The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-04-01
4 STORY OF LINCOLN.
He Played Ball the Day BEFORE the Convcn.
tion-A Memorable Sight. i.

IIe Played Ball the Day cforc the Conycn.
tion--A Memorable Sight. %
Cincinnati Tincs.Slar. SIS
One among many memories OF promi.
nent public characters stored away by
Mr.. Edward Cox, Of the Dennison
House, is recollection OF having played
hand ball at Springfield. Ills, with
Abraham Lincoln the day before the
latter was nominated for the Presidency.
Mr.. Cox, by tho way, was n cousin OF
the late ""Sunset" Cox and is now en-
gagged in preparing series Of reminis-
cences Of the boyhood OF the New York
Statesman to be used at the Congress.
ional eulogy on the Sd Of next month.
One Of Mr.. Cox's sons is Rev. George
Clark Cox, assistant rector Of the Church
OF tho Holy Trinity at Harlem, N. Y.
Before tho nomination OF Mr.. Lincoln,
Mr.. Cox was travelling in the West for an
oil house. During his travels he for
several days usedfrains which were full
OF people bound for the Chicago conven-
ton. Mr.. Cox and a fellow drummer,
who was out for GAINESVILLE ink house,
polled all the travellers they could rench
and found theutmost enthusiasm for the
Illinois lawyer. -, Y r.. &, sTa
Thoroughly convinced that Lincoln
would be the nominee tho pair Of drum
mers took run down to Springfield to
see the coming man. They found no ex.
element there and on asking to see MI.
Lincoln were told he could be found the
next day, which was the one before the
convention, down at the ball park play
ing hand ball, game OF which Mr.. Lin
coin was passlonately. Next day they
visited the park and there they found
the man Of destiny busily engaged in
batting ball against blank brick wall
and endeavoripg to strike it in such a
way that it would rebound out of reach
Of his opponent. There was quite a
crowd sitting about watching The game.
Mr.. Lincoln wore, among other gar.
ments, a long-tailed, black coat and an
old felt hat, which tended to magnify
his tall, ungalnly form and prominent
features, and he looked quantity pic.
turesque as he danced about, now hitting
the sphere hard blow and again "baby.
ing 1t" SO easily that it barely reached
| his antagonists. When Mr.. Lincoln sat
down on tho players bench, having finish,
cd a triumphant turn, Mr.. Cox was intro.
j. duced to him. Mr.. Lincoln received
/ him cordially, asked II he ever played
" the game, commiserated with him when
Mr.. Cox said he didn't understand it
. and offered to teach him. Mr.. Cox
however, was thinking Of the conyen
ton and said: v ~;
"Nlr. Lincoln, I believe you will b,
the nominee" Mr.. Lincoln laughe.
and said: "4think not. Ibelieve thos
I Eastern chaps will eucher us out OF i,
. bnt you are very kind to think will b
nominated, and I am mnch obliged t
: YOU" ms q,
I Finally one Of tho players droppe
out, and Mr.. Lincoln invited Mr.. Cox
! stake a ,hand." Mr.. Cox OF course di
J! 80, for he was anxious to play with til
! man he was sure would be nominated
4 and the game lasted some time, Mr.. Lii
;. coin displaying great skill and strength
|. When the game was finished Mr.. Lii
J. coin kept score for another set Of playel
II by notching the points on stick an
= calling out "score'' in loud voice. Il
g That evening Mr.. Cox spoke to an a
=. quaintance Of MIR. Lincoln about th
:. next days convention. This friend sal
=. he hadn't the least idea Of Lincoln beir
= nominated, and that II a thing ",
r right all h couldn't keep Lincoln fro
: doing 1t, while il it was wrong all b,
q Or : j. ~. a. q %