Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1913-02-13

He was melancholic. constitutionally SO; In
clined. in such a matter know. TO the 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, Of his biographers, who also
his law partner he broke it as publicly pos
sibly by failing to make his appearance on the
appointed wedding day. The engagement
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 approaching
marriage Lincoln and Miss Todd remained I'M
reconciled for year and half. In the summer
of 1912 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 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 of Miss
Todd's admirers He was Irishman of ability
and courage as he afterward proved on the bat
tlefeld in the Mexican war, when to cleanse a
wound through the lungs, a silk handkerchief
At the time of the Lincoln affair Shields a
leading Democrat of Illinois and held the Office
of auditor of state. He a quick impulsive
man, whose disposition put him often the
defensive with the Wing 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 on much
political controversy through the press by means
of personal communications such we know
Letters from the People" Great space
IN that day.
Just about that date Lincoln furnished such a
letter to Springfield paper 1t signed Aunt
Rebecca" and in 1t Shields whose vanity and gal
lantry often made him mark, most unmer.
cifully ridiculed It made hit this letter, and
Miss Todd and friend, its real authors by the
way. followed It 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-
cations-not much at the matter of them as
at the anger displayed by Shields. He acted
promptly, sent friend at to the editor of
the paper to demand the name of the writer of
the articles. Dueling then was still a 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 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
Tlenu arrived snoruy, and Lincoln was soon in
receipt of written demand for the Satisfaction
due gentleman" in full, positive and absolute
retraction. This may prevent" the missive said
further, Consequences which no one will regret
than myself"
Lincoln refused to apologize. Seconds were i'm
mediatey 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
settlement with his principal. Why" he said
he'd challenge me next and as soon cut my
throat as mott"
with Lincoln's preliminaries to follow, since he
the challenged party. namely these:
Weapons cavalry broadswords
Time, Thursday evening at 8 o'clock
Place. within three miles OF Alton on the Cd
posite side Of the river Mississippi
On the End OF September 1912 they were al
upon the ground. The arrangements for the af
fair were about completed when the party was
Joined by friends. Among them was Colune
John II. Hardin. who knew Lincoln we'll II,
had been warned of the fight by Eliza Lott who
had heard of it when the duests stopped I,
breakfast going out. Colonel Hardin and the res
managed to satisfy Shields that Lincoln was no
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 con
cerned."
Less than two months later a marriage licens,
for Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd was issued
Miss Tarbell describes tia event as almost i'm
promptn-' The ceremon! interrupted meetin
OF the Npsccpal Sewing society at the house o
Miss Todd'S sister. the Mrs. Edwards aiyead,
mentioned.