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SAVING THE BIRDS One day in spring four men were riding on horseback along a country road . These men were lawyers , and they were going to the next town to attend court . There had been a rain , and the ground was very soft . Water was dripping from the trees , and the grass was wet . The four lawyers rode along , one behind another ; for the pathway was narrow , and the mud on each side of it was deep . They rode slowly , and talked and laughed and were very jolly . As they were passing through a grove of small trees , they heard a great fluttering over their heads and a feeble chirping in the grass by the roadside . " Stith ! stith ! stith ! " came from the leafy branches above them . " Cheep ! cheep ! cheep ! " came from the wet grass . " What is the matter here ? " asked the first lawyer , whose name was Speed . " Oh , it's only some old robins ! " said the second lawyer , whose name was Hardin . " The storm has blown two of the little ones out of the nest . They are too young to fly , and the mother bird is making a great fuss about it . " " What a pity ! They'll die down there in the grass , " said the third lawyer , whose name I forget . " Oh , well ! They're nothing but birds , " said Mr . Hardin . " Why should we bother ? " " Yes , why should we ? " said Mr . Speed . The three men , as they passed , looked down and saw the little birds fluttering in the cold , wet grass . They saw the mother robin flying about , and crying to her mate . Then they rode on , talking and laughing as before . In a few minutes they had forgotten about the birds . But the fourth lawyer , whose name was Abraham Lincoln , stopped . He got down from his horse and very gently took the little ones up in his big warm hands . They did not seem frightened , but chirped softly , as if they knew they were safe . " Never mind , my little fellows , " said Mr . Lincoln " I will put you in your own cozy little bed . " Then he looked up to find the nest from which they had fallen . It was high , much higher than he could reach . But Mr . Lincoln could climb . He had climbed many a tree when he was a boy . He put the birds softly , one by one , into their warm little home . Two other baby birds were there , that had not fallen out . All cuddled down together and were very happy . Soon the three lawyers who had ridden ahead stopped at a spring to give their horses water . " Where is Lincoln ? " asked one . All were surprised to find that he was not with them . " Do you remember those birds ? " said Mr . Speed . " Very likely he has stopped to take care of them . " In a few minutes Mr . Lincoln joined them . His shoes were covered with mud ; he had torn his coat on the thorny tree . " Hello , Abraham ! " said Mr . Hardin . " Where have you been ? " " I stopped a minute to give those birds to their mother , " he answered . " Well , we always thought you were a hero , " said Mr . Speed . " Now we know it . " Then all three of them laughed heartily . They thought it so foolish that a strong man should take so much trouble just for some worthless young birds .
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