Lincoln, the unknown

LINCOLN THE UNKNOWN • 201fortunate ride and refused afterward to say that the ladywas to blame. Mrs. Lincoln never forgave him. A day ortwo afterward he went to speak to the President on someofficial matter when Mrs. Lincoln and several others werepresent. The President's wife said something to him unusuallyoffensive that all the company could hear. Lincolnwas silent, but after a moment he went up to the youngofficer, and taking him by the arm led him into his owncabin, to show him a map or a paper, he said. He madeno remark, Barnes told me, upon what had occurred. Hecould not rebuke his wife; but he showed his regret, andhis regard for the officer, with a touch of what seemed tome the most exquisite breeding imaginable.Shortly before these occurrences Mrs. Stanton had visitedCity Point, and I chanced to ask her some questionabout the President's wife."I do not visit Mrs. Lincoln," was the reply.But I thought I must have been mistaken; the wife of theSecretary of War must visit the wife of the President; and Irenewed my inquiry."Understand me, sir?" she repeated; "I do not go to theWhite House; I do not visit Mrs. Lincoln." I was not at allintimate with Mrs. Stanton and this remark was so extraordinarythat I never forgot it; but I understood it afterward.Mrs. Lincoln continued her conduct toward Mrs. Grant,who strove to placate her and then Mrs. Lincoln becamemore outrageous still. She once rebuked Mrs. Grant forsitting in her presence. "How dare you be seated," she said,"until I invite you?"Elizabeth Keckley, who accompanied Mrs. Lincoln on thistrip to Grant's headquarters, tells of a dinner party that "Mrs.President" gave aboard the River Queen.One of the guests was a young officer attached to theSanitary Commission. He was seated near Mrs. Lincoln,and, by way of pleasantry, remarked: "Mrs. Lincoln, youshould have seen the President the other day, on his triumphalentry into Richmond. He was the cynosure of alleyes. The ladies kissed their hands to him, and greeted himwith the waving of handkerchiefs. He is quite a hero whensurrounded by pretty young ladies."