River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-08-03
MRS. LINCOLN'S AMBITION.
Her Early Determination to Become
the wife of the President of the
United states.
Correspondent Philadelphia Times.

Correspondent Philadelphia Times
Although Mrs. Lincoln's illness was
not known here, her name was men
toned in pleasant parlor converse
ton between ladies one evening last
week and some interesting reminiscent
ces of her were given by Mrs. William
Preston, of Lexington. KY, who when
a young girl. Miss Wickliffe, was well
acquainted with Mary Todd, for both
were then living in Lexington. Mrs.
Preston said that Miss Todd had always
insisted when quite young girl that
her husband would be president of the
United States, and as she did not then
appear to be one who would attract
the attention of young men, not being
as handsome as most of her compan-
ions, many of the latter would laugh at
her prediction. While she was still
young she got into a girlish pet with
her family and announced that she
was going away to make her home
with her sister, Mrs. Edwards, in Spring
field, ILL.,, and declared that she would
vet be the wife of the president of the
United States and triumph over those
who had opposed her.
She went, and was courted by both
Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lin
coin, and accepted the latter. After
becoming engaged to him she wrote to
her friend Miss Wickliffe a playful
description of the man of her choice,
mentioning his unprepossessinga appear
ance and awkwardness, and with q
merry appreciation of the humor of
the prediction again said: "But mean
to make him President of the United
States all the same. You will see that
as have always told you. will yet be
The presidents wife,"
Years afterwards, in fact not more
than ten or twelve years ago, in looking
over the papers of his father-in-law,
Governor Wickliffe, who had just died,
General Preston came across letter
indorsed in Governor Wickliffe's hand
writing, the most remarkable letter
ever written by one girl to another"
This proved to be the identical letter
written by Mary Todd in regard to her
trothed-Abraham Lincoln. When
Genetal Preston showed it to his wife
she said she supposed after reading it
she had thrown it down on her fathers
desk, attaching no Importance to it, but
he, picking it up, was SO impressed by
it that he Endorsed it as quoted above
and laid it away among his papers, to
be found after the girlish prophecy had
been fulfilled.
Mrs. Lincoln's talent for match-mak-
ing did not end with herself, for it was
she who picked out Mary Harlan, the
daughter of the Senator from Iowa, for
her son Robert, and seeing her one
evening at the opera, remarked: 81
should like Robert to marry just such
girl as that" Her husband who heard
her say it, then observed to Mr.. Sumner
"My wife is great matchmaker. She
will make a match between Harlan's
daughter and Bob; see if she don't"
Subsequently Mrs. Lincoln sent Miss
Harlan bouquet and began cultiva-
ting her acquaintance and throwing her
son and the young lady together. Mean
time the young people had met at a
hop st the National Hotel, in Washing
ton, and soon became interested IN each
other. That was in the spring of 1865.
Their marriage, however, did not accur
until September, 1867 or 1868, L think
the latter year. and the only time Mrs.
Abraham Lincoln has visited Washing
ton since her removal from the White
House after her husbands assassination
was when she attended her cons wed
ding there. She has always been fond
of his wife, ever since she has been
offended with him, and Mrs. Robert
Lincoln visited her last winter, and has
done SO every year when her mother
in-law has been in this country. Presi-
dent Lincoln also was attracted by Miss
Harlan, and / was told by one who
knows and who spoke of it to me in
Washington in the spring, that he had
before his death decided to take Mr..
Harlan into his Cabinet, and it was
playfullv said that it was the POSSIBLE
ity of match between their children
which first suggested the idea to him.