Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-19

think, more h0nored in the breach than
in the observance; but let Us tell the truth
if the heavens fall, seems 70 have been his
motto. Mr.. Lincoln's final conclusion was
that he should never marry since he ''shOuld
never be satisfied with any ore who would
be blockhead enough TO have him." But
neither buried heart nor wounded pride suf-
feed to keep him very long from the tolls
spread by feminine fingers. In 1899,
MISS MARY TODD ..
came to live with her sister, Mrs. Ninian
w. Edwards, at Springfield, where Mr.. Lin
coin was then established. She was young,
lust tTenty-one, we'll connected, and, &C
cording to Mr.. IIamGn, "high-bred, proud,
brilliant, witty, and with win that bent
every one else to her purpose" She seems
TO have taken captive the future President
the moment she made up hermind 1t would
be expedient to do 30.
Mr.. Lincoln was a rising politician, fresh
from the people, and possessed Of great pow
er among them; Miss Todd was Of aristo-
cratic and distinguished family, able to
lead through the awful portals of good so
ciety Whomsoever they chose to counte-
nance. 1t was thought that a union be-
ween them could not fill OF numerous
benefits to both parties. Mr.. Edwards
thought so; Mrs. Edwards thought 80, and
it was not long before Mary Todd herself
thought SC. She was very ambitious, and
even before she left Kentucky announced
her belief that she was ''destined to be the
wife ofsome future President" For lit
tie while she was c0urted by Douglas as
well as by Lincoln; but she Is said to have
refused the sLittle Giant On account OF
his bad morals. Being asked which one OF
them she intended TO have, she answered,
gthe one that has the best chance Of being
President" She deeided in favor OF Lin
coin, and, in the opinion Of her husbands
friends, aided to no small extent in the ful-
ilIment of the prophecy which the bestoWal
of her hand implied.
They were speedily engaged, and their
marriage was only question of time. But
somehow the Lincoln love affairs seem new
er to have been altogether satisfactory.
A MISS MATILDA EDWARDS
presently made her appearance. She was
the sister of Mr.. NiIiian Edwards, fresh
young beauty, whom Lincoln saw, and
seeing, loved. The affair with Miss Todd,
according to Herndon, according to
Lincoln himself, was ga policy match"
but this was love. (Gentle CHEST Of sweet
Ann Rutledge, did your spirh eyes grow
sad?) Mr.. Edwards tried to marry bis sister
10 Speed, but she preferred Mr.. Schuyler
Strong, and presently married him.
Lincoln had been restrained by sense Of
honor from declaring his passion, though
any words of his would probably have been
uttered In vain. But now conscience as
sailed him. He concluded, with great ago
nv of mind, that he would be doing Mary
Todd grievOu5 wrong were be to marry her
when bis heart had thus wandered from her.
He went to her, accordingly, and told her
the whole story. She released him from his
engagement, and then some parting endear-
ments followed, and, as the natural result
Of those endeaTfrentSI
RECONCILIATION.
(Moral-When You wish TO break of your
engagement with a woman, never kiss her
goOd-bye.) Lincoln and Mary were again
engaged; everything was ready for the mar
riage, even the supper. Mr.. Lincoln failed
TO meet his engagement, the cause being
insanity. His friend Speed took him to
Kentucky, and kept him there until he re-
covered. Mr.. Herndon believes that Lin
coins insanity grew otlt Of most eEtraT-
binary complication of feelings-aversion
to the marriage proposed, a counter-at-
tachment to Miss Edwards, and new az
cess of unspeakable tenderness for the
memory Of Ann Rutledge. But after his
recovery and return TO Springfield 1t was
not long before he married Miss Todd.
She told him that though she had released
him from the engagement, her own feeling
for him remained unchanged. He went to
see his friend j. II. Matheny, and said to
him: "Jim, shall have to marry that
girl" At another time Lincoln told him
that he twas driven into the marriage
that it was a thing planned by the Ed
wards family" However, through weak
ness, or through tenderness, be seems to
have submitted 10 his fate; and in 1872
Mary Todd became Mrs. Lincoln.