirmysticism，asafter-timewastoshow，hehadundoubtedlyinherited。So，too，fromthem，itmaybe，cameanothercharacteristic——thatinstincttoendure，towait，toabidetheissueofcircumstance，whichinthedaysofhispowermadehimtothepoliticiansasunintelligibleasoncehehadbeentotheforesthuntsmen。Nevertheless，themostdistinctivepartofthoseprimitivewomen，thesealedpassionatenessoftheirspirits，heneverfromchildhoodtotheendrevealed。Inthegrownmanappearedaquietude，asortoftrancedcalm，thatwasappalling。Fromwhatpartofhishereditydidthisderive？Wasitthemalegiftoftheforest？
DidprogenitorsworthierthanThomassomehowcastthroughhimtohisaliensonthatpeacetheyhadfoundintheutterheartofdanger，thatapparentselflessnesswhichisbornofbeingeverunfailinglyonguard？
Itisplainthatfromthefirsthewasanaturalstoic，takinghiswhippings，ofwhichthereappeartohavebeenplenty，insilence，withoutanger。Itwasallintheday’sround。
Whippings，likeotherthings，cameandwent。Whatdiditmatter？Andthedailyround，thoughmonotonous，hadevenforthechildacomplementoflabor。Especiallytherewasmuchpatientjourneyingbackandforthwithmealbagsbetweenhisfather’scabinandthelocalmill。Therewasalittleschooling，verylittle，partlyfromNancyLincoln，partlyfromanothergoodwoman，themiller’skindoldmother，partlyatthecrudestofwaysideschoolsmaintainedverybrieflybyawanderingteacherwhosoonwanderedon；butoutofthisschoolingverylittleresultbeyondthemasteryoftheABC。[8]
Andevenatthisage，apatheticeagernesstolearn，toinvadethewonderoftheprintedbook!Alsoamarkedkeennessofobservation。Heobservedthingswhichhiseldersoverlooked。
Hehadabettersenseofdirection，aswhenhecorrectedhisfatherandotherswhoweretakingthewrongshort-cuttoaburninghouse。Cool，unexcitable，hewascapableofpresenceofmind。Onceatnightwhenthedoorofthecabinwassuddenlythrownopenandamonsterappearedonthethreshold，aspectralthinginthedarkness，furry，withtheheadofanox，ThomasLincolnshrankbackaghast；littleAbraham，quicker-sightedandquicker-witted，slippedbehindthecreature，pulledatitsfurrymantle，andrevealedaforestDiana，aboldgirlwhoamusedherselfplayingdemonamongtheshadowsofthemoon。
Sevenyearspassedandhiseighthbirthdayapproached。AllthiswhileThomasLincolnhadsomehowkepthisfamilyinfood，butneverhadhemoneyinhispocket。Hissuccessivefarms，boughtoncredit，wereneverpaidfor。Anincurablevagrant，hecameatlasttothepsychologicalmomentwhenhecouldnolongerimposehimselfonhiscommunity。Hemusttaketotheroadinahazardofnewfortune。Indianaappearedtohimthelandofpromise。Mostofhisproperty——suchasitwas——excepthiscarpenter’stools，hetradedforwhisky，fourhundredgallons。Somehowheobtainedarattletrapwagonandtwohorses。
Thefamilyappeartohavebeenloathtogo。NancyLincolnhadlongbeenailingandinlowspirits，thinkingmuchofwhatmighthappentoherchildrenafterherdeath。Abrahamlovedthecountry-side，andhehadgoodfriendsinthemillerandhiskindoldmother。ButthevagrantThomaswouldhavehisway。
InthebrilliancyoftheWesternautumn，withtheruinedwoodsflamingscarletandgold，thesepoorpeopletooktheirlastlookatthecabinthathadbeentheirwretchedshelter，andsetforthintotheworld。[9]
IITHEMYSTERIOUSYOUTH
