Mrs. Lincoln: That won't hurt you. Don't you remember the other day when you had the tooth-ache, Abe got in all the wood and wouldn't let you do a thing?
Matilda (enters at left from behind cupboard): Hurry up, John, and bring in some wood, the fire is getting low. Don't you feel chilly, mother?
Mrs. Lincoln: Yes, it is getting cold here. Run along, John, that's a good boy. Abe will get it all in tomorrow night, I'm sure.
Sarah: Yes, or else when he's rich and famous maybe he'll let you live with him. Mother is so sure he's bound to be a great man.
John (rising): O, well, Abe's all right, I don't mind.
Mrs. Lincoln: Yes, you children like to laugh at the things I say about Abe, but I know any boy—or girl either, for that matter—who's so anxious to learn, can't help amounting to something some day. You just wait and see.
Mr. Lincoln (enters at right): What's that, mother? What shall we see if we wait? Guess we'll have to wait a good while if we see anything very great around these diggings.
Sarah: O, ma's just bragging about Abe again.
Mr. Lincoln (goes to Mrs. Lincoln and lays hand on her shoulder): You're good to the chap, Sallie, that's a fact. I'm glad I brought you here to be a mother to him. But sometimes I wonder if it's just the thing for you to encourage him to do so much reading, for I know you do encourage him.
Matilda: I should say she does! Why, the rest of us young ones have to go around on our tip-toes and talk in whispers when Abe gets his nose in a book.