The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-07-22
LlNCOLN'S FIRST LOVE.
How Susan Reid Refused n Chance to DO
the Wife of a President.

the Wife of President.
The woman who was Abraham Lin
coins first love and refused TO marry
him has been long a resident of Calls
toga, Cal. Now she is Mrs. Susan
Boyce, but when she was Lincoln's
sweetheart she was Miss Susan Reid OF
New Salem, on the Sangamon river, in
Illinois.
"My father was one of Lincoln's best
friends" she said in speaking of her
acquaintance with President Lincoln.
"He wac Lewis G. Reid, and it was he
who took Lincoln to Springfield and in
trOduced him 10 William =. Seward,
from whom he borrowed the first law
books he ever read. Mr.. Lincoln and
my father belonged to the same politi-
cal party, and they used to talk politics
by the hour. first met him in 1886 at
the house Of neighEor named Able.
There was quite a party OF young peo-
pie there, ard l remember that lie scem-
cd very hashful He soon began 10 pay
me a coed deal Of attention, which
pleased my father more than it did me,
for my father liked him very much and
had great faith in him. Mr.. Lincoln Of
ten took me out horseback riding and
to singing school and church lie was
spilitualist, and ho believed ia
dreams. lie often told me his dreams
were prophetic. lie also talked of the
stars q great deal, and / remember l
thought him a queer kind Of fellow
Still he was very entertaining, and he
studied hard all the time.
"He was not as ardent a lover as I've
seen since, but he kept his case going
pretty lively and pressed me hard for an
answer He told me l was the first wo-
man he ever loved, and that he was
sure he could never love any one else as
| he did me, and L relieve he meant what
| he said / did not want to marry him
because 1 didn't love him, and so l in
vented a story about being engaged to
| q Young man back in Kentucky where
| we had come from. That cooled his ar
dor for little while, but he soon began
coming to see me again, and finally he
told my father that he would call on a
certain day for my final answer. When
the day came, made it point to be
away from home, and Lincoln didn't
get over the way treated him. My
father lectured me about it and told me
had made a Ounce of myself, but my
mother took my part and said that If
did not love him ought not to marry
him.
"While Lincoln was counting me we
were one night at a little party where
the young folks were trying their for
tunes with a Bible and door key. Mr.
Lincoln was always very much inter
ested in such things, and at once III
wanted to know all about the game. /
was explained to him that the key
would be placed on verse in the opeI
Bible, and when questions were asked
the key was supposed to turn by super
natural power. Lincoln asked, Will
Susie marry man whose name Begin
with LIP and the key Gid not move. Thel
he asked, will she marry man who's
name begins with B?' and the Ike.
whirled. A young man named Brook
was then paying me some attention
, whenever Lincoln gave any opportunity
| and he was the one referred to, for
did not then dream of Mr.. Boyce, whom
, I afterward married.
u never heard Mr.. Lincoln make
speech, and l never saw him after 1887
My father scolded me so much for refus
ing his offer that married rather soone
than l might otherwise have done i
. order to escape being lectured. My hus
. band was friend of Lincoln's, and the
. fought side by side in the Black Haw
? war. 1 draw pension now by reason G
, the injuries he received there.
. "My husband and went to Texas i
1849, where knew Sam Houston wei.
and in 1862 we came to California. -
, New York Sun.