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he could not continue his studies
because he had no money to pay
the fees. He attended school for
less than a year but he taught
himself to read and write at home.
Every morning he went to the
farm with his father and returned
late in the evening. He dug and
ploughed the farm. The work was
very hard. Though he got very
tired at the end of the day, he read
as many books as he could. He
was too poor to buy books. So he
borrowed them from his friends.
There were no lights in his house.
What hardships did
Abraham Lincoln
He sat by the fire and read books
face in his early life?
in its light.
Sometimes he took the books to the farm and read them at lunch. But he always
returned the books safely and promptly to his friends the very next day.
Once Abe borrowed a book from his neighbour. It was the biography of George
Washington, the first President of the USA. Abe liked the book so much that he
couldn’t put it away before he finished reading it. He wanted to become a great man
like Washington. He noted down the qualities of Washington. Abe read the book late
into the night and left it by the window. That night, it snowed very heavily. The book
got wet in the snow. How did Lincoln manage to
continue his education despite
In the morning, when Abe saw the book and felt sad. He did the difficulties?
not know what to tell his neighbour. He wanted to buy a new
book and give it to the owner. But he had no money. Abe took the book to his neighbour
and said, “I am very sorry for having spoiled your book. I want to get you a new book
but you know I have no money to buy a new one. I will work on your farm to make up
for this loss.”
The neighbour told Abe to work on his farm for three days. After three days of hard
work, the neighbour gave the book to Abe. Abe was overjoyed ! He read the book again
20 Arrow-English Plus-5