Mrs. Lincoln

I love this picture of Mary Todd Lincoln. She was reported to be such a beauty in her youth, yet all I had ever seen were pictures of her in her later years where she seemed so unhappy. What a vision of loveliness she is in this photograph. It is hard to believe that photographs that old are in existence.

I am still reading the book Mary by Janis Cooke Newman. I am getting more and more enthralled with Mrs. Lincoln as I go along. This book is a novel; so I am hoping that what I am reading is mostly true. I will have to do some non-fiction reading about Mrs. Lincoln soon. As far as I can tell from the novel, we have Mary Todd Lincoln to thank for urging her husband to run for President. She really motivated and pushed him forward.

"The marriage was one of mutual support and affection yet was always rocky. Both considered it a partnership of equals ... Had Mary not encouraged Lincoln in his quest for the presidency, he would almost certainly never have achieved the office." Source: Doranne Jacobson. Presidents & First Ladies of the United States.

I discovered that there is a cross-stitch pattern with a theme of Mrs. Lincoln. It is Mrs. Lincoln's Sampler by The Sampler Girl. I have that on my to do list now! Luckily, my local cross-stitch shop, Inspired Needle, has the pattern!! Will have to get that one soon.
Guess what? I feel light of spirit as I explore the world of Mrs. Lincoln! Who would of thunk it??