"Stump the Yankee"

[L Verge]

I know that Mrs. L. did a lot of shopping in New York at A.T. Stewart's, which I believe was the first of the grand department stores as we think of them today. Is that who she owed the most to? I have no idea what the amount was other than in the thousands.

---

As a side line to Mr. Lincoln's bills on behalf of his wife, there used to be a very old and distinguished jewelry store in Washington, D.C. named Galt's. The second Mrs. Woodrow Wilson came from that family.

Anyhow, one day Joan Chaconas and I were wandering the streets of D.C. headed for the Old Ebbitt's Grill (which I think was also around in Lincoln's time). Right beside it on the corner was the new location of Galt's. We wandered in to take a look at everything we couldn't afford and spoke with a wonderful old gentleman who had been with the store for over fifty years.

Somehow we let it be known that we were Lincoln nuts. He excused himself and went into the vault and came back with a weathered old ledger. He proudly opened it to a page that had Mr. Lincoln's account records in it. The Lincolns were evidently good customers.

The Galt company closed about a decade ago, and I have wondered where that ledger went. I certainly hope it went to some historical repository.