[MichelleWSC]

I know this may draw fire but here goes. Back in college I did a research paper on A.L. and read quite a few books on him. One in particular (can't remember the title now) had a lot of letters written by Lincoln to a close friend. I have to say...the way he wrote these letters and the described relationship certainly made me wonder if there wasn't more. Not that it would change my opinion that he was one of the greatest Presidents this country has produced.

[SunnySide]

You have to realize the vernacular back in those days was much much more different than the english we use and slang today. So it would be rather hard to decipher what the true intent was when you are thinking in todays terms.

[valkyrieanne]

#219 directly answers your point. The language used in Lincoln's letters was *not* unusual for the time, and his closing "Yours forever" was also addressed to others (with whom he did *not* have that close a relationship.)