The Columbus commercial., 1896-05-03
MR. LINcoLN's coURTsAIP.

wife could travel abroad--bll arp, IN
ATLANTA Constitution.
Mr.. LINcoLN's coURTsAIP
mr. elizabeth oady stanton Tells Of Ms
First Engagement.
Mrs. Stanton was sitting in q big
chair IN her pretty parlor the other day
when a visitor called upon her. As she
sat with her back to the window, a
bright light came streaming in oil
about her. It could not positively be
said that she was thinking OF the mar
tyr president. but there might have
been any number Of reminiscent
thoughts in the head beneath the full
puffs Of soft white hair that seemed to
form halo around Mrs. Stanton's face.
"Did you ever hear about Lincoln's
courtship2" she asked. 1T was when
be was q very young man. He was
boarding with q widow. with whose
beautiful daughter he fell in love. The
girl was salready engagedtoayoungman
whose business had called him away
from her, and, strange to say, she had
pot heard from him since his departure.
"slx months went by, and still the
girl had not heard a word from the
man to whom she was engaged. Nat
urally she came 10 the conclusion that
he was merely playing with her affec-
tions and left her for good.
"All this time Lincoln was devoted
to her, She was a proud girl. and she
said; I am not going to have that man
think am dying Of love for him when
/ have such a lover as this at my feet
And she became engaged to Lincoln.
"He was a very fond and devoted
lover in every way, and they were very
happy together. The time went by.
and as the day of their wedding up
preached an unexpected obstacle con.
fronted them.
er lover returned and was
~ nEucn N love as ever. He had been
the victim of a very severe attack Of
typhus fever, and when he recovered
from his long illness sufficiently 70 re-
alize how much time had elapsed, he
was horrifed. He was so much over
come at the Thought Of his fiancee's
feelings and her probable opinion of
him that he had a relapse.
when he again became convalescent
lie returned and explained TO the young
woman the cause Of his long absence
and silence. His explanations appeased
the young woman's sense of injury, and
she found that her old love for him had
returned.
"she not only loved him, but she loved
Lincoln also"
There was an exclamation Of aston
ishment from the younger women in
the room at this illustration Of twofold
fidelity.
''The young woman" Mrs. Stanton
went on, "was greatly troubled. What
would one of her lovers think and feel
II she married the other? She grieved
50 much over her difficult situation that
her health was affected. She was at
tackled with brain fever and died.
''This was Lincoln's second great sor-
row. He used to go at twilight and
throw himself down on the young wom-
ans grave to mourn.
'Mr. Herndon, who was Lincoln's
partner, and who wrote a life of him.
told me that the bereaved lover would
often sit in the inner room Of their law
office and not permit anyone to disturb
him
fAIr. Lincoln was the saddest-lool1inR
s8u ever saw. His first great grief
vas the loss Of his mother. She had
been an unhappy woman in many ways.
He was her confdant in all her sorrows.
She had told him that many times in
her early married life, before he was
born, she wished as she awoke in the
mornings that she were dead. Proba-
ly her sorrow had some effect upon
him. Her death was a great blow to
him.
II remember when first saw Lin
coin. It was after he was president.
Mr.. Stanton and I called upon him.
He had such a sad face. He was man
with great mind and heart.
"Mr Herndon told me a great many
things about him. The sentiment he
showed upon the death Of his first love
Is impressive. think. I believe she
loved him better than her other lover" {"
IN. Y. Times.