The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-06-14

Their being one of the wealthiest and
most influential men of his time and To-
cality. A portion Of her schooling was
obtained in Catholic convent, though
in religious faith she was a Baptist
According to a description furnished me
by herself, she had fair skin, deep
blue eyes and dark curling hair; height
feet inches; weight, $50 pounds.
She was good looking in girlhood, by
many esteemed handsome, but became
feshier as she grew older.
One of Miss Owens descendants is
authority for the statement that Lin
coin had boasted that ''if Mary Owens
ever returned to Illinois second time
he would marry her." that a report of
this came to her ears, whereupon she
left her Kentucky home with prede
termination to show him that she was
not TO be caught simply by the asking.
On this second visit Lincoln paid her
more marked attention than before, and
his affections became more and more
enlisted in her behalf. His honesty of
purpose showed itself in all his efforts
to win her hand He told her Of his
poverty, and while advising her that
life with him meant to her, who had
been reared i'll comfort and plenty, great
privation and sacrifice, yet he wished to
secure her as wife. She, however. felt
that she did not entertain for him the
same feeling that he professed for her,
and that she ought to entertain before
accepting him, and so declined his offer.
Judging from his letters alone, it has
been supposed by some that she, remem.
boring the rumor she had heard Of his
determination to marry her, and not
being fully certain of the sincerity of
his purposes, may have purposely left
him in the earlier stages of his court
ship somewhat i'll uncertainty. Later
on, however when by his manner and
repeated announcement to her that his
hand and heart were at her disposal, he
demonstrated the honesty and sincerity
of his intentions, she declined his offer
kindly, but with no uncertain meaning.
The first letter / received from Mrs.
Vineyard-for she was married to Jesse
Vineyard March 81, l84l-was written
at Weston, Mo-, May |, 1866. Among
other things, she says: After quite a
struggle with my feelings l have at last
decided to send you the letters in my
possession written by Mr. Lincoln, be-
lieving as do that you are a gentleman
of honor and will faithfully abide by
all you have said. My associations with
your lamented friend were in Menard
county while visiting a sister who then
resided near Petersburg
The letters written by Lincoln not re-
vealing enough details of the courtship,
prepared list of questions for the
lady to answer in order that the entire
history of their relations might be clear
ly shown. | perhaps pressed her toe
closely in such delicate matter, for
she responded in few days as follows:
WESTON, Mo-. May %, 1906
Mr.. W. II. Herndon:
My DEAR SR-Really you catechise me in
true lawyer style, but / feel you will have the
goodness TO excuse me IL l decline answering
all your questions in detail, being well assured
that few women would have coded much as
have under all the circumstances.
You say you have heard why our acquaint
ance terminated as IL did. /, too, have heard
the same bit OF gossip, but never used the re-
mark which Madam Rumor says did to Mr.
Lincoln. think | did on one occasion say &c
my sister, who was very anxious for US TO be
married, that thought Mr.. Lincoln de
fcient in those little links which make up the
chain OF woman's happiness-at least IL was SC
in my case-not that believed il proceeded
from a lack of goodness of heart. but his train
ing had been different from mine: hence there
was not that congeniality which would other
wise have existed.
From his own showing you perceive that hi:
heart and hand were at my disposal, and sup
pose that my feelings were not sufficiently en-
listed to have the matter contaminated. About
the beginning of the year 1888 left Illinois
at which time our acquaintance and CORE
pondence ceased, without ever again being re
newed