Lincoln was always a welcome guest. His only authority for
the story is a remark which he says Mrs. Ninian Edwards made to him in
an interview: "Lincoln and Mary were engaged; everything was ready and
prepared for the marriage, even to the supper. Mr. Lincoln failed
to meet his engagement; cause, insanity." This remark, it should be
noted, is not from a manuscript written by Mrs. Edwards, but in a
report of an interview with her, written by Mr. Herndon. Supposing,
however, that the statement was made exactly as Mr. Herndon reports
it, it certainly does not justify any such sensational description as
Mr. Herndon gives.
If such a thing had ever occurred, it could not have failed to be
known, of course, even to its smallest details, by all the relatives
and friends of both Miss Todd and Mr. Lincoln. Nobody, however, ever
heard of this wedding party until Mr. Herndon gave his material to the
public.
One of the closest friends of the Lincolns throughout their lives was
a cousin of Mrs. Lincoln's, Mrs. Grimsley, afterwards Mrs. Dr. Brown.
Mrs. Grimsley lived in Springfield, on the most intimate and friendly
relations with Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln, and the first six months of
their life in the White House she spent with them. She was a woman
of unusual culture, and of the rarest sweetness and graciousness of
character.
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