Mary Lincoln's presence at Abraham's death-bed

[Eva Elisabeth]

Somehow this leads me to the question what - if anything at all - A. Lincoln might have had expected from Robert (in general). When Robert wanted to go to Harvard, A.L. said Robert would learn more than he had done, but would "never have so good a time". But I wonder - how would A. L. have reacted had Robert e.g. been less ambitious or had done something less "intellectual" or prestigious? (To take it to the top: farming e.g.)