The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-23
SKETCHES FROM THE LIFE OF LINCOLN

race uiu my uuauUes wurvn,
of notice. From this time forward he
lnado rapid strides to that impcrishablo
famo which justly fills world
Pathetic Event.
Lincoln began to court Miss Rutledgo
In dead earnest. AS no pleaded and press
cd his cause the RutledScs and all New
Salem encouraged his suit. McNamar's
unexplained absence and apparent neglect
furnished outsiders with all the argu-
merits needed to encourage Lincoln and
convince Ammo. Although the attachment
was growing and daily becoming an in
tense and mutual passion, the young lady
remained firm and almost infexible. She
was passing through another fire.
A long struggle with her feelings fol-
lowed, but at length the inevitable mo-
ment came. She consented to have Lin
ccln, provided he gavo her time to write
to McNanar and obtain his release from
her pledge. The slow moving mails car
ried her tender lotter to New York. Days
and weeks, which to the ardent Lincoln
must have seemed painfully long, passed,
but the answer never camc. In hall
hearted way she turned to Lincoln, and
her looks told him that he had won Sho
SSSSSoSA
wero engaged no told her what sho al
ready knew-that no Was poverty itself.
Sho must grant him time to gather Up
funds to live on until no had completed
his law studies. Aftor this trifiing delay
nothing on Gods footstool," argued tho
emphatic lover, could keep them apart. To
this the thoughtful Anne consented. 10
one of her brothers she said, "As soon as
his studies are completed we are to be
married. But tho ghost of another love
would often rise unbiddon before her.
Within her bosom ragged the conflict which
finally undermined her health. Late in
the summer she took to her bed. A fever
was burning in her head. Day by day she
sank until all hope was banished. Dur
ing the latter days of her sickness her ply
stefan had forbidden visitors to enter her
room, prescribing absolute quiet But
her brother relates that she kept inquiring
for Lincoln so continuously, at times de-
manding to gee him, that the family at
last sent for him. On his arrival at hor
bedside tha door was closed, and he was
left alone with her. What was said, what
vows and revelations wore made during
this sad interview, were known only to
him and the dying girl. A few days after
ward she became unconscious and remain
gu 81 uutll uCr uGstUn Oh U0o SOUu uay OI
August, 1886. She was buried in what is
known as the Concord graveyard, about
seven miles north west of the town of Pc
tersburg.
The most astonishing and sad sequel to
this courtship was the disastrous effect of
Miss Rutledge's death on Mr.. Lincolns
mind. 1t operated strangely on one of his
calm and stoical makeup AS he return
ed from the visit to the bedside of Miss
Rutledge he stopped at the house of q
friend, who relates that his face showed
signs of no little mental agony. HE was
very much distressed, is the language of
this friend, land l was not surprised
when it was rumored subsequently that
his reason was in danger" One of Miss
Rutledge's brothers says: "The effect upon
Mr.. Lincoln's mind was terrible. He be-
came plunged in despair, and many of
his friends feared that reason would desert
her throne. His extraordinary emotions
were regarded as strong evidence of the
existence of the tenderest relations between
himself and the deceased" The truth is
Mr. Lincoln was strangely wrought up
over the sad ending of the affair. He had
It's of great mental depression and wan
dered up and down the river and into tho
woods woefully distracted, at times in
the deepest distress. If, when we read
what the many credible persons who knew
him at the time tell us, we do not con-
clude that he was deranged, we must ad-
nit that he walked on that sharp and mar
row line which divides sanity from insan-
ity. To one friend he complained that the
thought 'that the SHOWS and rains fall
upon her grave filled him with indescriba-
BILE grief" He was watched with especial
x,;rs1, l,,,tr ctD Il
der the belief that dark and gloomy wealth
er might produce such a depression of
spirits as to induce him to take his own
life. His condition finally became so
alarming his friends consulted together
and sent him to the house of kind friend,
Bowlin Greene, who lived in a secluded
spot hidden by the hills mile south of
town. Here he remained for some weeks
under the care and ever watchful eye of
this noble friend, who gradually brought
him back to reason, or at least a realiza-
tion of his true condition. In the years
that followed Mr.. Lincoln never forgot
the kindness Of Greene through those
weeks of suffering and peril In 1912,
when the latter died and Lincoln was Sc
lected by the Masonic lodge to deliver tho
funeral Grafton, he broke down in the
midst of his address, His voice was
choked with deep emotion. He stood o
few moments while his lips quivered in
the effort to form the words of fervent
praise he sought to utter, and tho tears ran
down his yellow and shriveled cheeks.
Every heart was hushed at the spectacle.
After repeated efforts no found it impos-
siblo to speak and strobe away, bitterly
sobbing, to tho widows carriage, and
was driven from tho scene"
Immortality"
1t was shortly after this that DR.. Jason
Duncan placed in Lincoln hands poem
called Immortality" The piece starts
out with tho line, ooh, why should the
spirit OF mortal DO proudP' Lincoln's love
for this poem has certainly made it i'm
mortal. Ho committed these lines to
memory, and any reference to or mention
OF Miss Rutlodge would suggest them. as
If ''to celebrate grief which lay with con-
tinual hoayiness on his heart There is
TO question that from this time forward
NJ. Lincoln's spells Of melancholy became
moro intense than ever. In fact, tinge
Of this desperate feeling of sadness fol-
lowed him to Springfield. He himself was
somewhat supcrstitious about it and in
1901 wrote to DR.. Drake, a celebrated
physician in Cincinnati, describing his
mental condition in Il long letter. DR..