but boarding at the Globe Tavern, which is very
well kept now by a widow lady of the name of Beck. Our room (the
same that Dr. Wallace occupied there) and boarding only costs us four
dollars a week.... I most heartily wish you and your Fanny would
not fail to come. Just let us know the time, and we will have a room
provided for you at our house, and all be merry together for a while."
The Globe Hotel stood in Springfield until about three years ago.]

"I hope and believe that your present anxiety and distress
about her health and her life must and will forever banish
those horrid doubts which I know you sometimes felt as to the
truth of your affection for her. If they can once and forever
be removed (and I almost feel a presentiment that the Almighty
has sent your present affliction expressly for that object),
surely nothing can come in their stead to fill their
immeasurable measure of misery.... I am now fully convinced
that you love her as ardently as you are capable of loving.
Your ever being happy in her presence, and your intense
anxiety about her health, if there were nothing else, would
place this beyond all dispute in my mind. I incline to think
it probable that your nerves will fail you occasionally for a
while; but once you get them firmly guarded now, that trouble
is over forever. I think, if I were you, in case my mind
were not exactly right, I would avoid being idle. I
would immediately engage in some business or go to making
preparations for it, which would be the same thing."

Mr. Speed's marriage occurred in February, and to the letter
announcing it Lincoln replied:

"I tell you, Speed, our forebodings (for which you and I are
peculiar) are all the worst sort of nonsense. I fancied, from
the time I received your letter of Saturday, that the one of
Wednesday was never to come, and yet it did come, and what
is more, it is perfectly clear, both from its tone and
handwriting, that you were much happier, or, if you think the
term preferable, less miserable, when you wrote it than when
you wrote the last one before. You had so obviously improved
at the very time I so much fancied you would have grown worse.
You say that something indescribably horrible and alarming
still haunts you. You will not say that three months from
now, I will venture. When your nerves once get steady now,
th