The Mena weekly star., 1912-02-29
Tbr Romanfe tn
Iinroln 6 Eife

own sudden end. Even m the
White House in later years there
was a note Of sadness in his voice
when he spoke OF it.
When Lincoln arrived at the sell
Element Of New Salem, ILL.,, in 1881,
he found James Rutledge and his
family among the most widely
known persons there The Rutledge
family came to New Salem from
Kentucky. Mr.. Rutledge was one
Of the founders Of the settlement,
and was at that time the keeper of
the village tavern. His daughter,
Ann Rutledge, was i9 years old
when Lincoln met her after coming
to the tavern to live.
"As Bright as a Flower
Ann Rutledge was as fresh as a
flower. Those who knew her left
tributes to her gentleness and
sweetness. She is described as being
ing a beautiful girl, as bright as she
was fair She was cheerful and,
happy and girl people always
liked. Such a girl, Of course, had
many suitors.
The most successful of these was
John Mcneil, young man who
had come to New Salem a few " ms
before. Little was known Of his
family, and it was generally sup
posed that he like many other
other young men, had just come
west to seek his fortune. He had
formed a partnership with Samuel
Hill. Together they had opened a
general store and were doing a good
business. Four years after his ar
rival Mcneil owned, in addition to
his interest in the store, a farm
near town, and all together, was
worth, the neighbors said, about
$4,000.
1t was generally supposed that
Mcneil was an unmarried man. At
any rate, it was case of love at
first sight, and soon he was en-
gagged to Ann Rutledge. But she
was young girl, and it was re-
garded as sensible of him and kind
.of her that they deferred to the
wishes of her parents and agreed
to wait while before marrying.
But, in spite Of this arrangement,
Mcneil became restless. He want
ed to see his people, he said, and
soon decided to go east for a visit.
TO Ann he said he hoped to bring
back his father and mother and
yaa1ya a hap,a fnp Ib..,, on fba for,,,
Back TO New England.
+, when | have done this duty" he
told Ann, you and will be mar
ried.' So in the spring of 1884 Nc
Ncill started east. He first sold his
interest in the store to Hill. Then
he set out on horseback on the
long, tedious trip back to New Eng
land.
On the way Mcneil became i'll
with chills and fever 1t was late
bin the summer when he reached
his destination and wrote back ex-
planning to Ann his long silence.
Lincoln was at that time postmas-
ter at New Salem, and it was to him
she came for letters. Often after
that letter she haunted the post
office, waiting and watching for
word from Mcneil. Then his let
ters ceased. Only then did Ann
Rutledge begin to lose faith in him.
She told her mother first and then
her friends a secret McNeill bad
eonnded to her before he went
away.
McNeill was not his real name,
she said, but it was McNamar
John McNamar. Before his coming
to New Salem his father had failed
in business and lost practically ev-
erything. Being the eldest son, he
had decided to come west in the
hope of retriving the family for
tunes. He had sought to bury him
self from his family and creditors
by changing his name. He resolv-
ed to so home and share his for
tune with his family. All this Ann
Rutledge had believed, but now,
worn out by watching and waiting,
she had been unable to keep it
back longer.
OF course, her family and her
friends denounced Mcneil. He was
a rogue and scoundrel, they said.
Why. he might be a fugitive from
justice. a murderer even. It was
a good radiance. They were glad
he was gone. 1t was not until this
opinion of Mcneil was accepted as
true and the belief was common
that he wouldn't return, that Lin
coin showed his love for Ann. He
had sympathized with her when
she came to the postof1ice looking
for a word from Mcneil. He even
sought TO comfort her by telling
her that Mcneil surely would re-
turn: that he surely could not have
deceived her.
Became Lincoln's Promised Wife.
But Ann Rulledge apparently had
given up hope. She accepted Lin
coins attention. Their friendship.
born out of sympathy. ripened into
love. She returned the kindly af-
fection that Lincoln showed her.
She even promised to marry him.
Il was decided she should 90 to
jacksonville with her brother 10
study through the winter. Lincoln
was to continue his law studies. IN
the spring they were 10 be married
4 happy summer followed. FN-