The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-05-31

great admiration for Lincoln's brains
and noble qualities. The esteem was
mutual, and it is no stretch of the truth
to say that for years Lincoln exercised
undisputed control of the columns of
The Journal himself. Whatever he
wrote or had written went into the edi-
torial page without question.
Mrs. Francis, sharing her husbands
views of Lincoln's glorious possibilities
and desiring to do Mary Todd a kindly
act, determined to bring about recon-
ciliation. She knew that Miss Todd had
by letter few days after ''that fatal
1st of January, 1841, as Lincoln styled
it, released him from the engagement,
and that since then their relations had
been strained, if not entirely broken off.
AS she viewed it, a marriage between
man as promising in the political world
as Lincoln and woman as accomplish
ed and brilliant in society as Mary Todd
would certainly add to the attractions
of Springfield and reflect great credit on
those who brought the union about. She
was a great social entertainer, and one
day arranged gathering at her house
for the express purpose of bringing these
two people together. Both were invited
and both attended, but neither suspect
ed the others presence. Having ar.
ranged things SO ingeniOusly and with
so much discretion, it was no difficult
task for the hostess to bring the couple
together by warm introduction and
the encouraging admonition, ''Be
friends again" Much to the surprise of
both, they found the web woven around
them. They entered into the spirit of
the reconciliation and found Mrs.
Francis roof an inviting place for many
succeeding meetings. A wall reared it.
self between them and the past, and
they started again under the suspicious
omens of another engagement. The tact
of woman and the diplomacy Of society
had accomplished what love had long
since despaired Of ever doing or seeing
done.
The meetings in the parlor of Mrs.
Francis house were conducted with no
little privacy. At first even Mrs. Ed
wards knew nothing of it, but presently
it came to her ears. 81 asked Mary"
said this lady, "why she was so secre-
tive about it. She said evasively that
after all that had occurred it was best
to keep the courtship from all eyes and
ears. Men and women and the whole
world were uncertain and slippery, and
if misfortune befell the engagement all
knowledge of it would be hidden from
the world"
Married to Miss Todd.
1t is unnecessary to pfolong the &C.
count of this strange and checkered
rourtship. The intervention. of the affair
with Shields in no way impeded if it
did not hasten the marriage. One morn
ing in November Lincoln, fastening to
the room of his friend James HI. Mathe-
ney before the latter had arisen from
bed, informed him that he was to be
married that night and requested him
to attend as best man. That same morn
ing Miss Todd called on her friend Julia
M. Jayne, who afterward married Ly-
man Trumbull, and made similar re-
quest. The Edwardses were notified and
made such meager preparations as were
possible on so short notice. License was
obtained during the day, the minister,
Charles N. Dresser, was sent for, and
in the evening of Nov. 4, 1842, Gas
pale and trembling as if being driven to
slaughter, Abraham Lincoln was at
last married to Mary Todd.
One great trial of his life was now
over, and another still greater one was
yet to come. To me it has always seemed
plain that Mr. Lincoln married Mary
Todd to save his honor, and in doing
that he sacrificed his domestic peace. He
had searched himself subjectively, in.