Summary of Chapter Fifteen of TEAM OF RIVALS

In February of 1862, Mary sent out invitations to around 500 people inviting them to come to the White House for a party.

Using invitations to get to the White House was a new way of doing, you know, stuff. Presidents (first ladies included) usually invited people into the White House by either inviting a small number or just by opening their doors and seeing who came in.

So, Mary's party was going to be big. and I mean BIG. Mary thought the party was going to go perfectly with nothing bad happening.

She was wrong.

Just a few days before Mary's BIG party, Willie (one of her sons) got sick. Mary wanted to cancel the party to take care of Willie, but Abraham was hesitant. They'd already sent out the invitations to people, and it probably wouldn't be a good choice to cancel the party. They just decided not to cancel the ball.

Willie's condition was worsening since the ball, and Tad (another Lincoln child) also got ill. On Thursday, February 20 at 5 pm, Willie died.

After Willie died, Mary almost never stopped crying because she was so depressed. She sometimes invited those people who pretend to speak with dead people (spiritualists?) to the White House to 'bring back' Willie.

Yeah, it was pretty bad.

By the way, it turns out that the ball was a huge triumph. Just saying.