The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-04
ANECDOTES OF LINCOLN.

"Reminiscences from Old Composition Who
Knew Him in Springfield.
Louisville Times
Mr.. Lee S. Johnston, wel-known printer of
this city now foreman for Morton Bros, was at
one time rather intimately associated with Abra-
ham Lincoln, at Springfield, ILL.,, and talks most
interest nely of his experience.
II went to Springfield when / was twenty
eight years DID," he said to reporter, ain the
winter Of 1858. to take charge as sub-foreman in
the Office of the Illinois State Journal which
was owned by Messrs. VIM. Ballache and Ed
ward Baker, the latter Lincoln's knsman. He
was his nephew, l believe. I stayed there till
February 1861. During that time the Chicago
convention which nominated Lincoln was held,
and he was elected and inaugurated. tell you
there were some stirring times in Springfield
"Lincoln used to hang around the Office a good
deal, and / got to know him pretty we'll re-
member we young fellows used to play an old
fashioned game of ball resembling cricket, and
we got the old man into that He was slow to
get around, but a sure hitter, and when he
would bring his long arms around with swing
he was sure to knock three Dagger as they
would call them now. He good man for
either side. That was in the summer of 1859.
''The day of the convention some of the boys
and myself had gone fishing on Sangamon river.
We heard the bells ringing, and the boys knew
what was up They were wild to go to town,
and had to follow. / was Democrat, you re-
member, and wanted nothing to do with it.
would have hid my deformed head but couldn't.
/ liked him, though, for he was good old
fellow. However. / could not vote for him.
Jim Gallagher, the foreman, told me Lincoln sat
by him all day. reading the kilograms sent to the
State Journal from the convention for the extra
they were going TO get out He seemed very
cool about the whole matter as ne took them In.
Finally, when his nomination was announced, he
quietly stuck the telegram in his pocket. saying:
JIM there's a little woman that would like to
see this mighty WELL Selling his hat he struck
out. Before he had gone block the result had
been announced on the street, and such whoop-
ing and yelling you never heard. This was what
disturbed our fishing. Everybody took up the
cry and became SO bosterous that he sneaked
around through the back alley and through the
back gate into the house so that the little
woman would not get an linking of the news
till he told her from his own lips Every
church, and school, and ire bell in the
city was rung, besides all That could be secured
from the hardware stores. The Journal had
been advertising the old Chestnut Grove Ken
lucky whisky, and there was a barrel and a box
filled with quart bottles, which had been sent to
the Office as present 1t was set out on the
pavement in free Kentucky style, and every man
who was intimate with John Barleycorn helped
himself. The bouquet was fine.
I'VE had some lively times between the nomi
nation and the inauguration. remember a
funny blunder in our Office which coDvplsed
every body and came near getting man per-
mapesSsly discharged Jim Gallagher was called
away one Light, and was acting as foreman.