The Springfield herald. (Springfield, Baca County, Colo.) 1887-1919, 1913-02-07


clined. in such matter. we know. to the most
morbid view. The upshot was. at all events.
that on New Years day. 1841 the very day.
one account has 1t. which had been set for the
wedding, he broke the engagement According
to Herndon, of his biographers who was also
his law partner. he broke 1t as publicly as 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 well 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 a 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
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 serto-
comic features in which they both had part
This circumstance is story in itself. It In
wolves. besides the two principles James Shields
the same afore referred to one OF Miss
Todds admirers. He was Irishman of ability
and courage. he afterward proved on the bat
tlefeld in the Mexican war. when. to cleanse
wound through the lungs. silk handkerchief
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 impulsve
man, whose disposition put him often on the
defensive with the Wing leaders. for the Repub-
lcan party then unborn. OF these Wing
leaders in that state Lincoln then 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
now as Letters from the People" Great space
and attention given these in the newspapers
in that day.
Just about that date Lincoln furnished such
letter to a Springfield paper; 1t signed Aunt
Rebecca." and in 1t Shields whose vanity and gal
lantry often made him mark, was most unmer
cifuy ridculed 1t made hit. this letter. and
Miss Todd and a friend its real authors by the
way, followed 1t up with another and with some
doggerel rhyme. which reached the paper In tile
same manner as the first.
Springfield laughed loudly at these communi
catons-not much at the matter OF them as
at the anger displayed by Shields He acted
promptly, sent a friend at once to the editor of
the paper to demand the name OF the writer of
the articles. Dueng then 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 as 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 the way
following him up to challenge. Shields and a
friend arrived shortly, and Lincoln in
receipt of written demand for the satisfaction
due gentleman" in full. positive and absolute
retraction. This may prevent" the mssiye said
further. Consequences which one will regret
more than myself"
Lincoln refused to apologize Seconds were i'm
medately named-Whesdes editor Of the paper
in which the matter had appeared. for Shields
E. H. Merryman for Lincoln. The seconds talked
of peace, but Whtesides refused to discuss such
a settlement with his principal. why" he said.
he'd challenge me next. and soon cut my
throat mott"
That night they ali went back to Springfield.
with Lncolns prellmnaries to follow since he
the CHALLENGED these.