Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-11-29
ABRAHAMLINCOLN
A Very Curious love Romance in His
life


years the Law partner, and through all his
Life Che intimate personal friend Of the late
President Lincoln, has recently delivered
a lecture on his life and character, in
which he relates an episode in the life of
Mr., Lincoln, which viii be read with the
interest that attaches to such incidents in
the life Of men who have attained to emf
nence He states that "Lincoln loved
Ann Rutledge better than his own life"
and thus states the facts connected with
that love affair" which he SAYS will
"throw a stray foot-light on the path of
Abraham Lincoln from New-Salem through
Springfield, to and through Washington to
the grave" He says
Ladies and gentleman, friends, enemies,
zoo, give me the good, kind, sad and tender
corner Of your hearts tonight, not forget
ting your heads. Ann Rutledge was
beautiful girl Of New-Salem from 1924 to
1886. She was born in Kentucky, January
1918. She was agrandchild of the liberty
lowing, patriotic Rutledges Of South Caro-
lima Her father was born in South Caro-
lima amid the echoes of the lannon's revo-
lutionary roar. Mr.. Lincoln lived in New
Salem from 1880 to 1887, and boarded for
a while with Cameron, who was a partner
of Mr.. Rutledge. Mr.. Lincoln soon changed
his home. He went and boarded with Mr..
james Rutledge about the years 1888 and
1884, and then and there first became well
acquainted with Ann Rutledge. He may
have known her well before this. l have
no space here to give description of this
beautiful, smiable and lovely girl of nine
teen. She was gifted with a good mind.
Three good and influential men of the
little village of New-Salem simultaneously
fell in love with this girl-A. Lincoln, Mr..
-, and Mr.. -. The third man she
quickly rejected. He was a gentleman so
was Lincoln so was -. All these men
were strong men, men of power, as time
demonstrated. Circumstances, fate, Provi-
dence, the iron chain of sweeping events so
willed it that this young lady was engaged
TO Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. - at one and
the same time. No earthly blame can be
attached to the girl, and none to the men in
their fidelity and honor to her. 1t all so
happened or was decided by fate 1t shall,
In truth, be explained hereafter, TO the sat
isfaction of all. 1t is a sad, thrilling story.
The young girl saw her condition. Her
word Of promise was out to two men at the
same time, both Of whom she loved, dearly
loved. The consciousness Of this, and the
conflict Of duties, loves promises and wo-
manly engagements, made her think, grow
sad, become restless and nervous. She suf-
fered, pinned, ate not ard slept not. Time
and struggle as supposed and believed by
many, caused her to have raging fever,
of which she died on the 25th day of
August a. d. 1885. She died on a farm
seven miles north, bearing a little west Of
New-Salem, and now lies buried in the |
Concord graveyard, six miles north, bear
ing little west of New-Salem, and four |
miles from Petersburgh."
Abraham Lincoln loved Miss Ann But |
ledge with all his soul, mind and strength. |
She loved him as dearly, tenderly and |
They seemed made in |
heaven for each other, though opposite in
many things. As before remarked, she |
was accidentally, innocently and honestly |
engaged to A. Lincoln and Mr.. -- at |
one and the same time. 1t is said and |
thought that the young lady was condi- |
tionally promised to Mr.. Lincoln, to be |
upon release from her first /
engagement with Mr.. . The prima-
ny causes, facts and conditions which led to |
this complication shall be related to you at |
another time and place. There is no dis
honor in it to any of the three. In her
conflicts of honor, duty, love, promises and
wOmanly engagements, she was taken sick.
She struggled, regretted, grieved, became
nervous she ate not, slept not, was taken
sick of brain fever, became emaciated, and |
was fast sinking in the grave. Lincoln
wished to see her. She silently prayed to
see him. The friends of both parties at
first refused the wish and prayer of both |
still, the wishes and prayers of both pre-
vailed. Mr.. Lincoln did go to see her
about the 10th day of August, A. D. 1885.
The meeting was quite as much as either
could bear, and more than Lincoln, with |
all his GOODNESS and philosophy, could en-
dure. The voice, the face, the features OF
her, the hove, sympathy and interview fast
ened themselves on his heart and soul for
ever. Heaven only knows what was said |
by the two. God only knows what was
thought. DR.. Jason Duncan, of New Sa-
lem, about September, 4. ID. 1888, had
shown and placed in Mr.. Lincoln's hands
lhE NtetiA GdiItu III 5Alblts uO"g In
or, properly, 'Oh, why should
the spirit Of mortal be proud ? Remem
Der, Miss Rutledge died on the both of
August, A. d. 1885, and was buried in the
Concord cemetary, six miles north, bearing
a little west of New Salem, as stated be-
fore. Mr.. Lincoln has stated that his
heart, sad and broken, was buried there.
He said in addition, to the same friend, l
cannot endure the thought that the sleet
and storm, frost and snow of heaven should
beat on her grave He never addressed
another woman, in my opinion, yours
afectionately;' and generally and character
istically abstained from the use OF the
word love That word cannot be found
more than half dozen times, if that often,
in all his letters and speeches since that
time. ] have seen some of his letters to
other ladies, but he never says love- He
never ended his letters with yours afec-
tionately,' but signed his name, your
friend A. Lincoln Abraham Lincoln
was by nature more or less, in tendency,
abstracted-had the power Of continuous
thought. 1t may be, as
alleged, that he was a warm, ardent, and
more or less impulsive man, before 1885,
and of which give no opinion. He never
H Il