Blood Mary, Gentle Woman

Bloody Mary, Gentle Woman
by Frances Grace Reinehr [B P24865r]

In among the various regional "Bloody Mary" legends around the US is the story of Lincoln's own Mary Partington. This short history-biography was put together by a Lincoln teacher. Mary was the never-married eldest daughter of a wealthy and community-oriented Catholic family who, because of her independent streak and her avoidance of modern conveniences and fashions, came to be the subject of continual speculation and harrassment in her later years, when she was the sole remaining person in the once-grand family home on the north edge of town. Despite this, Mary persevered, and many people knew her as a kind and generous person, despite appearances and circumstances. Unfortunately, the "bloody" designation became appropriate when she shot an intruder one night, killing him, and also when she herself was shot by teenagers prowling around her yard. This should be a must-read for anyone who thinks they know the story. -- recommended by Becky W.C. - Walt Branch Library

[Also available: Frances Grace Reinehr reads from Bloody Mary, gentle woman, a program in the John H. Ames Reading Series, available in both DVD and VHS formats.]

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