lincoln's face is familiar to people all around the world，atleast his face when he was wearing a beard.but he didn't wear abeard until later in his life.when he started out as a judge andthen a lawyer，he had two nicknames.the first was honest abe.and there are many stories of his honesty both as a child and as hewent on throughout all of his life.his second nickname washomely abe.he was not good looking.then something hap-pened in 1860.that year abe lincoln was the republican partynominee，the man the recently formed republican party chose asits candidate for president of the united states.
just a few weeks before the presidential election，lincolnreceived a short letter.it was from a girl who lived in new yorkstate.her name was grace bedell.grace wrote to lincoln abouthis homely face，but in a polite way.this was over a hundred andfifty years ago，so grace didn't use modern english grammar inher letter.but she did write a very interesting letter.here aresome parts of it：
i am a little girl only years old，but i want you should bethe president of the united states very much so i hope you won'tthink me very bold to write such a great man as you are……
and then grace went on，
i have got four brothers and part of them will vote for youanyway，and if you will let your whiskers grow，i will try to getthe rest of them to vote for you.you would look a great dealbetter for your face is so thin.all the ladies like whiskers and theywould tease their husbands to vote for you，and then you wouldbe president……
lincoln took grace bedell's advice，and over the next twoweeks he did not shave.by election day on november th of 1860，he already had enough whiskers to make a short beard.and he did get elected.maybe his new beard had something to dowith that.and he did wear the beard for the rest of his life.
全世界的人们都熟悉林肯的脸，至少熟悉他留着大胡子的脸。但是他的胡子是在他后来的日子里才留起来的。当他开始当法官后来当律师的时候，他有两个绰号。第一个是诚实正直的亚伯。有许多关于林肯小时候和他以后一生中的诚实的故事。他的第二个绰号是其貌不扬的亚伯。他长得不好看。然而在1860年发生了一件事。那一年亚伯·林肯成了共和党的被提名者，即新近成立的共和党选出作为美国总统的候选人。
总统选举前的几个星期，林肯收到一封短信。信来自纽约州的一个小姑娘。她叫格雷丝·伯戴尔。她写信给林肯是关于他那其貌不扬的脸，但信写得很有礼貌。这事发生在一百五十年前，所以格雷丝在信中没有使用现代英语语法。但是她的信写得很有意思。在此摘录几段：
我是一个11岁的小姑娘，但我非常想让您成为美国总统，所以我希望您不要认为我给您这样一个伟大的人写信太卤莽了……
然后格雷丝接着写道：
我有四个哥哥，无论如何有几个要投您的票，而且如果您让您的胡子长起来的话，我就设法让另外几个也投您的票。您会好看得多，因为您太瘦了。所有的夫人都喜欢胡子，而且她们会缠着她们的丈夫投您的票，这样您就能当上总统了……
林肯果然听从了格雷丝·伯戴尔的话，在随后两个星期里他没有刮胡子。到1860年11月6日的选举日，他的胡子已经长得可以成为短的络腮胡子。而且他确实被选上了。或许这与他新留的胡子有关。在以后的岁月里他一直都留着络腮胡子。