National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-26
LINCOLN'S LOVE.
A NEW STORY OF AN ENGAGEMENT.
Miss Mary 0wens-The Match Broken on by Lin
coins Failure to Garry Baby-Dick Yates
and His Wonderful ElOquence-
4 Milk Story.

am about to relate how the match
between Abraham Lincoln and Mary Owens was
broken off,
1t was this way" said Mr.. Green: "My cousin.
Nancy Green, had a great strapping baby, that she
was in the habit of Juggling about with her wher-
ever she went. Possibly Lincoln didn't have a
passion for babies; at any rate he was not in love
with this one, and remember very well that
| when his own son Bob was in the cradle Lincoln
used to lie on the floor reading and let the future
Secretary of War split his lungs yelling to be
| ried about the house. If Mrs. Lincoln happened
to arrive home about this time, there was trouble
| i'll the family for a few minutes, but no remon-
strances or appeals could ever make him good
nurse. He would read, and, so far as appearances
went, deafto all the infantile cries that came
from his hopeful heirs. When the babies grew up
a bit, and knew something, they found in theil
| father companion and friend, but they had to
look elsewhere for nurse.
LINCOLN AND MARY OWENS.
"Well at the time 1 mentioned, Lincoln had
grown very fond of Mary Owens, and she seemed
| to take quite a fancy to him. They were together
a good deal, and finally, as was understood, be-
came engaged. One day Mary and Nancy Green
were going mile or SO to a neighbours and Lin
coin went with them. As usual, Nancy took the
baby and trudged along with il, although it was
Lincoln would offer to shoulder the boy himself
for part of the distance, and relieve her; but if
she had such expectations they were not realized,
for he put his hands in his pockets and leisurely
sauntered by the side of Mary Owens without a
glance toward the baby.
pretty soon Mary became cold, and answered
Lincoln with short and curt sentences. Then she
refused to talk to him at ALL and by the time the
end Of the journey was reached she fairly with
cred him with her glances. Lincoln did not know,
or seemed not to know, what the matter was, and
at last asked an explanation"
LINCoLN's oFFENsE.
"What's up Mary?" said he; "you seem to be in
bad humor."
"Oh, no." she replied mockingly, "Pm ez purr-
ing and goodnatured az kitten. What is there
to ruff1e body, my graciousr'
cts something I've done, suppose" said Lin
coin.
No." replied Mary, tartly, " it's nothing you've
done. It's what ye hain,t done, and that's just
what's the matter"
''Well, what is IL" said Lincoln.
"You don't know of course" responded Mary,
disdainfnlly
"No, I'll be hanged i'll do" said Lincoln.
"WaI, I'll tell you" said Mary. You've walked
yer for more'n a mile with us-a great, strong
teller like you-and let that woman carry baby
that weighs nigh onto forty pounds, and never so
much as lifted yer finger TO help her. That's what
ais me-"
"Why, she never asked me- said Lincoln.
ooh, she didn't! And you hadn't politeness
enough to offer to help her, but must wait to be
asked"
"Why, I never thought of it" returned Lincoln
al always supposed she would be afraid to let
fellow like me touch the baby for fear he might
break it or something I'd carry a bushel of 'em
for you, Mary"
'Yes, ao,U" said Mary, bitterly.
"Any time said Lincoln.
eff asked your responded Mary.
"Well, 1 reckon you could ask me if you wanted
them carried" retorted Lincoln.
~ just tell you what it is, Abe Lincoln cried
Mary, getting excited, "any man as is fit to be a
husband would have offered a carried that child
when he could see its mother was near about tired
to DEATH
"And L didn't offer?" said Lincoln.
"No you didn't responded Mary.
"And so l amt fit to be husband?" said Lin
coin.
That's just the fact, you haint" said Mary.
Lincoln turned about with a laugh, and didn't
appear to think much more of the matter. He
treated Mary very nicely, and much as if nothing
had been said, but her words, no doubt, made a
serious impression, for from that time their in
timacy began to wane, and after while there was
a general understanding that the engagement was
Cancelled. There were no more words about the
baby believe, but it was the baby, after all, that
broke up the match.
YATES AND LINCOLN.
"That's fine picture of Yates" said I. glancing
at the wall, where hung large photograph, half
life-size, perhaps of the war Governor of Illinois.
"Yes," replied Mr.. Green, "its a good picture.
Yates 1 think was the handsomest man ever
saw, except John C. Breckenridge. 1 thought a
great deal of him, and knew him when We were
both boys. 1 must tell you how Lincoln and
Yates first met. Lincoln was tending store down
at Salem, and Yates and Carlin, from the southern
part of the State, came up to my mothers to spend
a few days.
zone morning 1 said: Boys, come down to
Salem with me. There's a young fellow there 1
want to introduce you to- So we went down, and
as we came TO the store I saw Lincoln stretched
out on the cellar door reading BurnS-his faYorite
poet by the way
al introduced him to Yates and Carlin, and
after while he put on his coat and went back
with us to dinner. Mother had invited some
young ladies in, and there was quite party of u.s.
As said while ago, Lincoln was fearfully awk-
ward and timid when girls were around, and
thought he would stumble over everything in the
house that day.
A PIONEERS TABLE.
ave were not very luxurious in our habits In
those days, and at dinner had large brown earthen
bowls of milk at each PERSONS plate instead of tea
or coffee. The house had puncheon floor, and
the table was liable to rock good deal. We often
put chip under leg or two TO keep it steady, and
had done that day, but Lincoln, in trying to get
his legs under the table, had knocked the chip
out He sat next to Yates, who was dressed with
81. g. l.,
rectly Lincoln went to reach for something, and in
his arm knocked over his bowl of
milk. When ne tried to catch the bowl he tipped
the table, and the chip being gone, it went down
on that side materially. Yates was at the lowest
place. and in a second the milk from Lincolns
bowl went pouring into his lap. He jumped up
and Lincoln jumped up, blushing to the roots of
his hair; but it was no use: the damage was done,
and poor Yates pants were spoiled. My mother
tried to make Lincoln easy by taking all the fault
on herself saying that she had no business to set
the table where it would bob over in that manner.
Much obliged to you, Aunt Lizzie said he, but
it's nothing but my blamed awkwardness, and it's
no use to apologize for me-"
THIRTY YEARS AFTER.
"And that was the first meeting between Lin
colin and Yates?'
Eyes; and they were forever afterward fast
lriendS Nearly thirty years aIter tnaC 1aeS drove
over here from Springfield one day, and said he:
Bill, do you know Lincoln can be nominated for
President at Chicago?"
"'How? said l.
"'By doing as I say said Yates and you are
he man to induce him to do it.
Il must tell you that shortly before that Yates
had been elected president of the railroad that
runs through here, and was financial agent, and
We had just returned from trip to New York to-
yether. Lincoln and Douglass had completed their
oint discussion, and attracted great deal of at
ention."
"'You know how they are talking about Lincoln |