The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1900-02-10

cause OF FORMER lovers desert1on. She
was engaged to John McNeil-or McNamar
was has real name-when she was about II
years old. He was an excellent young man,
but his father having failed in business
in the East, the son, feeling mortified at
the misfortune, came West and changed his
name from McNamar to~McNeil, as he did not
want his identity to be known. In 1882 he
left New Salem on horseback to visit his
father in New York. Annie had at least
one letter from him after he arrived there
telling of his fathers death, which had de-
tanned him. Then his letters ceased and he
did not return. Her family and friends
thought perhaps he was not worthy; his
change Of name being suspicious circum-
stance. That, however, was proven to be
incorrect, for he returned to New Salem after
her death and satisfactorily explained his
absence and protested his love for Annie, ana
begged my mother for some article which had
been hers for a memento- He Lived and died
near New Salem. g.. Il + -
In the meantime, however, Annie and Mr..
Lincoln were-constantly together
and he declared his love and was accepted, for
she loved him with more mature and endur-
ing affection than she had ever fclt for Nc
Namar. No one could have seen them
together and not be convinced that they
loved each other truly. They would have
been married, but decided to wait a year. as
Annie wanted to go to school awhile longer,
and though Lincoln was beginning to have
high aspirations he was very poor, and both
wished to better equip themselves for the
position they would eventually occupy.
Then Annie was taken sick AID the doctor
said the disease was BRAN icv.r. do not
know whether he diagnosed it correctly or
not, for several other people in the neigh
borhood had the same fever, but anu sure
her death was not caused by a broken heart
or disappointed hopes.
Last Interview with 'Lfnc6ln.
when she realized that she could not get
we'll she wanted to see Lincoln and brother
David, who was attending school in Jackson
Vile. Bowling Green, brOtherof LincOln's
former partner in the store, was sent to
Springfield for him, and -McGrady Rutledge
our cousin, was sent for David. L can never
forget how sad and broken hearted Lincoln
looked when he came out of the room from
the last interview with Annie No one knows
what was said at that meeting, for they were
alone together, except that he told friend
that she told him to always live an honest
and upright life, and have. always tried to
60 so,' he added.
1T has been said that Lincoln was insane
with grief for a year after Annie's death. T
do not remember as to that, but think Bow
ling Green took him to his house and kept him
for some time but I do not know how long.
| have read that they did not dare to allow
him to have knife or razor at that time, but
l never heard any Of our family say so. and
they were intimate friends with him as lous
as he was there. There many things
in the papers which are not true
Mrs. PreWitt showed me the old family BIZ
Bile which belonged to her father. The brown
leather back was scruffed the leaves were
worn with frequent handling and were yellow
with age. turned to the births, and read:
Annie Maye Rutledge, born January seventh,
one thousand eight hundred and thirteen"
and to the deaths and found, in the same
hand, that of her father, 'rAnnie Maye Rut~
ledge, died August twenty-ffth one thousand
eight hundred and thirty-five." 1t was plain
ly and legibly written, although the ink is
getting faded and DIM Between the leaves of
the Bible also found a letter from David
Rutledge to my dear sister :Annie,'' saying
that he had heard by a former letter from:
home that she was contemplating coming to
jacksonville to the same school that he was
then attending, and urging her to do so with
out further delay, and not neglect the fleetins
moments 1t was dated short time before
her death
Lincoln Broken with Grief.
Mrs Prewitt tells me that there is no pic
ture Of Sister Annie, for people did not have
pictures taken then they do now' and
these small records and sad, sweet memory
of her in the affections of her sister are all that
now remains of the one whom Lincoln loved
so fondly that he said to friend my heart
lies buried with that girl"
He was SO affected by her death that he
used often to say: II can never be reconciled
to have the snow, rain, and storms beat over
her grave" After he had passed through this
great grief he often would repeat that poem on
death which begins with,
Oh, why should the spirit of mortal be proud?
MARGARET FLINDT.