There was a rough gallantry among the young people; and Lincoln’s old
comrades and friends in Indiana have left many tales of how he “went to
see the girls,” of how he brought in the biggest back-log and made the
brightest fire; of how the young people, sitting around it, watching the
way the sparks flew, told their fortunes.
He helped pare apples, shell corn and crack nuts. He took the girls to
meeting and to spelling school, though he was not often allowed to take
part in the spelling-match, for the one who “chose first” always chose
“Abe” Lincoln, and that was equivalent to winning, as the others knew
that “he would stand up the longest.”