How Linclon Learned English

"1 have talked with greab men," he (Lincoln) told his ie'low clerk and friend, Greene, "and I do not see how they difier from others." He made up his niiud to put liimself hefore the public, and ta'.ked of his pians to his frfends. In order to keep in pract.ce in speaking he walked teven or eight miles to debating clubs. "Pract:cing po'emics" was what he cal'ed the exercise. He seems now for the first time to have begun to study subjects. Grammar was what he chose. He sought Mentor Graliam, the school master, and asked liis advice. "If you are going te'ore the public," Mr. Graham told him, "you ousht to do it." But where could he get a grammar ? There was but one, said Mr. Graham, in the neigliborhood, and that was six miles away. Without waiting further information, the young man rose from the breakfast tab'e, walked Immediately to the place, borrowed th!s rare copy of Kirkham's Grammar, and beiore night was deep into Hs mysteries. Fiom that time on ior weeks he gave every moment of his leLsure to mastering the contents of the book. Frequently he asked his friend Green to "nold the book" while he recited, and, when puzz'ed by a point, he would consult Mr. Graham. Liucoii's eagerness to leam was such that the whole neighborhooc became inlerested. The Greenes leni him books, the schoolmaster kept him In mind and helped him as he could and even the village cooper let him come into hls shop and keep up a lire of shavings suff icient ly helght to reac by at night. It was not long, before the grammar was mastered. "Well' Lincoln said to his fellow clerk Greene "if that's what they cali a cience I think 111 go at another." He had made another discovery - that h