The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-10
F ANGUS LOVES OF
FAMOUS AMERICANS

thought her intelligent and agreeable
ana saw no good objection to ploddng
through life hand in hand with her.
Time passed on. the lady took her
| journey and In due time returned. sister
in company sure enough. This astound-
ed me little. for II appeared to me
that her coming so readily showed that
she was trifie too willing. But IN
reflection II seemed to me that she
might have been prevailed on by her
married sister to come without anything
concerning fne ever having been men
toned to her. And so I concluded that
II no other objection presented itself. I
would consent to waive thus"
Then he goes on to say that another
objection had presented itself as soon
as ne saw the lady. This objection
had to do with her extraordinary fat
ness.
But what could do?" Lincoln asked
Il had told her sister that would take
her for better or for worse and I make
1t point OF honor and conscience in
all things to stick to my word, especially
IL others have been induced to act on T..
which in this case I had no doubt they
had. for was now fairly convinced that
no other man on earth would have her
and hence the conclusion tnat they were
bent on holding me to my bargain.
Well thought I, 4 have said It and be
the consequences what they NAV. IL
shall not be my fault IL fail to do IT,
AT once I determined to consider her
nv wife, and this done all my bowers
OF discernment were put 10 work in
search Of projections in her which might
be fairy set Off against her defects. II
tried TO imagine her handsome, which.
but for her unfortunate corpuiency. was
actually true. Exclusive OF this. no
woman that I have ever seen has finer
race. have tried to convince myself |
that the mind was much more to be
valued than the person and in this she |
was not inferior to any with whom I |
was acquainted.
shortly after this. without attempf- |
ing To come to any positive understand
ing with her. I set out for Vandalla.
when and where you first saw me.
During my stay there I had letters
from ner which didn't change nv
opinion of either her intellect or in |
tent, but. on the contrary, confirmed II
in both.
All this while, although I was 6xed |
nrm as the surge-repelling rock in nv
resolution. found I was continually re-
penting the rashness which had LED me
to make ii. Through life l have been
IN no bondage. whether real or i'm
aginary. from the thralldom OF which
SO much desired to be free.
After my return home saw nothing
TO changc my opinion Of her in any par
ti'ular She was the same ard so was
!. now spent my time Planning how
might get along in life after my con-
tempated change Of circumstances
should have taken place and how I
might procrastinate the evil day for a
time. which l really desired as much.
perhaps more. than an 1rshman does
the halter
But while Lincoln had due regard for
ire sanctity Of his promise. implied or
oiherwise. he tried hard to make Miss
'wens understand that he was not n
desirable partner for life. He wrote to
her some OF the queerest love letters
mat perhaps any man ever penned. H.
'"ld ner over and over again what a
miserable life she would have with him
In one OF them he said:
Il am afraid You would not be salts
He'd. There Is great deal OF tourlshing
ihout In carriages here in Springfield
walch 1t would be your doom To- see
without sharing. You would have to be-
poor without the means OF hiding your
poverty. Do you believe You could bear
that patiently?"
Another time he wrote TO her:
Il know l should be much happier
with you than the way I am, provided
saw no signs of discomfort IN you
What You have said to me may have
been IN the way of jest, or l may have