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384. Frances Todd Wallace (William H. Herndon Interview).

[1865 — 66]

Mrs. Doct Wm Wallace — (Mrs Lincoln Sister —

I Came to Ills in 1836 or 7 — was maried in 1838. — Sent for Mrs Lincoln at that time. My husband & myself boarded at an old tavern — opposite of the Episcopal church. Mary married in 1842 — Came to the same house — was Kept by Saunders — or Mrs _______ at that time — house now as then — no improvements that I Know of. I then moved to a house 3 doors South of Doct Helms — nearly opposite (East) of Hickox's. Mr L before he was married used to Come to our house — was attatched to my eldest girl — very much so — . He was not attatched to Children generally as I think — was to his own — was to my oldest girl — one year older than Bob Lincoln — Don't think Mr L. was much attatched to Cats & dogs — one reason was that Bob once had a little dog — he bit Bob — Lincoln took him off to the Mad Stone in Terrehaute or other place in Indiana I think. Mr L's first private home was where he lived when Presdt. It looks better now than then — more care &c — are now bestowed on it. His — L's — back yard was used as a woodpile he used to Saw wood for Exercise — : he really loved to do it: he was the very best Kindest and father I ever saw: he was a domestic man I think by nature. I used to go over and see my sister and L was always at home if in town: he would read generally aloud — (Couldn't read otherwise H): would read with great warmth all funny things — humorous things &c.: Read

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Shakespear that way: he was a sad man — an abstracted man — have gone over to his house many times — talked with my sister — Lincoln would lean back — his head against the top of a rocking Chair — sit abstracted that way for moments — 20 — 30 minutes — and all at once burst out in a joke — though his thoughts were not on a joke — Mr nor Mrs Lincoln loved the beautiful — I have planted flowers in their front yard myself to hide nakedness — ugliness &c. &c. have done it often — and often — Mrs L never planted trees — Roses — never made a garden, at least not more than once or twice —

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 3982 — 83; Huntington Library: LN2408, 2:88 — 89

nts

Notes.

1. Dr. Meredith Helm.

2. Possibly Virgil Hickox, although it could also refer to one of his brothers, Horace or Addison.

3. Mary J. Wallace.