The Colorado statesman. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1895-1961, 1916-02-12

in Springfield Her sister was the wife of Ninian
w. Edwards. of the most prominent men OF
Springfield. Miss Todd was bright witty. highly
educated, ambitious. and at became the
belle of Springfield Few young women have had
more great men suitors for their hand than had
Miss Todd within month of her arrival.
Among those who paid ardent attention to her
were Stephen A. Douglas, James Shields. who
later senator from three states and who
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 plobeian; they thought. too, he was
too grave man. But Miss Todd loved Lincoln
and they became engaged
They not altogether happy in their en-
gagement Miss Todd jealous and exacting.
She loved balls and parties frivoities of all sorts
that dear to women. Lincoln did not care
much for those things and shockingly
thoughtess and inattentive for an engaged man.
When there was some merrymaking If he didn't
want to co. he didn't think she'd care She. how
ever, thought it a slight. She complained that
he neglected her Then, to make him feel bad
about it. she would go with Shields with
Douglas. There were tears. reproaches. quar-
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 the question to whether or
not he would make the womans life unhappy.
They were to have been married on January 1,
1912. Something happened and the wedding did
credited to w. H. Herndon, that Lincoln failed
to appear, but this has been pronounced untrue
by those who ought to know. 1t is more likely
that one of their many quarrels led to the break
between them.
Some of Lincon's letters written about this
time disclose his sufferings. In of them he
says:
81 the most miserable man living II
what feel were equally distributed to the whole
human family there would not be cheerful
Co.
I cannot tell. l fear I shall not To remain as
7 is impossible"
Reconciliation and Marriage
One of his friends in Kentucky invited him
there in the hope of cheering him up He had
hard time arousing Lincoln from his melancholia
but he finally succeeded in a manner he never
expected The friend fell in love himself and
began to feel quamish to whether he would
make his beloved happy. He became miser
able his doubt in this regard that Lincoln
tried to cheer him up, and in trying to cheer his
friend, Lincoln cheered up himself.
When Lincoln returned to Illinois he was
much better. He and Miss Todd met and there
reconciliation.
On November A. following. Lincoln and Mary
Todd were married. While the marriage cere
mony being performed one of the greatest
storms in the history of Springfield raging.
Did you ever write out story in your mind"
Lincoln once asked friend. 81 did when / was
a young fellow. One day a wagon with lady
while they were fixing up they cooked In our
kitchen The woman had books and read US
Stories and they the first of the kind ever
had heard. took a great fancy to one of the
girls. and when they gone | thought of her
a great deal, and one day when sitting out
in the by the house l wrote out a story in
my mind.
81 thought l took my fathers horse and fol-
lowed the wagon, and finally l found it. and
they were surprised to see me. | talked with the
girl and persuaded her to elope with me- and
that night put her on the horse and we started
off across the prairie. After several hours we
came to camp, and when rode up found
it was the ons we had left few hours before
and went in.
The next night we tried again. and the same
thing happened-the horse came back to the
same place. and then we concluded that we
ought not to elope. l stayed until had per
suaded her father to give her to me- / always
meant to write that story out and publish it.
and began once, but concluded it was not
much of story. But | think that was the be-
ginning OF love with me-"