The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-06-22
THE LOVES OF LINCOLN.
MR.. lannon's STORY OF HIS COURrsHrP AND MAR
RIAGE, AS TOLD IN HIS BIOGRAPHY.


Late in 1899, or early in 1893, Mr. Lincoln
went 10 board al tavern in New Salemn, H.,
kept by James Rutledge. Ann Rutedge the
third daughter of this ia miy was at that time
about 10, and probably the most refined
woman with whom Mr.. Lincoln had then ever
couversed--a modest, delicate creature, fasci~
mating, were it only by contrast with the rude
people by whom both were surrounded. All
witnesses unite in prsising her. Mrs. Hardin
Bale, n woman of the eiehhorhood who knew
her we'll suid " She had auburn hair, blue
eyes and fair complexion: was a pretty, kind,
tender, good hearted woman. beloved by III
who knew her. McNamar, Hill and Lincoln
all courted her at the same time" The men
who spoke of her Described her with vet more
enthusiasm. She had sad story. When
little more than IL she became engaged TO Me-
Namar He left her to go to the assistluce of
his parents in the State OF n CIV York, promis~
ing to return as soon as possible; but weeks
grew months and even years. and still he did
not come She had loved him at first, but the
love seems to have cooled with his long abb
sence; and at last she responded to the passion
ate md impetuouS attachment Of young Lincoln.
But she felt that she must not marry until she
could obtain a release from MCNamar. She
wrote to him in vain, as she had waited in vain
for his corning, and in lS35 she died, as some
say of brain fever induced bv her anxiety of
mind. In her grave Lincoln was wont to de-
clare his heart Law buried. A few days before
her death he summoned to her bedside; but
what passed at that solemn conlereI ce was
known only to him and the diving girl But
when he had left her and stopped at the house
of John Jones. on the way home, Jones saw
signs OF the most terrible distress IN his face
and his manner. When Ann actually died and
was buried, his grief became frantic; he lost
all sef-coutrol, even the consciousness of his
own identity. and all his New Sllemn friends
pronounced him insane. He watched
with special vigilance during storm s, fog. damp
and gloomv eather, for fear of an accident
At such times he ragged piteously. dec airing.
among other Wild expressions OF his woe, / can
never be reconciled to have the snow. rains
and storms beat upon ter grave" His friend,
Bowlin Greene, took charge of him and it was
several " eeks before IL considered safe to
let him go back to his old haunts and his old
employments. Hewas never precisely the me
man again. He had always been subj CT TO Ii s
of great mental depression, but after this they
| ere more frequent aud alarming. 1t was thea
that he began TO repeat the poem which. POOR
in itself. is immortalized by his adoption of it
''Oh, why should the spirit of mortal be
proud p few weeks after the death of Ann
Rutledge, her other lover, McNamar, returned
TO New Salemn: and he seems to have mourEed
for her deeply If not wildly as did Lincoln.
One would perhaps expect of grief, Ike that
of Lincoln, passionate cousfancy but
dead is dead II his heart was in AIMS grave,
he himself, walk ed the earth, in those i'm
ideal man In 1886, a little more than a year
after Ann Rutledge's death, he again "A
Miss Mary Owens, whom he had met and
somewhat admired three years before. She
was large, handsome, matroa y-loOk ing
woman of 2S years--a very different type Ol
person from the gentle, sensitive Ann Miss
Ovens seems TO have prided herself much on
her education" which she says was different
from that of Lincoln - but her let ers
written in a high flown, inflated style, which
is far from conveying an impression OF superior
intellectual power. Lincoln asked her to
marry him. but she waited while, in order to
become thoroughly acquainted with him, and
then refused him. She did not think him
coarse or cruel, but she thought hlm though
less, careless not altog polite as he night
be; in short. as she herself expresses 1t, '-ueh-
cieHt in those little links which make up the
great chaiu OF woman's hnppness The
"little links" being of so great Importance 10
her, she doubtless decided wisely. After tins
decision, LiucoIn guilty OF the one means
ness OF his life, OF which, but for the researches
of the biograp pher, we should have been spared
the knowledge. He wrote letter to Mrs. y.
h. Browning, telling the story OF his acquaiu
tapce with Miss Owens in a manner most unialr
and most humiiating to the ladv Mr.. Lanou
speaks of its Publication as IA paiL'ui uuN
It would have been, think, more > ell
in the hrea ch than in the observance; Oue
let us tell the truth, il the heavens tall seems
to have been his motto. Mr.. Lincoi-'s nal
conclusion was that he should never marry
since he should never be satisfied with any