Mark and I had been invited over to some friends of ours for a piece of Able's birthday cake. We've always enjoyed ourselves when we went there. You see this friend of ours thinks he's Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator himself. His name was Able "Abe" Lincoln. Abe loved to wrestle, whether
it is arm wrestling or just plain wrestling. While we were waiting for Emma, Abe's sister to get things around, Abe and I got into a wrestling match.
"You almost got him pinned Pa!" Only one shoulder, referee," said Abe. Just then the tables turned. "He's got you pinned good Pa." "You heard the referee, I give up," I said to Abe. "Lucas, you’re not humoring me because I'm the president?" Asked Abe. "My word of honor, Mr. Lincoln." Just then Emma came out of the house. She scolded Abe and told him that was no way to treat a guest and on his birthday.
Abe was getting ready to cut the cake when it started to rain, thunder and lightening. "Ann, my poor darling Ann," said Abe as he stared out the window. "Blow out the candle Mr. Lincoln," I said. "The wind and the rain beating on her grave," said Abe. Emma broke in with telling Mark how much he had grown. She started to ask Mark questions about school as she cut the cake. All the while he kept looking at Abe. "Twelve months of schoolings all Abe Lincoln ever had," mumbled Abe. "How are things at the ranch Lucas?" Asked Abe. He seemed alright now. "How are the good citizens of North Fork bearing?" Asked Abe. "Nothing unusual, babies being born and old people dying. But there's more being born then dying; so I imagine in a year or two we'll just be a regular city," I said. He wanted to go to North Fork. Emma didn't want him to go. I told her we'd bring him back in the morning. He said he'd be fine. He needed to get out and see 
the people. He wanted to know what they were feelin' first hand. He then went up stairs to get his frock coat. I told her I would look after him, everything would be fine. She went upstairs to help Abe get ready.
"Who’s Ann?" Asked Mark. "Well I expect he was talkin' about Ann Rutledge, Son. She was Abraham Lincoln's sweetheart they say. She died." "Golly, he really thinks he's Abraham Lincoln doesn't he?" Said Mark. "Well he lost his own sweetheart during the war," I said. "He sure is looney," said Mark. "Mark!" "I'm sorry Pa.....but.....you know what I mean." "Well let’s just say he's a strange man son. But he's also a kind man and a gentle man." Mark understood and he liked Abe, he just didn't quite understand what made him pretend all the time. I told Mark that everybody pretends sometime during their life, even him. I told him when he was a little boy about three or four years old he had an invisible friend named Jessie. I told him how he would get his mother to set a place at the table for him. He laughed. "But Pa, that's only, kids stuff." I told him grownups pretend for different reasons. Like reality of things they can't face. I told him how the war wounded people in different ways. Just then Emma came down the steps. "Abe is ready." There was Abe in his flock coat and stovepipe hat. "Now before we go Lucas, I have a little present for Tad." I explained to Mark that Tad was one of Mr. Lincoln’s sons. He handed Mark a gun. "It's a souvenir from old Abe," said Abe. "Mr. Lincoln, I don't think the boys old enough to handle guns." "This is a colt that U.S. Grant carried when he took Vicksburg," said Abe. He kept insisting and I kept objecting
. "Lucas.....it gives the president great pleasure to give it to the boy." I hesitated but did agree that Mark could take it. Abe and I headed into town and Mark headed home to start supper.
The townfolks would be happy to see Abe. They knew Abe and they would go along with his pretense of being the president, Abraham Lincoln. When we got into town we ran into Susan. She was jumping rope. He asked her how she was doing in school. She started to go over her history lessons. When she got to the part Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in.....she caught herself and changed it to when Abraham Lincoln had signed the Proclamation of Emancipation in 1862. She said goodbye and ran off. Just then McKeever came out of his store and talked to Abe. We chatted for a while and then went on our way. When we came to the saloon, Abe wanted to go in and have a glass of water. McKeever yelled to me that my Wiss saw came in that I had order. I told Abe to go on into the saloon and I'd be right back.
Everybody greeted him with respect. Nils offered to buy him a drink. He thanked him but said he was having water. Then the guitar player dedicated a song in his honor. Just about everybody joined in, except for two strangers who just came into town.
The next day Yordy ran into Nils. He asked him if he was done shoein; his horse. He said he was. He told Nils that he made a fool out of himself last night in the saloon. He told Nils he wanted to set things straight with "Abe." Nils told him he was staying out at the McCain Ranch, about five miles south of town. His trick worked, he had no intention of apologizing to Abe, what he wanted was vengeance. Joe reminded Yordy that they should be heading on to Marionette. But Yordy insisted he wanted to apologize first to "Mr. Lincoln and then kill him!"
Mark and Abe were at the ranch chopping wood. Abe was teaching Mark how to split logs by way of channeling his anger. I asked them if they wanted to go hunting. I was going to look for a couple of rabbits for dinner. They wanted to stay at the ranch and split more logs. Mark sure was enjoying himself. Abe told Mark he had to make the log his enemy. "You say to yourself, if I don't split that log in one whack something terrible gonna happen to me. Like 'em.....I'm gonna come down with the dropsy's." "And then you put all your strength and your mind into this sledge and....." With one whack Abe split the log. Mark was surprised when he did it again. Now it was Mark's turn. He didn't think he could do it. "You've got to split this 
log in one whack or your Pa's crop is gonna be smothered by a dust storm and you won't have anything to eat for a whole year except for beans." "I hate beans!" Yelled Mark. With one big whack of anger Mark hit the splitter so hard that when it split and he fell to the ground. "It works Mr. Lincoln!" Said Mark. "You don't think Abe Lincoln would lie to ya', do ya?" They laughed. Mark took the logs that we're split to the wood shed while Abe split some more logs.
Just then Yordy came from around the side of the barn. He approached Abe. "Mr. Lincoln." "Well good day friend," said Abe. "Now you don't recognize me, you've got a mighty short memory." "Oh you’re the fellow I wrestled with yesterday. I'm deeply sorry....." Just then Yordy drew his gun on Abe. "You stay right were you are Mr. President. Put down that sledge," said Yordy. Abe dropped the sledge hammer and assured him he wasn't going to harm him. Yordy told him he was going to put a bullet threw his brain, he wouldn't feel a thing. "Now friend I....." "You can't get it thru that poor clouded brain of yours; I'm not your friend! I'm gonna kill you!" Why do you want to harm me?" Asked Abe. "Because I am a great patriot of the south. You didn't believe me yesterday. I'm really John Wilkes Booth and I'm here to assassinate you!" said Yordy. Mark came out from inside the barn. Drop that gun mister. Or I'll shoot!" "Drop it! Or I'll pull this trigger!" Yordy looked at Mark and then Abe. "Drop it!" Yelled Mark. "Mark, that's a souvenir gun, there are no bullets in it!" Mark was nervous. He dropped the gun. "Oh please mister. Don't shoot! He's defenseless." "Just stay where you are sonny," said Yordy. He felt Abe was worst off then he thought. Abe could have bluffed him and took away his gun but he didn't. Yordy was still going to kill Abe. "Turn your head Mark," said Abe. I happened to come in on the tail end of this. I shot by Yordy's feet, missing, just wanted to stop this dumbness. "Don't hurt him Lucas, that's an order McCain!" Said Abe. I told Yordy to get out of here. Abe apologized for the disturbances. He then walked over and pick up the gun he had given Mark. It turned out that 
Mark's gun was loaded. Abe explained that he didn't want Mark to shoot. Mark wasn't sure if he could have. "We've just come thru a bloody war Mark, with boys not much older then you finding out if they could. Something I hope you never have to find out."
son, Robert.