Vagrants，orlittlebetterthanvagrants，wereThomasLincolnandhisfamilymakingtheirwaytoIndiana。Forayearaftertheyarrivedtheyweresquatters，theirhomean“open-facedcamp，“thatis，ashantywithonewallmissing，andinsteadofchimney，afirebuiltontheopenside。Inthatmerepretenseofahouse，NancyLincolnandherchildrenspentthewinterof1816-1817。ThenThomasresortedtohisfamiliarpracticeoftakinglandoncredit。TheLincolnswerenowpartofa“settlement“ofsevenoreightfamiliesstrungalongalittlestreamknownasPigeonCreek。HereThomasenteredaquarter-
sectionoffairland，andinthecourseofthenextelevenyearssucceeded——wonderfultorelate——inpayingdownsufficientmoneytogivehimtitletoabouthalf。
Meanwhile，poorfadingNancywenttoherplace。PigeonCreekwasanout-of-the-waynookinthestillunsettledWest，andNancyduringthetwoyearsshelivedtherecouldnothaveenjoyedmuchoftheconsolationofherreligion。Perhapsnowandthenshehadghostlycouncilofsomestraycircuit-rider。
Butforherthedaysoftheecstasieshadgoneby；nogreatrevivalbrokethesealsofthespirit，stirreditsdeepwaters，alongPigeonCreek。Therewasnoreligiousservicewhenshewaslaidtorestinacoffinmadeofgreenlumberandfashionedbyherhusband。Monthspassed，thesnowlaydeep，beforeapassingcircuit-riderheldaburialserviceoverhergrave。
TraditionhasitthattheboyAbrahambroughtthisaboutverylikely，attenyearsold，hefeltthathertroubledspiritcouldnothavepeacetillthiswasdone。Shadowyassheis，ghostlikeacrossthepageofhistory，itisplainthatshewasarealitytoherson。Henotonlylovedherbutreveredher。
Hebelievedthatfromherhehadinheritedthebetterpartofhisgenius。Manyyearsafterherdeathhesaid，“Godblessmymother；allthatIamoreverhopetobeIowetoher。“
Nancywasnotlongwithoutasuccessor。ThomasLincoln，thenextyear，journeyedbacktoKentuckyandreturnedintriumphtoIndiana，bringingashiswife，anoldflameofhiswhohadmarried，hadbeenwidowed，andwasofamindforfurtheradventures。ThisSarahBushLincoln，oflessdistinctionthanNancy，appearstohavebeensteadier-mindedandstronger-willed。Evenbeforethis，Thomashadleftthehalf-facedcampandmovedintoacabin。Butsuchacabin!Ithadneitherdoor，norwindow，norfloor。SallyLincolnrequiredherhusbandtomakeofitaproperhouse——bythestandardsofPigeonCreek。Shehadbroughtwithherasherdowryawagonloadoffurniture。ThesecomfortstogetherwithherstrongwillbegananeweraofrelativecomfortintheLincolncabin。[1]
SallyLincolnwasakindstepmothertoAbrahamwhobecamestronglyattachedtoher。IntheroughandnondescriptcommunityofPigeonCreek，aworldofweedyfarms，ofmiserablemudroads，oflogfarm-houses，thefamilylifethatwasatleasttolerable。ThesordidmiserydescribedduringherregimeemergedfromwretchednesstoastateofbyalltherecordersofLincoln’searlydaysseemstohaveendedabouthistwelfthyear。Atleast，thevagrantsuggestiondisappeared。Thoughthelifethatsucceededwasvoidofluxury，thoughitwasrough，evenbrutal，dominatedbyacoarse，peasant-likeviewofthings，itwasscarcelybypeasantstandardsalifeofhardship。Therewasfoodsufficient，ifnotverygood；
protectionfromwindandweather；fireinthewintertime；
steadylabor；andsocialacceptancebythecommunityofthecreekside。Thatthelaborwashardandlong，wentwithoutsaying。Butastothat——asofthewhippingsinKentucky——whatelse，fromthepeasantpointofview，wouldyouexpect？
