Evening journal., 1910-06-02

tsrest" sort TO American history, these
articles nave distinctive value all their
Oyn.
The historic fact that Abraham Lin
coin revised, at midnight. in tE4 office OF
the New York Tribune the proof sheets
Of his memorable Cooper Cnior address,
delivered on Washington's birthday. 1860,
Is recorded in history. So, also believe,
ii is recorded that the proof reader who
sat by Lincon's side while he did this
was Amos j. Cummings who afterwards
gained fame as an editor and member
of Congress. But. so ga as 1 know, the
incident has never before heen reported
in Mr.. Cummings own words.
or had been told by Mr.. Greeley SAID
Mr. Cummings. that Mr.. Lincoln would
call at the Tribune office late in the even
ing, as Inc was very anxious TO 20 over
the proof sips Of mis- Cooper Union
speech and Mr. Greeley asked me especi-
ally to take charge of the proof reading.
81 should say it was about midnight,
perhaps a little earlier,-whcu Linco
came into the proof leaders, room. II
could have looked ahead only as far as
three months I am afraid that my in
terest in the personality of the tall, gaunt
man before me would nave seriously in
terfercd with careful reading of the
proofs But 1 looked upon him as nothing
more than one of the best stump speakers
of the west
HE brought a chair 20 my side and
passed the manuscript Of the address to
him. Here. l said, arc the galley proofs,
with my corrections. Maybe you would
Ike 10 follow the manuscript. yourself and
/ look over the proofs az the same time, TO
see ii have made the proper corrections.
Well, I reckon that would be the
| best way Lincoln repHad. Then. as he
adjusted his spectacles, he looked curious
IS about the room and added: This is
the first time 1 have ever been at mid
night I'm the Office of a great daily news
paper You turn day inside out here, max
ing night day. and day nigh'. Well, let's
begin.
we went over the PROOFS very care
fully. and made a few changes. Then he
took the proof slips and read an of the
corrections again very slowly.
"By this time it was getting close to
o'clock. Mr.. Lincoln, 1 said, 4 shall have
10 hurry the corrected proofs out to the
composing room because it is getting late.
Do you wantsto wait and see revise?'
No he said. I reckon We have done
an the revising that is necessary. I think
I'm go across TO my hotel and go to bed
So he shook my hand, thanked me, and
left. and I did not sec him again until
as a solder. I went to Washington.
"a few minutes after nc had gone" con-
tinucd Mr.. Cummings, the revised proofs
OF the speech were handed to me. I CLAN
ced them over saw that they were O.. *.
and then threw the manuscript of the
speech into the waste basket I was
throwing away treasure, and did NOT
know H. The money value Of that manu-
script would have been considerable, but
the sentimental and historic associations
that speedily centered in The address
would have given the manuscript a value
not to be measured in mere money. II is
the one great regret Of my life that
threw IT away and lost it 20 the world.
AT one time" concluded MIR. Cum
mings. IT used to wonder how Lincoln
came to leave the manuscript behind.
once brought this point up with one O
hs close friends. who told me that Lin
coin was curiously careless about his man
uscripts being utterly Indifferent to thet
fate after he had read from them or afte
they had been printed
Copyright 1910, by T.. ]. Edwards)