The herald., 1895-05-05

roundings to draw upon. The sober truth
is that Lincoln was inordinately ambi-
tious. He had already succeeded in OBJ
tanning no inconsiderable political recog
milton and numbered among his party
friends men of wealth and reputation, but
he himself was poor, besides lacking the
graces and ease Of bearing obtained
through mingling in polite society. In
fact, to use the expressive language of
Mary Owens, he was deficient in those
little links which make up the chain of
woman's happiness. Conscious therefore
of his humble rank in the social scale, how
natural that he should seek by marriage
in an influential family to establish
strong connections and at the same time
foster his political fortunes This may
seem an audacious thing to insinuate but
on no other basis can we reconcile the
strange course of his courtship and the
tempestuous chapters in his married life.
It is curious history, and the facts, long
chained down, are gradually coming to
the surface. When all is at last known,
the world, believe, will divide it's censure
between Lincoln and bis wife.
MARY Todd, who afterward became the
wife Of Mr.. Lincoln, was born in Lexing
ton, KY, Dec. 13, 1918. my mother "
related Mrs. Lincoln to me in 1865, died
when l was still young. was educated
by Nine. Mantelli, a lady who lived oppo-
site Mr.. Clay's, and who was an accom-
plished French scholar, Our conversation
at school was carried on entirely in French
I'm fact, we were allowed to speak moth
ing else. 1 finished my education at Mrs.
Wards academy an institution to which
many people from the north sent their
sz.~1 IA
Ills, remaining three months. returned
to Kentucky, remaiping till 1889, when I
again set out for Illinois, which state
finally bee came my home"
To young lady in whose veins coursed
the blood that had come down from long
and distinguished ancestral line, who
could even go back in the genealogical
chart to the sixth century, Lincoln, the
dimmed by the shadow of tradition, was
finally united in marriage.
Sketch of Miss Todd.
When Mary Todd came to her sisters
house in Springfield in 1889, she was in
her twenty first year. She was young
woman of strong, passionate nature and
quick temper and had left her home in
Kentucky to avoid living under the same
live with her Oldest sister, Elizabeth, who
was the wife of Lincoln's colleague in. the
legislature Ninian w. Edwards She had
two other sisters, Frances, married to DR..
William Wallace, and Anne who after
ward became the wife of G. M. Smith, a
prominent and wealthy merchant. They
all resided in Springfield. She was Of the
average height, Weighing when first saw
81 n
compactly built, had well rounded face,
rich dark brown hair and blush gray
eyes In lier bearing she was proud, but
handsome and vivacious. Her education
had been in no wise defective. She was a
good conversationist, using with equal
fuency the French and English languages.
When she used pen, its point was sure to
be sharp, and she wrote with wit and
ability. Sho not only had a quick intellect,
but an intuitive judgment of men and
their motives. Ordinarily she was affable
and even charming in her manners, but
when offended or antagonized her agreea-
bic qualities instantly disappeared beneath
. wave of stinging satire or sarcastic Bit
terness, and her entire better nature was
submerged. In her figure and physical
proportions, in education, bearing, tenn
peramcnt, history-in everything she was
the exact reverse of Lincoln.
On her return to Springfield she imme-
diately entered society and soon became
one of the bellies, leading the your .en
OF the town merry dance Sh. a
very shrewd observer, and discro' and
without apparent effort kept back ill the
unattractive elements in her unfortunate
organization. Her trenchant wit, affa-
blity and candor pleased the young men
not less than her culture and varied ac-
complishments impressed the older ones
with whom she came in contact. The first
time | met her was at dance at the
residence of Colonel Robert Allen. l
engaged her for waltz, and as we glid-
ed through it fancied l never befors had
danced with young lady who moved with
such grace and case. A few moments lat
er, rs we were promenading through the
hall, thought to compliment her grace
full dancing BY telling her that while I
was conscious of my own awkward move
ments she seemed to glide through the
waltz with the ease of a serpent The
strange comparison was as unfortunate as
it was hideous 1 saw it in an instant,
but too late to recall it. She halted for a