The morning news., 1888-07-26
ABE LINcOLN's OLE LOVE.
A venerable Lady Who Refused to
Marry the Martyr President.

VeQ0ThOl0 hutAy w AO IeC105C0 W
Marry the Martyr President.
HONEY GROVE, TEX, July 1.-THE fol-
Iowing paragraph appeared in a paper here
the other day, and desiring to learn the
truth of it your correspondent drove out to
the ladys house:
Mrs William Drenan, very respectable lady
t,vin9 in this county. once refused to marry
Abraham Lincoln who was afterward President
As soon as she saw the clipping she smiled
and said:
''Yes, it is quite true"
Your correspondent suggested that a little
sdetch of her history would be interesting,
and she gave il as follows;
Il was born in Bingham county, North
Carolina, in 1876 but when quite young
moved with my parents to Sangamon
county, Illinois, where lived until, in 1912,
I moved to Texas. I knew Mr.. Lincoln
well-knew and played with him when he
wore knee breecheS and went barefooted
with the rest of US. We attended the same
school in an old log schoolhouse, presided
over by what now know to have been a
verv primitive, but good old man. He
didn't know much, as men are educated
these days, but, la, me! we used to think
him a compendium of knowledge And
Mr.. Lincoln Simply ''Abe" then, though
was a very apt scholar, always ahead in
his SJuulcos I1C vas u ii4SIN VI
those days and used to coach me, as my
son calls it.
II could talk a day of Mr.. Lincoln, for
he attained such an eminent place in Amer
ica'S history and my childhood having
been passed within half an hours easy walk
from his house, that l have treasured his
memory most dearly. AS boy, he was an
excellent playmate, and he could make as
good mud pies as any of us. 1t seems rather
n tally nf q PraSj6aOt mailing mn
nies. doesn't it9 Well. ] reckon all of them
have, and liked 1t, too. But as a young
man he was most exemplary-generouS to a
fault, chivalrous, kind, honest and trust
worthy, and he loved his good, old mother.
''One little incident ] never will forget
We all went to church one Sunday, a creek
being on the way, over which we crossed on
two fallen logs. Mr.. Lincoln was not present
during church-was away, | believe, in
Springfield. Several of us girls had walked,
as it was beautiful day. But just before
church was out the sky clouded up and it
commenced to rain very hard. We girls,
at the conclusion of the service, were sitting
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. Lincoln on to
his horse, saying 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 commenced with me and car
ried us all over in safety, till the last one, a
very feshy girl, was only left on the wrong
side. He waded through after
her and took her in his arms, starting
across. We were making all sorts of
fun of them, and, laughing gayly, when
she, being a mischievous body, anyway,
whispered something to him which caused
him TO give vent suddenly to loud peal of
laughter, when, somehow, the girl slipped
from his arms, and both fell fiat into the
water, But it didn't spoil our fun in the
least. Why, bless your soul, when we saw
the two woebegone-looking creatures rise
and wade to the shore we laughed all the
more, and so did they. Those were good
Old times, indeed.
sit was early in the spring of 1884, one
evening when we were out walking, that
Mr.. Lincoln asked me to marry him, but
as l. had already formed an attachment
with and had promised to marry Mr.
Drenan, of course [ refused him. He
seemed to be quite sorry but in his genial
way said: We'll, Martha, anyway. we can
always be good friends And we were. /
always thought a great deal of Abe and
hated to refuse him, but circumstances were
such that | was almost compelled to.
''When he heard of our intention to re-
move to Texas, Mr.. Lincoln came over to
our house on visit and remained three
davs, trying his best to dissuade U.S. My
maiden name was Matilda Wilson"
Mrs. Drenan gave the above with the
artleSsness of a child, and was greatly
affected during the recital. She laughed
heartily when telling of the incident at the
creek. Judging from her present looks,
Miss Matilda Wilson must have been an
exceptionally prepoSsessng young lady, and
one that Mr.. Lincoln would naturally look
to for a helpmeet, for her mind is richly
stored with knowledge gained both from
books and varied experiences The fur
rowed brow and silvery hair but tell tale
of years in an undeveloped country amid
trials and vexations, and her manner is
motherly and benevolent. She is very
lovable still
Mr.. Drenan then gave some very happy
"reminiscences of Lincoln.
YES, indeed" he said, Il knew Mr.. Lin
coin well. We were chums in our youth
a. many a fishing and hunting trip have
we been on together. He was very robust
young man and one of the most powerful il
the country. His honesty and integrity
we're proverbal.
My wife told an incident in his early
life, and if you wish, | will tell one that
have never seen in print. There was al
election in Springfield and large numbers
Of country folk were there to vote. In the
forenoon, however, gang of roughs, who
were intoxicated, declared that no one
should vote unless they said so. For al
hour they kept the polls closed, when Abe
becoming exasperated, ran to hardware
store near by, grabbed an ak handle, ano
motioning the Whiting voteA to come on
told the belligerants to move aside, for h'
wou d either pave the way to the polls ol
break their heads They were too well &C
quainted with the athletic young aspiran
for Office to say nay, and the polls remained
ODen the halan of tha daV -