The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-02-06

clined. In such q matter, we know, to tha most
morbid view. The upshot was at all events,
that on New Years day, 1S41, the very day, as
one account has it, which had been set for the
wedding, he broke the engagement According
to Herndon one of his bographers who was also
his law partner, he broke 1t publicly as pos
sibly by failing to make his appearance on the
appointed wedding day. The engagement was
broken. no doubt Of that; but Herndon's account
Of its breaking is not we'll authenticated.
Lincoln took this trouble deeply to heart. He
abandoned his business and went away to forget
1t the following summer. making visit with that
purpose to his old friend Speed In Louisville, KY.
From this trip he returned in better frame Of
mind This, perhaps because he had been called
upon there to counsel with and resolve some
doubts of Speed regarding his own approaching
marriage. Lincoln and Miss Todd remained un-
reconciled for year and half In the summer
OF 1S42 they were brought together Unexpectedly
by mutual friends. and met secretly several
times later at the house Of Mr.. Simeon Francis.
At length the engagement was renewed This
came about through a circumstance of serio-
comic features In which they both had part.
This circumstance is a story in itself 1t in
wolves, besides the two principles James Shields
the same afore referred to as one of Miss
Todds admirers. He was an Irishman Of ability
and courage, he afterward proved on the bat
tlefeld in the Mexican war, when, to cleanse a
wound through the lungs, silk handkerchief
was drawn through his body
At the time of the Lincoln affair Shields was
leading Democrat of Illinois and held the ONCE
of auditor of state. He quick, impulsive
man, whose disposition put him often the
defensive with the Whig leaders, for the Repub-
lican party was then unborn. OF these Whig
leaders in that state Lincoln then was one. Now,
1t was the custom at that time to carry much
political controversy through the press by means
,@look
now as Letters from the People" Great space
and attention were given these in the newspapers
in that day.
Just about that date Lincoln furnished such a
letter to Springfield paper; it was signed Aunt
Rebecca" and in 1t Shields whose vanity and gal
lantry often made him mark, was most unmer.
cfully ridiculed 1t made hit, this letter, and
Miss Todd and friend, its real authors by the
way, followed 1t up with another and with some
doggerel rhyme, which reached the paper in the
same manner as the first.
Springfield laughed loudly at these communi-
catiops-not SO much at the matter of them as
at the anger displayed by Shields He acted
promptly, sent friend at once to the editor of
the paper to demand the. name Of the writer of
the articles. Dueling then was still common
Incident Of public life and the editor called upon
Lincoln, who unwilling to bring the ladies into
the affair, gave his own name the author.
While he was at fremont, on the law circuit
fifteen days later two friends of his overlook him
and advised him that Shields was on the way
following him up to challenge. Shields and a
friend arrived shortly and Lincoln was soon in
receipt OF written demand for the satisfaction
due gentleman" in full, positive and absolute
retraction. "This may prevent" the mssive said
further, Consequences which no one will regret
more than myself"
Lincoln refused to apologize. Seconds were ir1-
medately named-Whitesides editor of the paper
In which the matter had appeared, for Shields;
e. H. Merryman for Lincoln. The seconds talked
of peace, but Whitesides refused to discuss such
a settlement with his principal. why" he saiu
he'd challenge me next and as soon cut my
throat as mott"
That night they all went back to Springfield
with Lncolns preliminaries to follow since he
was the challenged party, namely these:
Weapons, cavalfy broadswords.
Time Thursday evening at 5 o'clock
Place, within three miles of Alton, on the op-
posite side of the river Mississippi
On the End of September, 1S42, they were all
upon the ground. The arrangements for the af
fair were about completed when the party was
joined by friends Among them was Colonel
John H. Hardin. who knew Lincoln we'll He
had been warned of the fight by Eliza Lott who
had heard Of it when the duelists stopped 10
breakfast going out Colonel Hardin and the rest
managed to satisfy Shields that Lincoln was moi
the author Of the articles but was shielding an
other and to aid the seconds in settling the trou
BILE with honor" as the phrase Is, ito all cor
cerned"
Less than two months later marriage license
fer Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd was issued
Miss Tarbel describes the event as almost I'M,
promptu" The ceremony interrupted meeting
Of the Episcopal Sewing society at the house Of
Miss Todd's sister. the Mrs. Edwards slready
mentioned