The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-02-11

in Springfield Her sister was the wife Of NIniar
". Edwards. one Of the most prominent men On
Springfield. Miss Todd bright witty, highly
educated ambitious, and at once became tne
belle Of Springfield. Few young women have naa
more great men suitors for their hand than nah
Miss Todd within one month Of her arrival
Among those who paid ardent attention 70 her
were Stephen A. Douglas, James Shields, VINO
later was senator from three states and VINO
made glorious record In three wars; Abraham
Lincoln, and dozen others.
The Edwards family protested against Miss
Todds Partially for Lincoln They thought his
family was plebeian; they thought too. ne vas
too grave a man But Miss Todd loved Lincoln
and they became engaged
They were not altogether happy in their en-
gagement- Miss Todd Jealous and exscting-
She loved balls and parties frivolities of all sorts
that are so dear to women Lincoln did not care
much for those things and was shockngiy
tnoughtless and inattentive for an engaged man
When there was some merrymaktng. II ne oidn
want to 60 he didn't think she'd care She, how
ever, thought It slight She complained that
he neglected her. Then, to make him feel bad
about It. she would go with Shields or with
Douglas. There were tears, reproaches, guar
rels They would make up and fall out again.
All this had very bad effect upon Lincoln. He
became extremely morbid He began TO search
his soul to answer 1.-The question as to whether or
not he would make the woman's life unhappy
They were to have been married on January l.
1912. Something happened and the wedding did
not take place There was story, which was
credited to W. H. Herndon. that Lincoln failed
to appear. but this has been pronounced untrue
by those who ought TO know. It is more likely
that one Of their many quarrels led TO the break
between them.
Some Of Lincoln's letters written about this
time disclose his suTerings. In one OF them he
says:
Il am now the most miserable man living. II
-
human family there would not be one cheerful
face on earth. Whether l shall ever be better
cannot tell. fear shall not To remain as
am is impossible"
Reconciliation and Marriage.
One OF his friends in Kentucky invited him
there in the hope OF cheering him up. He had 8
hard time arousing Lincoln from his melancholia.
but he finally succeeded in q manner he never
expected. The friend fell in love himself and
began to feel qualmish as to whether he would
make his beloved happy. He became so miser-
able over his doubt in this regard that Lincoln
tried TO cheer him up. and in trying to cheer his
friend, Lincoln eheered up himself
When Lincoln returned 10 Illinois he was
much better. He and Miss Todd met and there
was a reconciliation.
On November 4. following Lincoln and Mary
Todd were married. While the marriage eere-
mony being performed OF the greatest
storms in the history OF Springfield was raging.
Lincoln once asked friend 4 did when / was
young fellow. One day q wagon with lady
and two girls and man broke down near US. and
while they were fixing up they cooked IN our
kitchen The woman had books and read as
stories, and they were the first OF the kind / ever
had heard. l took great fancy to one OF the
girls, AMI when they were gone thought OF her
great deal. and one day when was sitting out
in the sun by the house wrote out story In
my mind.
Il thought I took my fathers horse and fol
lowed the wagon, and finally I found st. and
they surprised to see me. l talked with the
girl and p tsuaded her TO elope with me; and
that night put her on the horse and we started
OF across the prairie. After several hours We
came to camp. and when rode up we found
it was the ons we had left few hours before
and we went in
The next night we tried again. and the sans
thing happened-the horse came back TO tbs
same place: and then we concluded that W.
ought not 10 elope. I stayed until had per
sazded her father to give her TO me. / slwayl
meant 60 write thst story out and publish II
and 1 began once. but concluded II was no
much OF story. But thi1k that was ths be
ginninS OF love viii me-