Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1882-08-17
Abraham LincOln's Year OF Insanity

In 1892, at the age of %. Abraham
Lincoln was the owner of farm seven
miles north of New Salem, and the
half owner Of the largest in the place.
At this time he met with Miss Ann
Rutledge. Two well-to-do gentlemen
of the place-Hill and McNeil-were
counting her with devoted assiduity
she decided in favor of the latter. He
parted with her early in 1882 to visit
his father in New York. promising to
return at a given day, and make her
his own. She watched him ride away
Oh Old Charley. an antiquated animal
that had seen hard usage in the Black
Hawk war, and that logged Slowly
along the bad roads TO New York.
Then there came letter telling of sick
ness in the family which forbade his
return at the appointed time. This
was followed by other postponemeuts,
until years rolled by. The uDaccount-
able delay, The infie luency Of hisl tteIs,
and his failure to give reasonable eX-
PLANTATION for his postponements finally
lessened her attachment and made
frightful inrOads upon her health. She
only waited to see him in order to ask
a release from her engagement, and to
let him know that she preferred anoth-
er and more urgent sutton, whose name
was Abraham Lincoln. During three
years young Lincoln visited Miss Rut-
ledge two or three times week, first
as friend in quest of congenial COM
pany, and finally as a sultOr for her
hand. She was a great favOrite in the
village, loved by all who knew her. She
was probably the most refined woman
to whom Mr.. Lincoln at that time had
ever spoken. He was always welcom-
ed by her father and mother. The lat
ter he always called "Aunt Polly" in
his familiar way. Both father and
mother entertained for him deep af-
lection, and though they never openly
expressed themselves in regard To
AIMS choice of a husband, yet they
would, without doubt. have reJoiced
to receive the manly Abe Lincoln into
their family. He lighted up their home
with cheerful glow whenever he en-
tered, and he gave pleasant flow of
mirth and JOY to their conversation.
AIMS relatives were all united in en-
couraging the suit, which the young
man pressed with great earnestness,
but she firmly insisted that her honor
demanded her TO wait until she could
be released from her first engagement
before she made second. In 1885 she
and Lincoln we're formally and solemn.
ly betrothed, but she asked to wait an
other year, hoping that Mcneil would
return and that she might release her
self from her engagement to him.
Weeks and months passed and he re-
turned not. While she was waiting.
Lincoln was studying night and day to
make himself more worthy of Ann,
and while he was growing in mind and
body and daily developing the great
intellect that was to lit him to lead a
mighty nation through the fierce strug.
giles of war, Ann was hourly fading
away. In August 1885, she died, as
her physicians said of brain fever, but,
as her neighbors believed, of the long
series of bitter disappointments and
the pangs inflicted upon her heart and
mind in striving to do right In regard to
two lovers to when she had pledged
her hand. Ann was buried at the little
cemetery at New-Salem, and as the
future President stood over her green
grave with streaming eyes, he said:
my heart lies buried here" After
the burial he began to exhibit that
deep vein of gloom and sadness so
often noticeable in his conduct while
President. He lost all self-control,
and every friend he had in New Salem
pronounced him insane. He was con.
stantly watched, and with especial