The true northerner., 1895-05-31

McNamar-Death al Anne - Enect ON
LincoIn's Mind.
fFrom "The Life Of Lincoln by william II.
Herndon and Jesse W weik. Copyright, 1885,
by Jesse W Weik. Copyright. 1852, 10y ID. APP
pletOn & Co.
Since the days when in Indiana Lin
coin sat on the rivers bank with little
Kate Roby, dangling his bare feet in
the water, there has been no hint in
these pages Of tender relations with any
one of the opposite sex, Now we APP
proach in timely order the grand pas
sion" of his life-a romance of much re-
ality, the memory of which threw a
melancholy shade over the remainder OF
his days For the first time our hero
falls in love- The courtship with Anne
Rutledge and her untimely death form
the saddest page in Mr.. Lincoln's his
tory.
James Rutledge, the father Of this in
teresting girl, was one of the founders
of New Salem, having come there from
Kentucky in 1929 Besides his business
interests in the store and mill at New
Salem he kept the tavern where Lincoln
came to board in 1888 His family, be-
sides himself and wife, consisted of nine
children, three of whom were born in
Kentucky, the remaining six III Illinois.
Anne, the subject of this chapter, was
the third child. She was a beautiful
girl, and by her winning ways attached
people to her 50 firmly that she soon be-
came the most popular young lady in
the village. She was quick of apprehen-
sion, industrious and an excellent house
keeper She had moderate education,
with those around her. AT every quilt
ing Anne was necessary adjunct,
and her nimble fingers drove the needle
more swiftly than any one else. Lincoln
used TO escort her to and from these
quilting bees, and on one occasion even
went into the house-where men were
considered out of place-and sat by her
side as she worked on the quilt
He whispered into her ear the old,
old story. Her heart throbbed and her
soul was thrilled with Joy as old as
the world itself. Her fingers momentari-
ly lost their skill. In her ecstacy she
made such irregular and uneven stitches
that the older and more sedate women
noted IL, and the owner of the quilt,
until few years ago still retaining it
as precious souvenir, pointed out the
memorable stitches to such persons as
visited her.
Handsome and Good.
miss Rutledge, says a lady who
knew her, had auburn hair, blue eyes,
fair complexion. She was pretty, slight
ly slender, but in everything good
hearted young woman. She was about
B feet 2 inches high and weighed in the
neighborhood of 100 pounds. She was
beloved by all who knew her. She died,
as ii were, of grief. In speaking of her
death and her grave Lincoln once said
to me, My heart lies buried there. -
Before narrating the details Of Lin
coins courtship with Miss Rutledge it
is proper to mention briefly few facts
that occurred before their attachment
began.
About the same time that Lincoln
drifted into New Salem there came in
from the eastern states John Mcneil, q
young man of enterprise and great ac-
tivity, seeking his fortune in the west.
He went TO work at once and within a
short time had accumulated by COM
mendable effort a comfortable amount
of property. Within three years he
owned farm and half interest with
Samuel Hill in the leading store. He
had good capacity for business and was
a valuable addition to that already pre-
tentious village-New Salem. 1t was
while living at James Cameron's house
that this plucky and industrious young
business man first saw Anne Rutledge
Mcneil fell deeply in love with the
schoolgirl-she was then only l7-and
paid her the usual unremitting atten-
tions young lovers of that age had done
before him and are still doing today.
His partner in the store, Samuel Hill.
a Young man Of equal force Of charac-
ter, who afterward amassed comforta-
BILE fortune and also welded no little
influence as local politician, laid siege
to the heart of this same attractive maid
en-, but he yielded up the contest early.
Anne rejected him, and he dropped
from tka race Mcneil had clear sailing
from this. time forward. After several
years Mcneil, having disposed of his
interest in the store to Hill, determined
to return to New York, his native state,
for a visit He had accumulated up 70
this time, as near as We can learn, So.
600 or possibly sl2, 600. Before leaving
he made to Anne a singular revelation.
He told her the name Mcneil was an
assumed one; that his real name was
McNamar.
McNamar, after much vexatious de-
lay, finally reached his birthplace in
New York. finding his father in the de-
cline of years and health. He provided
for his immediate needs, and by his as
siduous attentions undertook to atone
for the years of his neglect, but all to
no purpose. The old gentleman grad
ually faded from the world and early
one winter morning crossed the great
river. McNamar was thus left TO settle
up the few unfinished details of his ia.