Robert Todd Lincoln --The vitals

[kerry]

A letter dated January 24, 1841, from Conkling to Mercy:

"Mrs L[evering] informed me she had lately written you and had given you some particulars about Abraham, Joshua and Jacob. [not sure why he is writing about himself in third person.] Poor L! how are the mighty fallen! ... what prospect there may be for ultimate relief I cannot pretend to say I doubt not but he can declare 'That loving is a painful thrill, And not to love more painful still' but would not like to intimate that he has experienced 'That sure 'tis the worst of pain To love and not be loved again.' And Joshua too is about to leave." I can't interpret this. Would Conkling not like to intimate that he has experienced it, or would Lincoln not like to? It could be read as he fell out of love with Mary, but doesn't want to suggest he was rejected by Mathilda."

On February 7, Mercy wrote "Poor A__ I fear his is a blighted heart! Perhaps if he was as persevering as Mr W-- he might be finally successful. And Joshua too, has left the prairie state..."

Both mention "and Joshua too" has left, but who is the other person who left? Mathilda? Mercy is sympathetic to him with no mention of Mary. Mr Webb could have been also courting Mathilda, so that's not definitely a reference to Mary, but if it is she seems to think Mary is the one doing the breaking up, which makes Conkling's letter more confusing.

The weirdest one is John J. Hardin's wife's letter. "I am glad to hear Lincoln has got over his cat fits we have concluded it was a very unsatisfactory way of terminating his romance. he ought to have died or gone crazy. was very much disappointed indeed. Jane Goudy has made him the hero of a tale but she say it will never do for him to get well." This indicates some sort of inside joke, I guess, but what is the deal with Lincoln being the "hero" but only if he stays crazy, which I take to mean she feels he sacrificed himself in some way.

None of the letters indicate a serious situation, despite Lincoln's collapse. And none indicate Mary being wronged, which you would think Mercy would have heard about.