Mary's friends

[L Verge]

(03-30-2015 11:24 PM)LincolnToddFan Wrote:  [Even though Keckly dropped everything to help Mary with the Old Clothes sale, I often wonder if her motives were somewhat self-serving.]// quote

Donna it's possible..but we need to remember that after the assassination Keckly completely gave up her sewing business to care for Mary. And when Mary left DC for Chicago in May 1865, she emotionally blackmailed Lizzie into leaving Washington and coming with her, even though it was financially ruinous for Keckly to do so. She needed to work, but during the weeks and months she was tending to Mary in the wake of Lincoln's death and in Chicago she left her business by the wayside.

I think saying that she was not a true friend to Mary because of the memoir is kind of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. During the crucible of the WH years Keckly was a rock to her, something MTL repeatedly acknowledges in her anthology of published letters.

I think Toia is right on the bonds between Mrs. Lincoln and Elizabeth Keckly. I cannot remember where I heard/read that much of the "gossip" contained in Keckly's book was sort of forced out of her by the publisher in order to make it a better seller on the market. Lizzie conceded thinking that the sales would better serve Mrs. Lincoln.