Lincoln, the unknown

8JLhe search continued all through the night, and shortly afterdaybreak Lincoln was found sitting in his office, talking incoherently.His friends feared he was losing his mind. Mary Todd'srelatives declared that he was already insane. That was the waythey explained his failure to show up at the wedding.Dr. Henry was called immediately. Lincoln threatened tocommit suicide, so the doctor ordered Speed and Butler towatch over him constantly. His knife was taken from him nowand kept from him just as it had been after the death of AnnRutledge.Dr. Henry, wanting to keep his mind occupied, urged Lincolnto attend the sessions of the State Legislature. As the floor leaderfor the Whigs, he ought to have been there constantly. But therecords show that he was present but four times in three weeks—and even then only for an hour or two. On January 19 JohnJ. Hardin announced his illness to the House.Three weeks after he had fled from his wedding Lincolnwrote to his law partner the saddest letter of his life:I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feelwere equally distributed to the whole human family, therewould not be one cheerful face on earth. Whether I shallever be any better, I cannot tell. I awfully forbode that Ishall not. To remain as I am is impossible. I must die or bebetter, it seems to me.62