IT WAS A LETTER FROM 11 YEAR OLD GRACE BEDELL OF WESTFIELD, NY THAT CONVINCED LINCOLN TO GROW A BEARD; WHEN LINCOLN MET HER IN WESTFIELD, HE GAVE HER A HUG, A KISS ON THE FOREHEAD, AND TOLD HER THIS,
“YOU SEE, I LET THESE
WHISKERS GROW FOR YOU, GRACE”