Lincoln, the unknown

84 •LINCOLN THE UNKNOWNunder Grant. When Lee surrendered, Maria hurried to Washingtonto obtain her husband's immediate release, for she andher children were in want. Lincoln was glad to see her, and satdown and talked to her about old times. He wanted to inviteher to stay for dinner, but Mary Todd wouldn't hear of it. Hegave her a basket of fruit and money to buy clothes, and toldher to call again the next day and he would provide her with apass through the lines. But she didn't call, for that night he wasassassinated.And so Mrs. Lincoln stormed on through the years, leavingin her wake a train of heartaches and hatred. At times she behavedas if insane.There was something a trifle queer about the Todd family;and since Mary's parents were cousins, perhaps this queer streakhad been accentuated by inbreeding. Some people—amongothers, her own physician—feared she was suffering from anincipient mental disease.Lincoln bore it all with Christ-like patience, and seldomcensured her. But his friends weren't so docile.Herndon denounced her as a "wildcat" and a "she wolf."Turner King, one of Lincoln's warmest admirers, describedher as "a hellion, a she devil," and declared that he had seenher drive Lincoln out of the house time after time.John Hay, as secretary to the President in Washington, calledher a short, ugly name that it is bqst not to print.The pastor of the Methodist Church in Springfield lived nearthe Lincoln house. He and Lincoln were friends; and his wifetestified that the Lincolns "were very unhappy in their domesticlife, and that Mrs. Lincoln was seen frequently to drive himfrom the house with a broomstick."James Gourley, who lived next door for sixteen years, declaredthat Mrs. Lincoln "had the devil in her," that she hadhallucinations and carried on like a crazy woman, weeping andwailing until she could be heard all over the neighborhood, demandingthat some one guard the premises, swearing that somerough character was going to attack her.Her outbursts of wrath grew more frequent, more fiery, withthe passing of time. Lincoln's friends felt deeply sorry for him.He had no home life, and he never invited even his most intimatecompanions to dine with him—not even men like Herndonand Judge Davis. He was afraid of what might happen. Hehimself avoided Mary as much as possible, spending his eve-