The Elbert County tribune., 1913-02-07

made the journey and duly returned sister IN
company, sure enough Lincoln was aston
ished. The bride proposed appeared u Mn =. -
trihe too willing. but he gave her the oenent
of the doubt
There were other objections to her; Tor one
thing, that, while her face was attractive she
had hgure-she was uncommonly Stout
For another his own financial condition he
had settled at Springfield capital OF the state
and began here the practice of law. without,
however substantial result as yet But he
had told her sister, he says in letters quoted
by Miss Tarben that he would take the lady
for better worse. and this he must DO since
1t was a point of honor with him to stick to
his word particularly where. as In this case,
others had been induced to act upon It,
He correspondent with this lady, and was
firm In his resolution to marry her and even
planned how he might get along after the
marriage He took the precaution to write
her from Springfield and gave her a strong hint
of the poverty of his resources asking her at the
same time to deliberate maturely" As this.
however, drew from her decision, after walt
ing three months he wrote again. putting the
matter between them squarely up to her. What
l wish" said he. "is that our further acquaint-
ance should depend upon yourself"
Miss Owens had the discernment to perceive
his feelings She answered. declining his offer Of
marriage. She found him, she said deficient in
those little links which go to make up the chain
Of woman's happiness" Lincoln was "morti-
fed" SO he wrote friend his vanity wounded"
by the reflection that he had been too stupid to
doubling that he understood her perfectly.
The Third Affair.
It was in 1889 or 1910 that Lincoln met Miss
Mary Todd of Lexington, KY, whom he afterward
married. Their courtship interesting and
rather animated. One of its incidents a
broken engagement, and that, according to one
authority. on the very day set for the wedding
Lincoln thirty thfrty-one when Miss
Todd came to Springfield, and had been practic-
ing law in that place for some three or four years
The lady was the daughter OF Robert g. Todd a
prominent Kentuckian. and living. when
Lincoln made her acquaintance. with her sister,
Mrs. Ninian W. Edwards. the wifo of one Of the
notables of Springfield. She was handsome
stylish. witty and spirited and soon after her
arrival In the Illinois capital began to cut fig
In its society and to draw In her train the
more prominent beaux OF the town, among others
who afterward to distinction besides Lin
coln Stephen A. Douglas. the Little Giant" lat
er of the stump and senate, and Shields hero Of
the Mexican war. and of the most pictur
esque figures in American life
Ere long 1t began to be apparent rhat among
these sutors and frequenters of the Edwards
mansion Lincoln her favorite. As the inti
macy with him grew her relations protested: he
was not of their sort: they were wealthy and
wellbred. and looked on him as of the plebeIan
cast as one socially inferior He was of the
humbest origin. crude and unpublished in man
ners, and. worst OF all. poor. Miss Todd
however was unmoved by their objections She
loved him, believed In him, seems to have di.
vined his quality and had faith in his future
In 1910 they engaged to marry.
But as the proverb has 1t, the course of true
love never did run smooth" SO. at least, 1t turn
ed out In their case. 1t is not perhaps strange
considering the difference in their tastes, their,
ideals and breeding that they did soon fall out
Miss Todd was exacting sweetheart; Mr. Lin.
coin careless