(07-13-2017, 01:54 PM)RJNorton Wrote: The article here includes this sentence:
"One woman, Mary Boykin, claimed Lincoln was "grotesque in appearance, the kind who are always at the corner stores, sitting on boxes, whittling sticks, and telling stories as funny as they are vulgar."
However, this is incorrect as Mary was actually recording what another woman said.
What was the other woman's name?
In the hotel parlor we had a scene. Mrs. Scott was describing Lincoln, who is of the cleverest Yankee type. She said: “Awfully ugly, even grotesque in appearance, the kind who are always at the corner stores, sitting on boxes, whittling sticks, and telling stories as funny as they are vulgar.” Here I interposed: “But Stephen A. Douglas said one day to Mr. Chesnut, ‘Lincoln is the hardest fellow to handle I have ever encountered yet.’ ” Mr. Scott is from California, and said Lincoln is “an utter American specimen, coarse, rouge, and strong; a good-natured, kind creature; as pleasant-tempered as he is clever, and if this country can be joked and laughed out of its rights he is the kind-hearted fellow to do it. Now if there is a war and it pinches the Yankee pocket instead of filling it – “
This is the quote from her diary. Mr. and Mrs. Scott are from California, so I'm guessing they might be politicians? Anyone know more particulars about the Mrs. Scott who ridiculed Lincoln?