An Envelope Belonging to Abraham Lincoln?

                Abraham Lincoln was assassinated mid-April                  

An Envelope Belonging to Abraham Lincoln

April 3, 2011

Dear Keepers of Official U.S. Documents,

I believe I have uncovered something of historic value and that it should
be archived somewhere in Washington, DC. I can't believe what I am
about to share with you.

I found a very old envelope in a side-pocket of an ancient storage trunk in
Wanamingo, MN.  I almost paid no heed to it. On the front of the envelope
was a "to do" list which, at first, didn't catch my eye. That was . . .
until I read it! 

Does what I found have any value? What should I do with it?

Respectfully, submitted, 

        Clem J. Nagel

                                    (THE "TO DO" LIST)

                                TO DO SOON

                                  -Finish the speech for Gettysburg
                                  -Give more thought to the idea of a floating dry dock
                                  -Empty garbage, as promised, as soon as I return home
                                  -    ?   ?    (I was unable to decipher the 4th entry)
                                  -Decide what to do with the problem in Mankato

What triggered things for me were the words "Gettysburg", "dry dock",* and
"Mankato".  It could only mean one thing. Lincoln must have scribbled the list
on the envelope while somewhere away from home.

           *Dry dock. On 5/22/1849, Abraham Lincoln received Patent No. 6469
              for a device to lift boats over shoals, an invention that never got manufactured.

I then turned the envelope over and couldn't believe my eyes! Whoever had written
on the back side of the envelope was obviously confused in trying to come up with
a phrase to begin some kind of a speech. There were crossed out words, notations in
parentheses here and there, comments clearly added by someone else who must have
known the writer. Just who was that ghost-rider traveling with Lincoln at the time?
His wife? . . . or someone else?   Mysteries abound!   Fascinating, to say the least.

       (THE WRITING FOUND ON THE BACK OF THE ENVELOPE)

                                 Gettysburg Address
                                  (years?)
   Fourscore and seven days ago  (3 score and 27 years ago?)  our country . . . 
   2 x 2 score and (fore?) four (4)  years ago, our country . . .

            Abe, that doesn't add up. Just take my word for it!

    Perhaps, just possibly, use "A long time ago?" (not sure)
    31,755 days ago, our country . . .

            Abe, do not use this ! ! !

     One score, 7 years and 21,900 days ago, our country . . . 

            Abe Dear, keep it simple! Just use 87, believe me!           Love, Mary

      87 years ago (or maybe, just fourscore and seven years ago?) I'll have
      to give it more consideration . . .  It's a little early, but need to remember
      to check with Mary to see if those tickets for the theatre 
                                                                             have arrived yet?