The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-10-19
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LINCOLN'S HESITANCY TO
MARRY.
ApprehenSive That the Pathway was
Not One of Flowers and Sunlight.

MOI Une OF Fl0WerS ana Sunllgnl.
Joshua Fry Speed, subsequent to the atters
marriage betray an anxious and impatient
desire to learn if marriage is pathHay Of
flowers and sunlight, and not darkness and
pain as the two had morbidly feared it to
be. John Gilmer Speed presents these
hitherto unpublished letters bearing upon
"Lincoln Hesitancy to Marry in the
October Ladies Home Journal. In one
Lincoln says:
at cannot he told how it thrills me
with JOY to hear you say you are far
happier than you ever expected to be-
That much ! know is enough. | know
you too well to suppose your expectations
were not, at least some times, tXtravagant
and it the reality exceeds them all, say,
enough dear Lord | am not going beyond
the truth when tell you that the short
space 1t took me to read your last letter.
gave me more pleasure than the sum total
of all have enjoyed since the fatal first Of
January, 1871. Since then it seems to me
| should have been entirely happy but for
the never absent idea that there is one
referring to Miss Mary Todd, who is still
unhappy, whom | have contributed to
make so. That still kills my soul. | can
not but rcproach myself for even wishing
to be happy while she is otherwise. She
accompanied large party in the railroa
cars to Jacksonville last Monday and on
her return spoke so that heard of it, Of
having enjoyed the trip exceedingly. God
be praised for that. One thing can tell
you which know you will be glad to hear
scrutinized her feelings as well as | could
and am fully convinced she is far happier
now than she has been for the last fifteen
months past"
Eight months after Speed had married,
Mr.. Lincoln wrote him:
'But | want to ask close question:
Are you now in feeling as well as judy
ment glad that you are married as you are?
From anybody but me this would be an
impudcnt question not to be tolerated but
| know you will pardon it in me. Please
answer it quickly as | am impatient to
know"
In 1899 Miss Mary Todd, of Kentucky,
arrived in Springfield to visit a married
sister, Mrs, Edwards. At the instance of
his friend Speed, who was alsoa Kentuckinn
Lincoln became visitor at the Edwards
and before long it was apparent to the
observant among those in Springfield that
the lively young lady held him captive.
Engagements at that time, and in that
neighbolhood, were not announced as soon
as they were made, and it is not at all i'm
possible that Miss Todd and Mr. Lincoln
welc hetrothed many months before any
other than Mrs. Edwards and Mr.. Speed
knew of it, writes John Gilmor Speed in
the October Ladies Home Journal. At
this time, as was the case till Lincoln was
elected to the Presidency, his one special
rival in Illinois was Stephen A. Douglas
Mr. Douglas had more of the social graceS
than Mr.. Lincoln, and it appeared to him
that nothing would be more interesting to
him than to cut out his political rival on
the affections Of the entertaining and
lively Miss Todd, and so he paid her court.
A spirited young lady from Kentucky at
that time in Illinois would be almost les,
than human il she had refused to accept
the attention of the two leading men OF
the locality. Therefore, Miss Todd being
quite human, encouraged Douglas, and
again there was what nowadays would
have been called Irritation. This course
of action did not spur Lincoln on in his
devotion, but made him less ardent, and
he concluded, after much self worriment,
to break off the engagement, which he did
but subsequently there was Il reconcile
alton and q renewal of the engagement