Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1907-04-11

the sister Of Ninian w. Edwards and
came to spend year with her brother.
She was very fair and soon was the
reigning belle. No sooner did Lincoln
know her than he felt his heart change.
The other affair. according to the Ed
wardses. according to Stuart. accord
ing to Herndon. according to Lincoln
and everybody else. was "policy
match but this was love. For awhile
he evidently tried hard to go on as be-
| fore, but his feelings were too strong
to be concealed. Mr.. Edwards endeav-
ored to reconcile matters by getting
his sister. to marry Speed. but the re-
bellious beauty refused Speed inconti-
nently. as she did Douglas. too. and
married Mr.. Schuyler Strong. Poor
Lincoln never whispered a word of his
passion to her. His high sense of hon
or prevented that. and perhaps she
had been otherwise.
At length after long reflection, in
great agony Of spirit. Mr. Lincoln con-
cluded that duty required him to make
candid statement Of his feelings to
the lady who was entitled to his hand.
He: wrote her a. letter. and told her gen.
tly but plainly that he did not love her.
He asked Speed to deliver it, but
Speed advised him to burn it. Speed"
said Mr.. Lincoln, Il always knew you
were an obstinate man. If you won't
deliver it, I'll get some one else to do
it," But Speed now had the letter in
his hand and, emboldened by the warm
friendship that existed between them,
replied: II shall not deliver it nor give
it to you to be delivered. Words are
forgotten, misunderstood, passed by,
not noticed in a private conversation,
md they stand as living and eternal
monument against you. If you think
you have will and manhood enough to
60 and see her and speak to her what
you say in that letter, you may do
that" Lincoln went to see her forth
with and reported to Speed. - He said
that when he made his somewhat star
"'The deceiver shall be deceiyed-woe
is me! abiding to young man she
had fooled" Mary told him she knew
the reason of his change of heart and
released him. from his engagement
Some parting endearments took place
between them, and then. as the .natu-
raj result Of those endearments, re-
Cancellation.
We quote again from Mrs. Edwards:
Lincoln and Mary were engaged
Everything was ready and prepared
for the marriage. even to the supper.
Mr.. Lincoln failed to meet his engage
ment. Cause, insanity!
I'm his lunacy he declared he hated
Mary and loved Miss Edwards. This
is true, yet it was not his real feelings.
A crazy man hates those he loves when
at himself. Often, often, is this the
case. The world had it that Mr.. Lin
coin backed out, and this placed Mary
in a peculiar situation, and to set her.
self right and free Mr.. Lincoln's mind
she wrote a letter to Mr.. Lincoln stat
ing that she would release him from
his engagement. The whole of
the year was a crazy spell. Miss Ed
wards was at our house, say, a year
asked Miss Edwards If Mr.. Lincoln
ever mentioned the subject Of his love
to her. Miss Edwards said: On my
word, he never mentioned such a sub
ject to me- He never even, stopped to
pay me compliment
d" In the language Of Mr. Il Edwards,
Lincoln went as crazy as loon," and
was taken to Kentucky by Speed, who
kept him until he recovered" He
ibid not attend the legislature in
1841-42 for this reason"
s.