ame_ among men, and so they
called him Abraham. This ancient and venerable name, however, soon
underwent a transformation, and appeared in the undignified form of
"Abe." The alteration at least exhibited a mark of economy, even if it
involved the sacrifice of good taste; there certainly was a saving of
time in saying "Abe" instead of "Abraham," which is very important when
things have to be done in a hurry; and then it may be that to some ears
it would sound more musical and familiar than the full-length
designation. Howbeit, there always seemed a strange contrariness
between Abe and his name. When he was a baby they called him by the
antiquated name of "Abraham." As he grew older and bigger, they
shortened his name to "Abe," and when he was a full-grown man, and
father of a family, he was commonly known as "Little Abe." The name
and the bearer seemed to have started to run a circle in contrary
directions, till they met exactly at the opposite point in old age,
when for the first time there was seen the fitness between the man and
his name, and he was respectfully called "Abraham Lockwood."

[1] Since the above was written, this little cottage has been removed
to afford room for a larger building.

CHAPTER II.

Early Incidents.

Nothing particular is reported of his early life in that little home;
there are no accounts of any hair-breadth escapes from being run over
by cart-wheels, or of his being nearly burnt to death while playing
with the kitchen fire, or of his straying away from home and taking to
the adjacent woods, and the whole neighbourhood being out in quest of
him, or that he even, during this interesting period of his history,
either fell headlong into a coal-pit, or wandered out of his depth in
the canal near by; there is, however, every probability, considering
his lively disposition, that his mother had her time pretty well
occupied in keeping him within bounds.

On reaching the notable age of six years, a very important change came
over the even course of his young life. His parents sent him to work
in a coal-pit; people in these days will scarcely credit such a thing,
but it is nevertheless true; nor was this an extraordinary case, for
children of poor parents were commonly sent to work in the pits at that
early age, when Abe was a child. The work which they did was not
difficult; perhaps it might be the opening or shutting of a door in one
of the drifts; but whatever it was our