The Lincolns Come Alive

Neither frigid temperatures nor 5-foot mounds of snow could keep President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln from riding into Shorewood, Illinois.

Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln entertained guests at the Shorewood-Troy Public Library Thursday evening with tales of their courtship, early family life, the Presidency, and the Civil War.

In beautiful period costumes, Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln greeted guests as they arrived. Couples, singles, and families with children filled the meeting room.

After a few minutes, it felt as if we had traveled back in time and were spending an amiable afternoon in the Lincolns’ home.

Mr. Lincoln was dressed in his typical black suit and tails with a stovepipe hat on the antique side table. His boots rested on the floor as the President walked around in his stocking feet. Mrs. Lincoln was dressed in a red, white and blue paisley dress complete with a white collar trimmed in lace and the requisite hooped skirt.

Max and Donna Daniels have been portraying the Lincolns for over 20 years in more than 250 performances. Their presentation at the Shorewood-Troy Library was scheduled in honor of Presidents’ Day. The couple researches and writes their own scripts, tailoring the performance to their audience.

The Daniels displayed the easy, natural rapport of a long-married couple. Even as they argued, such as when Mary complained of her husband’s long absences while riding from court to court on his circuit, there was a sense of mutual respect and admiration. They called each other “Mother” and “Mr. Lincoln."

President Lincoln, in his rich, resonant voice, described the overwhelming burden of leading a nation at war. Mrs. Lincoln wept as she recounted how she lost three of her four sons. The audience leaned forward at the edge of their seats, captivated.

“In war there is no victory or defeat, only death,” said the President.

His unwavering goal was to preserve the Union. He described the three sets of principles that guided his Presidency and his life: The Declaration of Independence, which states that all men are created equal; The United States Constitution; and the Holy Bible.

“Any nation that abides by these principles,” he said, “will endure forever.”

After the performance, the Lincolns took questions from the audience “as long as it’s before 1865,” quipped Abe.

One gentleman wondered how much Lincoln made as a 19th Century lawyer (usually $5 to $10 per case, but as much as $17,000 one year, which was an enormous amount at that time.) Another complimented the Lincolns on their lovely home in downstate Springfield.

One of the younger audience members, 9-year-old Erin, said she learned “lots of information.” She had read a biography of Lincoln and was glad that her mom had the idea to come to the show.

Eight-year-old Adele was there with her four brothers and sisters. Her favorite part was (spoiler alert) “the bullet.”

Thanks to Leslie Lovato and the Shorewood-Troy Library for organizing this special evening with the Lincolns. For more information on Max and Donna Daniels and their performances, see www.abeandthebabe.com.