Lincoln, the unknown

LINCOLN THE UNKNOWN•59will not marry her. Be careful not to say too much, and thenleave at your earliest opportunity.""Thus admonished," Speed relates, "he buttoned his coat,and with a rather determined look started out to perform theserious duty for which I had just given him explicit directions."Herndon says:That night Speed did not go upstairs to bed with us, butunder pretense of wanting to read, remained in the storebelow. He was waiting for Lincoln's return. Ten o'clockpassed, and still the interview with Miss Todd had notended. At length, shortly after eleven, he came stalking in.Speed was satisfied, from the length of Lincoln's stay, thathis directions had not been followed."Well, old fellow, did you do as I told you and as youpromised?" were Speed's first words."Yes, I did," responded Lincoln, thoughtfully, "andwhen I told Mary I did not love her, she burst into tearsand almost springing from her chair and wringing herhands as if in agony, said something about the deceiver beinghimself deceived." Then he stopped."What else did you say?" inquired Speed, drawing thefacts from him."To tell you the truth, Speed, it was too much for me.I found the tears trickling down my own cheeks. I caughther in my arms and kissed her.""And that's how you broke the engagement," sneeredSpeed. "You not only acted the fool, but your conduct wastantamount to a renewal of the engagement, and in decencyyou cannot back down now.""Well," drawled Lincoln, "if I am in again, so be it.done, and I shall abide by it."Weeks rolled on, and the marriage date drew near. Seamstresseswere at work upon Mary Todd's trousseau. The Edwardsmansion was freshly painted, the living-rooms wereredecorated, the rugs renovated, and the furniture polished andshifted.But, in the meantime, a dreadful thing was happening toAbraham Lincoln. One is at a loss to know how to describe it.Profound mental depression is not like grief of the normal type;it is a dangerous illness affecting both mind and body.Lincoln was sinking day by day, now, into just such a state.It's