The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-08-03
MRS. LINCOLN,s AMBITION.
Her Early Determination TO BE-
come the Wife or the President
OF the United states.
TDhiIaAol,h;o


[Philadelphia Times.J
WHITE SULPHoR SPRINGS, July
17.-Although Mrs. Lincoln's illness
was not known here, her name was
mentioned in pleasant parlor con-
versation between ladies one even
ing last week, and some interesting
"reminiscences of her were given by
Mrs. William Preston, of Lexington,
Kentucky, who when a young girl,
Miss Wickliffe, was we'll acquainted
with Mary Todd, for both were then
living in Lexington. Mrs Preston
said that Miss Todd had always in
sisted when quite young girl that
her husband would be president OF
the United States, and as she did
not then appear one to attract the
attention of young men, not being
as handsome as most of her COM
panions, 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 Sis
ter, Mrs. Edwards, in Springfield,
Illinois, and declared that she would
yet be the wife OF the president of
the United States and triumph over
those who had opposed her.
She went, ana was courted by
both Stephen A. Douglas and Abra-
ham Lincoln and accepted the latter.
After becoming engaged to him she
wrote to her friend Miss Wyclifle a
playful description of the man of
her choice, mentioning his unpre-
possessing appearance and aWk-
wardness, and with a merry appre-
citation of the humor of the predic-
ton, again said: "But L mean to
make him president of the United
States all the same. You will see
that, as always told you, will vet
be the presidents wife,"
Years afterwards, in fact, not more
than ten or twelve years ago, in
looking over the papers of his faith
er-in-law, Governor WyclifIe, who
had just died, General Preston came
across letter indorsed in Governor
Wickliffe's handwriting, ''the
most remarkable letter ever writ
ten by one girl to another" This
proved to be the identical let
ter written by Mary Todd in
regard to her trothed-Abraham
Lincoln. When General Preston
showed it to his wife she said that
she supposed that after reading it
she had carelessly thrown it down
on her her fathers desk, attacking
no importance to it, but he, picking
it up, was SO impressed by it that he
indorsed 1t as quoted above and
laid it away among his papers, to be
found after the girlish prophesy had
been fulfilled.
MIR. Lincoln's talent for match
makings did not'end.with herself, for
it was she who picked Mary Harlan,
the daughter of the senator from
Iowa, for her son Robert, and seeing
her one evening at the opera, re-
marked, al 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 a 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
cultivating her acquaintance and
throwing her son and the young lady
together. Meantime the young people
had met at hop at the National
Hotel, in Washington, and became
interested IN each other. That was
In the spring of 1865. Their marriage,
however, did not occur until Sep
tember, 1867, or 1868, l think the
latter year, and the only time Mrs.
Abraham Lincoln has visited WASH
ington since her removal from the
White House after her husbands
assassination was when she attended
her sons wedding there. She has
always been fond of his wife, even
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. President
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 playfully said that 1t was the
possibility of match between their
children which first suggested the
idea to him. MISS GRUNDY.