There was a “social” at Lincoln’s house in Springfield, and “Abe”
introduced his wife to Ward Lamon, his law partner. Lamon tells the
story in these words:
“After introducing me to Mrs. Lincoln, he left us in conversation. I
remarked to her that her husband was a great favorite in the eastern
part of the State, where I had been stopping.
“‘Yes,’ she replied, ‘he is a great favorite everywhere. He is to be
President of the United States some day; if I had not thought so I never
would have married him, for you can see he is not pretty.
“‘But look at him, doesn’t he look as if he would make a magnificent
President?’”