Abraham Lincoln : the true story of a great life . fect hush in the room as theceremony progressed. Brown was standing just behind Parson Dresser, in canonical robes, with much and impressivesolemnity recited the Episcopal service. He handed Lincoln thering, who, placing it on the brides finger, repeated the Churchformula, * With this ring I thee endow with all my goods and chat-tels, lands and tenements. Brown, who had never witnessed such aproceeding, was struck with its utter absurdity. * God Almighty!Lincoln, he ejaculated, loud enough to be heard by all, * the statutefixes all
Abraham Lincoln : the true story of a great life . fect hush in the room as theceremony progressed. Brown was standing just behind Parson Dresser, in canonical robes, with much and impressivesolemnity recited the Episcopal service. He handed Lincoln thering, who, placing it on the brides finger, repeated the Churchformula, * With this ring I thee endow with all my goods and chat-tels, lands and tenements. Brown, who had never witnessed such aproceeding, was struck with its utter absurdity. * God Almighty!Lincoln, he ejaculated, loud enough to be heard by all, * the statutefixes all that! This unlooked-for interruption almost upset the oldparson ; he had a keen sense of the ridiculous, and for the moment as if he would break down; but presently recovering hisgravity, he hastily pronounced them husband and wife.—Letter,James H. Matheney, MS., Aug. 21, 1888. t My father, Rev. Charles Dresser, was a graduate of BrownUniversity, Providence, R. I., of the class of 1823.—Thomas , MS. letter, Sept. 17, Q w waH x£ THE LIFE OF LINCOLN, 215 being driven to slaughter, Abraham Lincoln wasat last married to Mary Todd.* One great trial of his life was now over, andanother still greater one was yet to come. To meit has always seemed plain that Mr. Lincoln mar-ried Mary Todd to save his honor, and in doingthat he sacrificed his domestic peace. He hadsearched himself subjectively, introspectively,thoroughly: he knew he did not love her, but hehad promised to marry her ! The hideous thoughtcame up like a nightmare. As the fatal first ofJanuary, 1841, neared, the clouds around himblackened the heavens and his life almost wentout with the storm. But soon the skies interposed their aid to avert a calamity, andat last he stood face to face with the great conflictbetween honor and domestic peace. He chose theformer, and with it years of self-torture, sacrificialpangs, and the loss forever of a happy home. With Miss Todd a different
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