Connecticut western news., 1889-07-10
A BAsrBALE ROMANCE.
How g Prominent Player First Met
 and Won His Wife:

Mrs: Frank &. Flint, wife of the famous ..'Silver" Flint, of the Chicago Baseball Club, sends the following TO- mantic sketch concerning Ed William son; also of that club; and his pretty wife; to the Chicago Sporting Journal :
 Now, let me say Q word About the beautiful wife of this famous ball-player. I have @ weakness for pretty women all the more that nature denied me the boon. There is a pretty romance at- tached to the meeting of this happy couple, and through it 1 was instrd mental in introducing them to each other. It came about in this way2 On our first visit to New Orleans in 1882, the club stopped -ht the Lee House, on Camp street. It wds my first visit South, and in those days ball-players and their wives were virtually ostra- cized by society, and in the South. this was particularly so. felt it, and the guests of the Lee House made 1t 50 palpable to Us that we were considered beneath them, some actually going so far as to refuse to sit at the table with us. But, by very nice patience oh the part of the ladies, and gentlemanly de- pertinent on the part of the men, we quietly and quickly took our rightful positions as equals of any people. Why | not2
 Just at about this time one lovely Sunday morning I had fit of the blues, and was wishing myself beck in dear | Chicago, when the sweetest voice imagi- hable greeted my ear, I looked up and 0 vision of loveliness stood before me a sweet, refined, girlish face, with q troubled look ill her soulful eyes. She addressed me. I was so surprised, that for an instant I failed to reply, when she again asked me if I could tell he1 where she could find her mother. She had come from New York on surprise visit to her mother, and was distressed to find the latter had gone away for the day. This lovely girl was Miss Net Tucker. To cheer her up and help hel over her disappointment, I proposed that she accompany me to the bal game. At first she demurred, as it was Sunday; but, on telling her that all people went oh that day-it was the only day that they could scrape up g paying crowd-I finally persuaded he1 to go. All the way out I was glefully anticipating how the boys would stare when they caught sight of my com panion. Going out I bought a large bunch of violets and presented them tt Miss Tucker. On our arrival at the grounds, the game was already in pro gress. We had just got comfortably seated on a rough board bench, wher George Gore came to the bat and sen the ball over the fence into the canal This hit brought round of applause Miss Tucker remarked, that if he did i again she would throw him her violets Williamson went to bat and away fley the ball, and away went the violets t. the feet of the surprised Ed, wh' bowed his acknowledgements in his ow1 inimitable style, and to my chagri1 every man, boy, weman and girl leane' forward to look at the flushed face c the pretty donor, who, all unconsciou that she had done anything unusual smiled back at Ed. Then she turned t me and said "Why, Mrs. Flint, that not the gentleman who hit the ball be fore." She was entirely unfamiliar wit the game, and thought that two sue hits by the same man deserved recoe milton, and threw her violets as he share of applause, never intending t attract attention to herself. She fairl inspired the boys by her graceful ac for they certainly played great ball o that memorable Sunday afternoon. Afte the game l introduced Ed md Mis Tucker, and it was clear case of loy at first sight. Now, Q sweeter, prettie woman, more charming, lovable vii does not live, and Ed deserves her.
 One little incident which occurred the year after those two were made ma and wife always made me hold MT Williamson in high esteem. We wei coming home from New Orleans via u Mississippi River on the steamer Greer vile, and, of course as usual, Mrs. Wi liamson was much admired. We a know that Ed is not handsome mal and the contrast between him and h wife was particularly noticeable. Thel was fussy lady on boarI whom we a liked till one afternoon, when she aske Q question which nearly broke Ed { wife's heart She came to my stat
 room, her eyes filled with tears. I aske her what was the matter. She thre } herself at my feet, buried her head my lap and between her sobs said: ( hate that Mrs. w.; she is just 0 ho rid, coarse thing, so she isl How dal