The Lincoln Boys

pa will be running for President

On June of our I let go of mama's hand and change it too pa's on the train now now I have pa all to myself this is a Suporter Train pa this is my first train I ever rode on pa says it's a pretty tinky railway compared to others in Pennsylvania and New York it takes all day to get to Chicago pa and I walked in the Tremant Hotel I never did imagine so many people or so much noise all in one place

Abe:  Willie you look like the preacher on his first day in heaven surprises to see that so many people got there too

People say about pa that he is pine tall this is this is  due to his double long legs there's this strange music it is not a fiddle not a piano or a horn what is it pa what is that strange little popping music

Abe: it's a harp

Willie: a harp that lady playing it must be an angel only angles play harps pa agrees she must be an angel

Abe: close your mouth son and don't forget to blink your eyes once in a while

Willie: suddenly a whole bunch of men come up and talk to pa a year ago when he was running against Mr Douglas these same sort of men were always circling around pa and doing the same important sounding talk pa loves to talk back it is because he is a lawyer and mama says lawyers are paid a dollar a minute to talk away like monkeys in the trees I must be quite and wait until they stop talking if spoken to I must answer with a straight shooter look in my eyes

Abe: that's the key to it looked them sprang in the eye and speak up then they won't treat ya like a squirt

Willie: I watch pa talk to these spiffed up men with soft hands he makes them listen and makes them laugh he is easy with them it's mama who taught him just how to be easy with rich men mama comes from Kentucky people who own a fine snout of land they drink out of pure crystal glasses and ride fancy mama knows how to be rich like these rich men and she's proud of it we sit down to dinner in the hotels dining room it looks sheerly like the royal banquet hall in KING ARTHUR AND THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE

Abe: I am going to shoot the breeze with you will about a very grown up set of things I can talk to you scout better than your blog brother

Willie: Bob Lincoln is my big brother he is I. the east at Prepart School he'd be at Harvard but he failed his exams and must try again pa and Bob haven't ever been close friends like pa and me they get under each other's skin pa is it those fancy duded up men do they want you to run in another election

Abe: you are as sharp as a new tack scout

Willie: they want to leave home again and travel all over the place like you did when you were running against Mr Douglas

Abe: I will have to travel even as far as New York Massachusetts and Maine son that's a far piece you must take care of your mama now now that Bobby's not home

Willie: Taddie and me we hate being home without you pa mama is always fearful when you're not there she treads back and forth in the bedroom  and makes the floor squeak

Abe: I know and there's not a thing I can do about it

Willie: will you be senator this time pa

Abe: president son