Mary's purchase ....

[Donna McCreary]

Women wore mourning attire for many, many relatives. By the fall of 1864, Mary was no longer wearing mourning for Willie, but she was thrown back into it by the death of her brother Levi Todd. Levi was a full brother, and he was a Union man who had supported Lincoln during the election of 1864.

While Mary was still mourning her brother, her Uncle John Todd of Springfield passed away. Uncle John was the father of Cousin Elizabeth who had traveled to Washington with the Lincolns and remained with them for six months. He was also a surrogate father to Mary when she moved to Illinois and after her own father's death. Mary was very close to her Uncle John and would have followed the strict social expections of a woman mourning a beloved brother and uncle. By March 1865, Mary would have been planning her second phase of mourning and her spring/summer wardrobe. There is nothing odd about this expenditure, and it has nothing to do with premonitions about Lincoln's death.

Regarding whether or not Mary purchased items "just in case" they were needed -- it was considered bad luck for women to have unneeded mourning items in their home. Often, as soon as a woman was finished with one stage of mourning, she gave her attire to someone who was in need. I do not know if Mary did this or not. As Laurie mention, Mary held a "fascination" with the 'thin veil that separates the living from the dead.' She was also somewhat superstitious. I don't see her making purchases for items if owning them would bring bad luck to the owner.