human beings.

The details of this auction were so coarse and vile that it is
impossible to defile these pages with an accurate and faithful
description. Lincoln saw it all. He saw a beautiful mulatto girl
exhibited like a race-horse, her "points" dwelt on, one by one, in
order, as the auctioneer said, that "bidders might satisfy themselves
whether the article they were offering to buy was sound or not." One of
his companions justly said slavery ran the iron into him then and
there. His soul was stirred with a righteous indignation. Turning to
the others he exclaimed with a solemn oath: "Boys, if ever I get a
chance to hit that thing [slavery] I'll hit it hard!"

He bided his time. One-third of a century later he had the chance to
hit that thing. He redeemed his oath. He hit it hard.




CHAPTER VI.

DESULTORY EMPLOYMENTS.


Upon the arrival of the Lincoln family in Illinois, they had the few
tools which would be considered almost necessary to every frontiersman:
namely, a common ax, broad-ax, hand-saw, whip-saw. The mauls and wedges
were of wood and were made by each workman for himself. To this stock
of tools may also be added a small supply of nails brought from
Indiana, for at that period nails were very expensive and used with the