Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1882-03-01
Mrs. Lincoln's Hallucinationa

in spite Of paragraphs in one thous-
and newspapers of the country.
She Is peculiar, mentally q little
off," Mysteries" other ladies
would call her complaint, But her
pursuit of happiness is hardly more
eccentric now than much of the
time during her entire widowhood.
How is, she, really? Well, she took
a carriage fide Of several miles the
other day, returning to her home
with a healthful glow upon lief
cheek. She wants to go again; and
|if this doesn't wear out, It will he
hundred often. She said ii was the
best ride she'd had for long time.
And, sure enough, it was, for she
had only just let herself out from a
continuous, self-indicted confnc-
nient in an upper ROOM during six
months and h,ore. Not even the
kindest Of sisterly ef!treaty could
persuade her feet to cross the cham
Der threshold till one morning early
she descended the stairs, attired in
pink silk and French laces, and
scolded her servant for not having
breakfast ready. "a pretty hotel"
she said scornfully, 'to keep guests
waiting FIJI their meals until after
train time. OF course the kitchen
maid went nearly daft herself at the
sight Of this guest" and ran to APP
prise her mistress that Mrs. Lincoln
Ind turned over new leaf; and,
sure enough, on returning to the
kitchen, the maid found that this
strange "guest" had no thought Of
taking the "train" on an empty
stomach, but had turned the broilcr
and was removing the jackets from
the boiled potatoes with all the
housewifely skill Of her early days.
| Mrs. Lincoln came to this city 10
reside soon after her return from
| Europe, in October Last. She is
most considerably cared for, and
! oil her harmless weaknesses hum
orcd in the family of Hon. n. Ed
wards, Mrs. Edwards being her sis
ter. She arrived in November, and,
during the following holiday season
she shut herself up in her room,
n1turnicg the Extravaganza of the
times, and Gliding those about her
| who displayed gifts of jewelry and
the like. And then She stayed, like 9
veritable silk-worln, in its self-wovcl
cocoon, till the late morning adven.
ture as above narrated. What did
she do there all that time? Princi-
pally she overhauled her many
trunks, complained that she was
very sick. and ate full meals Of sub.
stantial food three times a day
She rcconciled i!l-health and hearty
eating by insisting, to the few friends
whom she admitted, that her mala.
dy was very peculiar one, compel.
ing her to consume large quantities
Of food. She would rise from re.
past Of roast beef, coffee, etc, and
very dejectedly inform her attend.
ant, or visitor, that in all human
probability she should not see the
light of another day; and often, in
literal verification of her prophecy
she would close the window shut
tiers, increase the opaqueness of the
curtains by pinning up shawls OF
quilts, and light plai'i tallow can.
die. She rejects the use of gas as o
the devil. If asked to specif,
where she felt bad in body, sh,
: would reply, sometimes, I'm OF
fire, burning up; just feel of me
and see how hot l am" At tn,
same time her temperature woult
appear perfectly normal for lad.
above sixty years of ngo. At othe
times she would insist that she wa
being all hacked to pieces b.
knives; just feel that cash in m.
, shoulder; don't think can stan'
such wounding long. do your" Ye
: and tender commissioning friends a.
sured her that there was no trace {
= either blood or scar.
1t is the vagaries OF a disease
: mind in one enlinently related I
the tragic period in American hi'
tory, upon which the gossips hay
ID laid hold and woven the thousant
and-one stories Of Mrs. Lincoln
probable death from day to da.
OF course these stories have COZ
come back to her Springfield frient
with o good deal Of surprise; an
they were the source Of no little a
noyance, until one day in the latt
part of January her sister, with Il
view of securing her indignant d
mails of these fabricated funeral br
letins, carried her a handful Of SUI
clippings--a chapter of lament
tons from the press Of the countr
Mrs. Lincoln read them slow
: through and her face lighted u