Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-08-17
LINC0LN'S OLD LOVE.
A Lady Of Texas Who Was Once Woo
ed b. Abe.
She Was Blushius Sixteen When lie
Offered Her His Heart,

oueTeu her his Heart
Inc 1olioWlns paragraph appeared in /
doney Grove, Texas, paper the other
oay, ana desiring to learn the truth of il.
d correspondent drove Gus TO the lsdy's /
house:
Mrs. William Drenan, very respect. |
able lady living in this county, once re
fused TO marry Abraham Llnsoln, VINO |
was afterward presid INT"
As soon IS she saw the clipping she |
smiled aud said:
Yes, 1t IS quite true"
The correspondent suggested that a |
little sketch of her history would be in |
teresting, aud she gave it as follows:
Il was born IN Bingham county, North |
Carolina, in 1916, but when quite vounv
moved with my parents to SaDgamon |
county, Illinois, where | lived until. in |
1912, moved to Texas. l knew Mr.. hin. |
coin xell-knew and played with HIM |
when he wore knee bresches and went |
barefooted with the rest of Us. We at |
tended the same school in an old log |
schooihouse, presided over by what new |
know to have beeu q very primitive, but |
good old nsn. He didn't
hSoN MUM,
as Lien are educated these DAYS; but. lsb
ME! we used to think hum q compendium
OF kno~ledge. And Mr. Lincoln (slmplv
Abe then, thought was 8 very apt
scholar, always ahead in his studies. He
was great friend of mine those DAYS
ana used 70 coach" me, as ny son calls
it.
Il could talk q day of Mr.. Lincoln, for
ne attained such an eminent place in
Americas history, and my childhood
having been passed within half an hours
easy walk from his house, that ( nave
treasured his memory most dearly. As a
boy he was an excellent PLAYMATE, and
could make as good mud pies as any of
Us. 1t seems rather strange to talk of a
president making mud pies, doesn't it e?
well, reckon all of them have, and liked
it, too. But as young man he was most
e1em plary-gererous to a fault, chivsl-
rous, kind, honest and Trustworthy; and
he loved his good old mother
"One little incident never will forget.
We all went TO charch one Sunday, 8 creek
being on the way, over which we crossed
on two fallen logs. Mr.. Lincoln was not
present drring church-was away, be-
lleve, In Springh field. Several of US girls
had walked, as it was beautiful dav.
Aut jdst before church was out, the sky
clouoed up and it commenced to rain
very hard.
WE GIRLS,
at the conclusion of the service were Sit
ting In the church waiting for the rain to
cease, when Mr.. Lincoln rode up. His
mother had also attended service, and on
foot. After the rain was over he assisted
Mrs. l. ncoln onto his horse, saving he
would walk home with the girls, which he
did. But when We came to the creek the
logs had been washed away and the water
was fully three feet deep. What to do We
didn't know, but young Abe did. He COM
mencsd wi III me, and carried Us all over
in safety, till the last one, a very feshy
girl, was only left on the wrong side.
He vaded through after her and took her
in his arms, starting across. We wsre
making all sorts of fun at them. and,
laughing gayly, when she, being mis-
chievous body anyway, whispered some
thing to him which caused him to give
vent suddenly to u loud peal Of laughter,
when, somehow, the girl slipped from his
arms and both fell fiat iuto tho water
But it didn't spoil our fun in tho least.
Why, bless your soul, when we saw the
two woebegone-looking creatures rise and
more, and 80 did they. Those were good
old times, indeed.
''lt was early in the spring of 1854, one
evening when we were out walking, that
Mr.. Lincoln asked me to
MARRY HIM,
but IS l had already formed an attach
ment with and had promised 10 marry
Mr.. Drenan, of course L refused him. He
,,..l % 10
genial way said: Well Martha, ANYWAY.
we can all ways be good friends And
We were. l always thought great deal
of Abe, and hated to refuse hirl, but
circumstances were such that was almost
com PEELED to.
"When he heard of our intention to
remove to Texas Mr.. Lincoln came over
to our house on a visit aud remained
three days, trying his best to dissuade
Us. My maiden name was Matilda Will
son."
Mrs. Drenan gave the above with the
artlessness of child, and was greatly
affected during the recital. She laughed
heartily when telling of the accident at
the creek. Judging from her present
looks, Miss Matilda Wilson must have
been an exceptionally prepossessing
young lady, and one that Mr.. Lincoln
would naturally look to for helpmate.
for her mind is richly stored with knowl-
edge gained both from books and varied
experiences. The furrowed brow aud
siIvery hair but tell tale of years in an
undeveloped county amid trial and vexa-
tions, and her manner is motherly and
benevolent. She is
VERY LovABLE STILL.
Mr.. Drenan then gave some very happy
"reminiscences of Lincoln.
Eyes, indeed he said, az knew Mr..
Lincoln well. We we're chums in our
youth, and many fishing and hunting
trip have we been on together. He was
very robust young man and one of the
most powerful in the country. His
honesty and integrity were proverbiaI.
"My wife told an incident in his early
life and if you wish will tell one that
l have never seen in print. There was
and election in Springfield and large
numbers of country folks were there to
vote. In the forenoon, however gang
of rou2hs, who we're intoxicated declared
that no one should vote unless they said
so. For an hour they kept the polls
closed, when Abe, becoming exaspsrated,
ran to hardware store near by, grabbed
and axe handle, aud motioning the wait
ing voters to come on, told the belliger-
ants to nova aside, for he would either
pave the way to the polls or break their
heads They were too well acquainted
with the athletic young aspIrant for
office to say nay, and the polls remained
opened the balance of the day.
"
The Home of Lincoln.
Harper's Magazine
To the country at large Springfield is
distinguished as the home of Abraham
Lincoln to an extent perhaps not fully
ronlixnA h. ho - IL 10