The Lincoln Boys

the goats

Abe: you two wait right here so I know were you  are

Boys: VINNIE REAM

Tad: pa day isn't gonna pose for you now is he

Vinnie: k had hoped he would I must finish that bust I am doing for the Capital Building

Willie: he's awfully busy

Tad: did you know that Bobby is going away tomorrow to go to Harvard

Vinnie: Robert going tomorrow

Willie: that's right no more White House for him he got his uniform this meaning

Tad: yes he's in the East room now strutting in front of a long mirror he would like to tell you goodbye I know

Willie: did Bob tell you he wanted to say goodbye to  Vinnie

Tad: well no he didn't tell me but haven't you noticed the way Bobby hangs around when Vinnie is working in that old head of pa day and the way he looks at her mushy anyway every Harvard boy wants to tell a beautiful girl goodbye it makes them look better

Willie: that's right

Tad: and who wants an old clay head of pa day anyway

Captain: well well well what are you two fellows up to this morning

Tad: we're just waiting for pa  day

Willie: he told us to wait right here for him

Captain: is that so then I will wait here too

Tad: we aren't really going to build an iron ship are you

Captain: Indeed I am the Monitor is going to be the first ironclad steam driven ship in the United States Navy but I bet you it will not be the last

Willie: it'll sink if you build it of iron

Captain: don't tell me you think I am crazy too everybody thinks so but your father thank heavens he had some experience with skateboards on the river of Illinois he has often figured to a pound how much weight a flatboat could carry he knows what I'm talking about we can't let the Merrimac come out of Norfolk and sink any more of our frigates

Tad: will the Monitor beat the Merrimac

Captain: yes sir let me show you what a great battleship  looks like three a hundred and seventy five feet from end to end all armor plated its built right flat on the water

Tad: looks like an old flat iron without a handle

Willie: what's that big round thing on top

Captain: that's the revoling gun turret two eleven inch guns we can run circles around the Merrimac and keep shooting all the time we won't give her time to turn around and maneuver her guns into position

Willie: what makes it go it looks funny without any sails

Captain: steam

Tad: same as a steam engine I know all about steam

Captain: same thing and I have some wonderful new ideas about steam I've been experimenting with it as soon as the steam cools and condenses into water again I send it back through the boiler again it is already hot so it doesn't have to be heated all over again its going to revolutionize steam engines makes them faster and more powerful

Abe: I think if you tuned it upside down and used that cheesbox for a keel you might have something

Captain: Mr President

Willie: pa what is the surprise

Abe: you all come with me and you will see come along Captain there are some things about the Monitor I want to talk over with you

Tad: GOATS

Abe: that's right the goats are for you and the pony is for Willie may you have many hours of fun never knew a boy to want anything like Tadpole has wanted a goat I wanted to see his face when he got out here that's why I made them wait half the morning for me

Tad: mama won't care if I have these goats

Abe: I am sure she won't now that you have a stable to keep them in and a groom to keep them clean

Tad: I don't need  a groom I'm going to take every bit of care of them myself and they won't smell a bit can I give you a ride

Abe: well just around to the door I have to get back to my work

Mary: Mr Lincoln what are you doing out there in that ridiculous cart get out of there at once before somebody sees you

Abe: there must be an hour somewhere where a man could be happy all his life if he could only find it there rub along Tad and love your goats to death

Tad: come on get in i'll give you a ride

Caleb: so you don't think your too smart to ride with just plain folks like me

Tad: why no I'm just plain folks too

Caleb: well I know I would want to live in the old White House if I had to live with a spy

Tad: what do you mean

Caleb: don't you know that important papers have been disappearing from the White House

Tad: no

Caleb: the South is getting valuable information

Tad: they are not

Caleb: they are too

Tad: who would send secret information from the White House

Caleb: your mother that's  who

Tad: what are you talking about you can't prove what you say is true

Caleb: you can't prove it isn't she's got a brother in the Confederate Army hasn't she

Tad: why yes

Caleb: well and now a set of the Monitor has disappeared from your father's pocket who'd go through your father's pockets then your mother

Tad: she's in New York buying clothes

Caleb: maybe that's what she said i bet she took the plans of the Monitor with her my papa thinks so he's going to print a story about her in his paper tomorrow

Tad: GET OUT sometimes a fellow has to fight GET UP

Caleb: you just read the papers that's all you'll see