Abrahamtookitallwiththesamestoicismwithwhichhehadoncetakenthewhippings。Bytheunwrittenlawofthecreeksidehewashisfather’sproperty，andsowashislabor，untilhecameofage。Thomasusedhimasaservantorhiredhimouttootherfarmers。StrayrecollectionsshowusyoungAbrahamworkingasafarm-handfortwenty-fivecentstheday，probablywith“keep“inaddition；weglimpsehimslaughteringhogsskilfullyatthirty-onecentsaday，forthiswas“roughwork。“Hebecamenotedasanaxman。
Inthecrevices，sotospeak，ofhiscareerasafarm-hand，Abrahamgotafewmonthsofschooling，lessthanayearinall。
Astorythathasbeenrepeatedathousandtimesshowstherawyouthbythecabinfireatnightdoingsumsonthebackofawoodenshovel，andshavingoffitssurfacerepeatedlytogetafreshpage。Hedevouredeverybookthatcamehisway，onlyafewtobesure，butgenerallygreatones——theBible，ofcourse，andAesop，Crusoe，Pilgrim’sProgress，andafewhistories，theselastunfortunatelyofthepoorersort。Heearlydisplayedabentforcomposition，scribblingversesthatwereverypoor，andwritingburlesquetalesabouthisacquaintancesinwhatpassedforaBiblicalstyle。[2]
OnegreatexperiencebrokethemonotonyofthelifeonPigeonCreek。HemadeatriptoNewOrleansasa“hand“onaflatboat。Ofthistriplittleisknownthoughmuchmaybesurmised。Tohisdeeplypoeticnaturewhatanexperienceitmusthavebeen：themajestyofthevastriver；thepageantofitsimmensetravel；thesteamersheavilyladen；thefleetsofbarges；themanytowns；thenightsofstarsoverwidesweepsofwater；thestatelyplantationhousesalongthebanks；theoldFrenchcitywithitscrowds，itsbells，theshipping，thestrangefacesandtheforeignspeech；allthebewilderingevidencethattherewereotherworldsbesidesPigeonCreek!
WhatseedofnewthinkingwassowninhisimaginationbythisOdysseyweshallneverknow。TheobviouseffectinthetenyearsofhislifeinIndianawasproducedatPigeonCreek。The“settlement“waswithinfifteenmilesoftheOhio。ItlayinthatsoutherlyfringeofIndianawhichreceivedearlyinthecenturymanyfamiliesofmuchthesameestate，characterandoriginastheLincolns，——poorwhitesoftheedgesofthegreatforestworkingoutwardtowardtheprairies。Locatedongoodlandnotfarfromagreathighway，theOhio，itillustratedinitsrudeprosperityatransformationthatwentonunobservedinmanysuchsettlements，thetransformationofthewanderingforesterofthelowerclassintoapeasantfarmer。Itslifewasoftheearth，earthy；thoughitretainedthereligioustraditionsoftheforest，theirsignificancewasevaporating；
mysticismwasfadingintoemotionalism；thecamp-meetingwasdegeneratingintoapicnic。Thesupremesocialevent，thewedding，wasattendedbyfestivitiesthatfilledtwenty-fourhours：araceofmaleguestsintheforenoonwithabottleofwhiskyforaprize；anHomericdinneratmidday；“anafternoonofroughgamesandoutrageouspracticaljokes；asupperanddanceatnightinterruptedbythesuccessivewithdrawalsofthebrideandgroom，attendedbyceremoniesandjestsofmorethanRabelaisiancrudeness；andanoisydispersalnextday。“[3]Theintensitiesoftheforestsurvivedinharddrinking，inthefuryofthefun-making，andinthehunt。Theforestpassionforstorytellinghadinnowaydecreased。
Inthisatmosphere，abouteighteenandnineteen，Abrahamshotupsuddenlyfromaslenderboytoahuge，raw-honed，ungainlyman，sixfeetfourinchestall，ofunusualmuscularstrength。
Hisstrengthwasoneofthefixedconditionsofhisdevelopment。Itdeliveredhimfromallfearofhisfellows。