Useless, useless

[Laurie Verge]

Does Jason Emerson cover it? That book is so thick I haven't "got the half of" it yet...

[RJNorton]

No mention of it there, Laurie. Also, I checked Blaine's article on this topic, and I don't see it there, either.

[Bill Richter]

I though I had posted this earlier but I cannot find it so I suspect that the computer age has proved itself superior to me again. So once again. . . .

Attractiveness is in the mind of the beholder which I believe Linda Anderson noted. Besides Booth, John Hay, Robert Lincoln, and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., all found Lucy Hale to be worthy of their attentions. Read the lengthy article "Booth and Bob Lincoln" from the Chicago Inter-Ocean Newspaper (at one time quite a famous sheet) June 18, 1878.

[LincolnMan]

Lucy Hale was supposedly a belle of Washington society, but like Betty and Bill, I just don't see her as the only thing Booth could think of in his last moments of life. I think Lucy was a means to an end. If she was that dear to him, why would he put her in such danger by doing what he did? I know, he loved his country better than Lucy...

I don't imagine that Booth was thinking of Lucy either but don't the standards of beauty change thoughout the years? Perhaps we should look at Lucy Hale through 19th century eyes. For example, I went to a lecture on Varina Davis last year and the audience was amazed to hear that Varina was not considered particularly attractive. We all thought that she was quite lovely but she was considered too "exotic" for the times. Of course, if Booth had a "type," that is another thing entirely.



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if that picture is Varina Davis, she was quite attractive, indeed.

[Laurie Verge]

Wild Bill - I just have to throw this in here for your benefit because I know that you will appreciate it: Someone once paraphrased "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" to me -- "Beauty is in the eyes of the beer holder."

[RJNorton]

The first 5 pages of the article Bill R. cited are online here free of charge. After p. 5 it looks like you have to pay to read the remainder of the article.

[Bill Richter]

Laurie,

In my limited experience with women, I have found that physical beauty, while appreciated, is not the key to what or who a woman is. That is in her brain, heart and soul. Somehow, I think Lucy Hale had "it"--the invisible qualities that make for a man's true happiness (to turn around what Mary Owen said Abe Lincoln lacked for her)

[LincolnMan]

The book must have been the source for Bill O'Reilly's statement that both RTL and JWB were rivals for the same woman. My gut says it's overstated at best.

[BettyO]

Oh, I agree 100 percent, Bill! It's the very same for women (Mary Owen got it right!)

Yes, looks help - but it's the person himself; the personality, the soul; whatever that makes a person beautiful and/or attractive - brain, heart, soul, etc. That is what makes a man attractive to me initially. Looks are superficial - they fade.... what's inside never does!

[Linda Anderson]

Lucy Hale was supposedly a belle of Washington society, but like Betty and Bill, I just don't see her as the only thing Booth could think of in his last moments of life. I think Lucy was a means to an end. If she was that dear to him, why would he put her in such danger by doing what he did? I know, he loved his country better than Lucy...

I don't imagine that Booth was thinking of Lucy either but don't the standards of beauty change thoughout the years? Perhaps we should look at Lucy Hale through 19th century eyes. For example, I went to a lecture on Varina Davis last year and the audience was amazed to hear that Varina was not considered particularly attractive. We all thought that she was quite lovely but she was considered too "exotic" for the times. Of course, if Booth had a "type," that is another thing entirely.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

if that picture is Varina Davis, she was quite attractive, indeed.

Yes, Bill, that is Varina Davis.

[L Verge]

Wild Bill - I knew there was a good reason why I still like you!! Also, it's your brain power that fascinates me.

[LincolnMan]

From one Bill to another-Bill --right on!

[Jim Page]

This thread reminds me of that famous Beatles song, Useless in the Sky, with Diamonds: "Picture yourself on a boat on a river, with Davy up front, and Jones far behind . . ."

--Jim

[Jim Garrett]

Laurie,

In my limited experience with women, I have found that physical beauty, while appreciated, is not the key to what or who a woman is. That is in her brain, heart and soul. Somehow, I think Lucy Hale had "it"--the invisible qualities that make for a man's true happiness (to turn around what Mary Owen said Abe Lincoln lacked for her)

So very nicely put. Here Here!

[wsanto]

This thread reminds me of that famous Beatles song, Useless in the Sky, with Diamonds: "Picture yourself on a boat on a river, with Davy up front, and Jones far behind . . ."

--Jim

Good one. Reminds me of an old TV show I saw once when Desi Arnez walks through the front door pinching his tongue and in a thick Latin accent yells "Useless, I'm home!"