Lincoln, the unknown

10In most respects, there wasn't a more economical housewifein all Springfield than Mary Lincoln. She was extravagant chieflyin matters having to do with showing off. She bought a carriagewhen the Lincolns could ill afford it and paid a neighbor's boytwenty-five cents an afternoon for driving her about town tomake social calls. The place was a mere village, and she couldhave walked or hired a vehicle. But no, that would have beenbeneath her. And no matter how poor they were, she couldalways find money for clothes costing more than she couldafford.In 1844, the Lincolns paid fifteen hundred dollars for thehome of the Rev. Charles Dresser who, two years before, hadperformed their marriage ceremony. The house had a livingroom,kitchen, parlor, bedrooms; and, in the back yard, therewas a woodpile, an outhouse, and a barn where Lincoln kepthis cow and Old Buck.At first the place seemed to Mary Lincoln an earthly paradise;and it was, in comparison with the bleak, bare rooms ofthe boarding-house she had just left. Besides, she had thenew-found joy and pride of ownership. But its perfections soonbegan to fade, and she was forever finding fault with the home.Her sister lived in a huge two-story house, and this one wasonly a story and a half high. She once told Lincoln that no manwho ever amounted to much lived in a story-and-a-half house.Usually, when she asked him for anything, he never inquired77