El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-12-19
LincOIn's Love Affairs
Loses First Sweetheart by Deathj
Fails to Appear on Wedding
Day to Wed Another, but
Finally WEEDS Her.
BY Madison .. Peterh

BRAHAM LINCoLNs first love

4 - return from the Black Hawk
war She was a winsouie girl of 1s,
blonde Of complexion, with golden hair
cherry-red lips and a bonnie blue eye
Lincoln was captivated by her sweet
looks and gentle manners and although
she had plighted her girlish affections
she accepted her more ardent suitor'
and the marriage was to take place as
soon as Lincoln was admitted to the
bar. But Anne died. and her death
so distressed Lincoln that according
to the testimony Of an old neighbor
who saw him Immediately after his
parting interview with the dying girl,
His grief became frantic. he lost all
self-control. even the consciousness Of
identity, and everybody in Salem pro-
nounced him insane"
We arc told that he was watched
with special vigilance. In his piteous
rawlings, among other wild expressions
of his woe, he declared; q can never
be reconciled to have the snow, rains
and storms beating upon her grave.
His friends fearing total loss OF rea-
sen. he became the object Of strlctest
surveillance in his solitude.
In Jest, Promises to Marry.
Years passed. The boy from the
wiIds Of New Salem had now become
a lawyer Wnen ne became luNoANbu III
a notifying complication with MISS
Mary Owens of Kentucky. Mrs. Able
before starting for a visit to Kentucky
told Lincoln that she would bring her
sister back with her II he would marry
her and the bantering offer was ac-
cepted Lincoln looked upon it as
lest, but later found out that the young
woman expected him to keep the pro-
mise Lincoln was greatly harassed
hut he showed his high sense of honor
by telling the woman that he would
stick to his word although he said to a
friend that he was fairly convinced mat
no other man on earth would have her
and for that reason would deLermlne
to hold him to his bargain. He said
that he determined TO put all MS
mowers of discovery to work in search
Of projections in her which nlg mt. nave a
been fairly set off against her de-
fects." She was several years oIder lhan
Lincoln and assuming that sne was an
honorable woman with an aIIecllOndts
regard for him he wrote very canGld
letter explaining his poverty ana tne
sacrifices that she would have TO make
in marrying him.
abide by his promise If she wished I;
He declared his opinion that she had
better not hold him to a promise maze
in a way of a Jest, but whatever you
decide 1 am willing to abide by" MISS
owens replied with equal candor, in
forming Lincoln that she never had
any intentions or desire to marry him
for she told him candidly that he was
deficient in those little links which
go to make up woman's happiness.
He rejoiced at his release but her
words stung him. He said to friend
that he had made a fool OF himself, buJ
that others had been made FOOLS
of by girls and he declared that he
could never be satisfied with any one
who would be block head enough 70
have him.
81 of lNTTn1n- In
1889 Miss Mary Todd of Lexington KY
visited Springfield. Her 1amly was
Of the best; she was talented, proud
and witty She had an ungovernable
femner and a determined purpose that
bent every one else to her viii, and the
rising young politician was taken cap
tive Miss Todd, before she left Ken
lucky, declared that she was destined
TO be the wife Of some future president
She was for a while cOurted by both
Douglas and Lincoln. When asked
which one she intended to have she
answered; 1.-THE one who has the best
chance Of being president"
Becomes Truant Lover.
Lincoln was thirty-three years OLD
when the day came for his marriage &c
Mary Todd. But a sudden fit OF
melancholy took complete possession Of
him. and whether it was an aversion
to the marriage proposed or strong
attachment he had formed about the
came time for Miss atilda Edwards
or the memory Of his old love for Anne
RutledEe. Lincoln failed to take the
place OF bridegroom when the time fol
the wedding was set The bride II
grief, vanished to her room, the we'd
ding feast was left untouched and the
guests wonderingly withdrew. Lincoln
had became so melancholy that his
friends told him he would die unless
he braced up, and Lincoln replied: -
am not afraid to die, and would Dc
more than willing.
His health regained, on Nov. I 1912
the marriage between him and Miss
Todd was celebrated. On his wedding
dav a witness described him a
standing before the minister "as pal'
and trembling as If being driven t.
slaughter"
The young couple went to live Il
the Globe tavern. in two small rooms
which with board cost 81 week tol
two.
Lincoln's marriage was about tn
first ever performed in Springfield witt
the full EpiscOpalian ceremony, ant
when Lincoln placed the ring upon IN
brides finger, repeating, with TN
ring thee wed and with all my world
" goods I thee endow' supreme cour
judge Thomas c. Browne, standing be
side Lincoln, said loud enough to b
heard by everybody, Good gracious
Lincoln. the statutes fix all that" TIL
utter absurdity Of of the unexpected
interruption upset parson and all for
time.
Mrs. LfncOIn's Temper.
Mrs LincOln's temper was such tina
the only servant that stayed for an,
length Of time was one who receive
secretly from the husband Gas he kneV
what she had to endured dollar wee
ito keep up her courage.
Abraham Lincoln implicitly obeye
his wife. One day a gardener befor
carrying out Mrs Lincoln-s order I
cut down a certain tree, asked Lincoln
what did Mrs Lincoln saw" ''Tha
It should be cut away" Then Il
heavens name cut it down to tn
rOotsF
On one occasion a man called on Mrs
Lincoln to protest against the uncer
monious dismissal Of his niece, but
was received with gestures so Violen
and language so Vitriolic that he wa
glad to beat a hasty retreat. He Gale
on the unfortunate husband. Lincol
sighed: Cant you endure for a rev
minutes what I have had as my por
ton for IS years2" Lincoln's look o
distress 50 impressed the complainant
that he apologized for having ap
preached him.
Wife Aids His Progress.
Yet Mrs. Lincoln was the cause
though unintentional, of her husband
political greatness. Her temper drov
him out into the world where friend
he won made him the man that he wa;
Lincoln had a high esteem for his wife
r~L- L-1-,H {, In nzrn-zr nav she cOulf