as the poet sings."
"I am well, and am glad to be toiling for the bread that does not fail in the wilderness. How are the people of Pigeon Creek—how are my good friends the Lincolns?"
"The Linkens? Well, Tom Linken makes out to hold together after a fashion—all dreams and expectations. 'The thing that hath been is,' the Scriptur' says, and Thomas Linken is—just as he always was, and always will be to the end of the chapter. He's got to the p'int after which there is no more to be told, long ago. The life of such as he repeats itself over and over, like a buzzin' spinnin'-wheel. And Miss Linken, she is as patient as ever; 'tis her mission just to be patient with old Tom."
"And Abraham?"
"That boy Abe—the one that we prophesied about! Well, elder, I do hate to say, 'cause it makes you out to be no prophet, and you mean well, goin' about tryin' to get a little larnin' into the skulls of the people in this new country; but that boy promises pretty slim, though I ain't nothin' to say agin' him. In the first place, he's grown up to be a giant, all legs and ears, mouth and eyes. Why, he is the tallest young man in this part of Indiana!
"Then, his head's off. He goes about readin' books, just as he did when you were here last—this book, and that book, and the other book; and then he all runs to talk, which some folks takes for wisdom. He tells stories that makes everybody laugh, and he seems very chipper and happy, but they do say that he has melancholy spells, and is all down in the mouth at times. But he's good-hearted, and speaks the truth, and helps poor folks, and there's many a wuss one than Abraham Linken now. They didn't invite him to the great weddin' of the Grigsbys, cos he's so homely, and hadn't anythin' to wear but leather breeches, and they only come down a little below his knees. Queer-lookin' he'd 'a' been to a weddin'!
"He felt orful bad at not bein' invited, and made some poetry about 'em. When I feel poetic I talk prose, and give people as good as they send. I don't write no poetry.
"You are welcome to stay here, elder. You needn't go to the Linkens'. I have a prophet's chamber in my house—though you ain't a prophet—and you can always sleep there, and your Indian boy can lay down in the kitchen; and I can cook, elder—now you know that—and I won't ask ye to cobble; your time is too valuable for that."
Jasper, who was not greatly influenced by Aunt Indiana's unfavorable views of her poor neighbor, went to see Thomas Lincoln. Waubeno went with him. Here the young Indian met with a hearty greeting from both Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln.
"I am glad that you have come again," said poor Mrs. Lincoln to Jasper. "You comforted me and encouraged me when you were here last. I want to talk with you. Abe has all grown up, and wants to make a new start in life; and I wish to see him started right. There's so much in gettin' started right; a right start is all the way, sometimes. We don't travel twice over the same years. I want you to talk with him. You have seen this world, and we haven't, but you kind o' brought the world to us when you were here last. Elder, you don't know how much good you are doin'."