Old Uncle Billy Herndon is dead, and it is said this evening that Uncle Ben Ferguson will not live.  This, I believe, is all the news, and enough at that unless it were better.  Write me immediately on the receipt of this.  Your friend, as ever, Lincoln.

TO JOSHUA F. SPEED—­ON DEPRESSION

Springfield, Illinois, February 13, 1842.

Dear speed:—­Yours of the 1st instant came to hand three or four days ago.  When this shall reach you, you will have been Fanny’s husband several days.  You know my desire to befriend you is everlasting; that I will never cease while I know how to do anything.  But you will always hereafter be on ground that I have never occupied, and consequently, if advice were needed, I might advise wrong.  I do fondly hope, however, that you will never again need any comfort from abroad.  But should I be mistaken in this, should excessive pleasure still be accompanied with a painful counterpart at times, still let me urge you, as I have ever done, to remember, in the depth and even agony of despondency, that very shortly you are to feel well again.  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.  If you went through the ceremony calmly, or even with sufficient composure not to excite alarm in any present, you are safe beyond question, and in two or three months, to say the most, will be the happiest of men.

I would desire you to give my particular respects to Fanny; but perhaps you will not wish her to know you have received this, lest she should desire to see it.  Make her write me an answer to my last letter to her; at any rate I would set great value upon a note or letter from her.  Write me whenever you have leisure.  Yours forever, A. Lincoln.  P. S.—­I have been quite a man since you left.

TO G. B. SHELEDY.

Springfield, ill., Feb. 16, 1842. 
G. B. SHELEDY, Esq.: 

Yours of the 10th is duly received.  Judge Logan and myself are doing business together now, and we are willing to attend to your cases as you propose.  As to the terms, we are willing to attend each case you prepare and send us for $10 (when there shall be no opposition) to be sent in advance, or you to know that it is safe.  It takes $5.75 of cost to start upon, that is, $1.75 to clerk, and $2 to each of two publishers of papers.  Judge Logan thinks it will take the balance of $20 to carry a case through.  This must be advanced from time to time as the services are performed, as the officers will not act without.  I do not know whether you can be admitted an attorney of the Federal court in your absence or not; nor is it material, as the business can be done in our names.