When Abraham Lincoln met Sarah Ann Rickard she was but nine years old. Sarah was Elizabeth Butler's sister and Lincoln was staying the the Butler household. As she grew older into womanhood Lincoln became quite captivated with her; he took her to the first show she ever saw inside a theatre and many plays afterward. Sarah was on his arm at many social engagements. Finally, in the parlor of her home, Abe said "Now Sarah, you know your bible well enough to know that Sarah was Abraham's wife." She figured where this was headed and got up and left. Later in life she said, "If I had known he was going to be President, I'd have paid more attention." Lincoln began seeing Mary Todd but his heart was elsewhere. As he told Elizabeth Butler," Mrs. Butler, it would just kill me to marry Mary Todd. There are plenty of nice girls and there's one that I would much rather marry than Mary. I'd rather have Sarah for my wife than any girl I know." Some things are just not meant to be.
