ing her sister, Mrs. Edwards next door to Mr. Levering's home, became fast friends and the two girls had many good times together although it is probable that Miss Levering having been brought up in a city of form and ceremony as was the Georgetown, D. C., of that day, and having spent some time in Washington and Baltimore was more conventional in her conduct and ideas than was the vivacious Mary Todd, though the two young women were excellent friends and this friendship continued until the death of Mrs. Lincoln, July 16, 1882. Mrs. Conkling died in October, 1893. While Mrs. Lincoln lived in the White House when Mr. Lincoln was President she wrote many letters to her friend Mrs. Conkling. In 1838 there came to make his home and build up his fortune in the far west James C. Conkling, a young lawyer of about twenty-two years of age. He was born in New York City on October 3, 1816. As young as he was when he reached Springfield he had graduated at Princeton and had been admitted to the Bar at Morristown, New Jersey, so he was well equipped to take a leading place at the Sangamon County Bar which he very quickly attained. Mr. Lincoln came to Springfield in 1837, one year earlier than did Mr. Conkling, but the two men soon became close personal and political friends and remained so until Mr. Lincoln's death. Mr. Lincoln had been a soldier in the Black Hawk War in 1832 before coming to Springfield and had served in the lower house of the General Assembly of the State at Vandalia from the Sangamon District. He was one of the celebrated "Long Nine" from the Sangamon Country who had been largely instrumental in securing the State Capital for Springfield. These nine tall representatives from Sangamon were: Abraham Lincoln, Ninian Wirt Edwards, Dan Stone, John Dawson, Job Fletcher, Andrew McCormack, William F. Elkin, Robert L. Wilson, Archer G. Herndon. So Mr. Lincoln was acquainted with Mr. Edwards, Miss Todd's brotherin-law before he became a resident of Springfield and he knew other prominent citizens, chief among whom was John T. Stuart whom he had known during his Black Hawk War service and in the General Assembly. Major Stuart who came to Springfield from Kentucky in 1828 was Mr. Lincoln's first law partner. Springfield was a typical prairie village of the better class, and in the Thirties and Forties and much later, at certain times of the year the mud was appalling. So there came a time when these two young lady visitors, Miss Mary Todd from Lexington, Kentucky and Miss Mercy Levering of Georgetown, D. C., were housebound for days by rain and mud. At last Mary Todd being lonely and bored decided to go down town, that is to visit the business portion of the city. It seems to us at this present day very funny to think of women living where the Centennial building is located, being unable to go down to the business portion of the town, the square, as it was called, no matter what the weather, but there was no street paving and no sidewalks nearer than Monroe Street, if there were any there. Miss Todd sent word to Miss Levering that she would like her company for this great adventure and that she had a bundle of shingles which they could take with them and could drop them, one at a time in front of them and they could step from one to the other of the shingles and thus keep out of the mud until they reached firmer footing. This plan was carried out on the trip to town but it could not have been a very agreeable trip for the young ladies dreaded the return journey. There was a well known character in Springfield by the name of Hart who had a two wheeled wagon called a Dray. This was used for all kinds of hauling, and Miss Todd conceived the idea of having Hart haul them home in his celebrated Dray. The young ladies were both elegantly attired and no doubt Miss Levering thought of the sensation it would create in the little city if these two young women were seen riding in the Dray, so she declined to accompany Miss Todd in the ride in the unusual vehicle. Her daughter, Miss Alice Conkling to whom we are indebted for the information about the ride and for the poem, said that her mother told her that she knew her brother, Mr. Levering would be very much displeased if she did such a thing as to ride in that Dray. So Miss Todd nothing daunted, by the desertion of her companion, escaped the tiresome tramp through the mud and in triumph rode from town to the Edwards mansion with Hart in his famous Dray. Of course she was seen and of course it created a sensation. One of the young men of the town saw the Dray and its fair passenger and composed a poem, if a poem it can be called. This young man was Dr. E. H. Merryman, a well know early resident of Springfield, and a social favorite. The poem circulated around town and Miss Levering of course secured a copy of it. She kept it all the rest of her life and often told her family and friends about the whole affair. Some months ago Miss Alice Conkling gave the Historical Society a copy of the poem with permission to publish it, and so with Miss Conkling's letter we publish the Poem: My Dear Mrs. Weber: Los Angeles, While in Peoria I received the Lincoln letter, poem and cards for which I thank you. I had only wanted and expected the letter which Mrs. Lincoln wrote my mother. I wanted it because of its private nature. Am returning the cards since they were intended for the Historical Society of Illinois. Of course if you have all the cards of this kind which you desire you may return them and I can make other use of them. As for the poem, I compared it with a copy I had made some years ago fearing the fading out of the original and have marked on the margin of your copy the words as I have them. I never understood the reference in the third line of the third stanza-it must have been to something local. I failed to inquire of my mother who would have known. As you will remember she had gone down town with Mrs. Lincoln (Mary Todd) on that "wet and muddy day" but had declined to ride on the dray. When returning to their homes which were next door to each other-one being at Mr. Ninian Edwards and the other at her brother's Mr. Lawrason Levering immediately south. They had been housed three weeks because of the rain. Mrs. L. sent word to mother that she was tired of it, that she had a bundle of shingles to scatter on the way until they should reach a side walk on Monroe St.; would she go with her. Mother did, but failed to take advantage of the dray for the return trip. With kind regards, Lakeview Hotel. Cordially yours, Alice Conkling. THE POEM. RIDING ON A DRAY. By Dr. E. H. MERRYMAN. As I walked out on Monday last 'Twas there I saw a pretty lass A riding on a dray, a riding on a dray. I had no coach to take me home At Lowry's house I got aboard By yellow Poll's and Spottswood then The ragged boys threw up their caps As by James Lamb's and o'er the bridge Up flew windows, out popped heads, To see this Lady gay In silken cloak and feathers white A riding on a dray. At length arrived at Edwards' gate And taking out the iron pin He rolled her off the dray. When safely landed on her feet Quoth Hart I cannot charge you aught For riding on my dray. An honor such as this I meet not every day For surely I'm the happiest man That ever drove a dray. A moral I'll append To this my humble lay When you are sticking in the mud Why call out for a dray. PROFESSOR EVARTS B. GREENE GOES TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. The University of Illinois suffers a great loss in the resignation of Professor E. B. Greene of the History Department, who has accepted a history professorship in Columbia University, New York. For nearly thirty years Professor Greene has been connected with the State University of Illinois and his devoted, able, and efficient service there has left an impress and established standards which will be of incalculable and permanent value. Professor Greene is one of the founders of the Illinois State Historical Society. The Society was organized at the University of Illinois, Urbana, in May, 1899. It was regularly chartered as a corporation under the laws of Illinois, May 23, 1900. Its first annual meeting was held in Peoria January 5 and 6, 1900. Professor Greene attended these preliminary and early meetings and had much to do with the organization and other plans of the Society. He was its first Secretary and continued as such until 1902. Professor Greene went abroad in 1901 and Professor J. W. Putnam acted as temporary secretary until January, 1902, when Mr. J. McCan Davis was elected secretary and Professor Greene was made one of the Vice Presidents of the Society. In 1903 Mrs. Jessie Palmer Weber, the present secretary of the Society was elected. In 1904 Professor Greene was elected one of the Directors of the Society and he has continued in that position until the present. In 1903 by Act of the General Assembly the Illinois State Historical Society became a department of the Illinois State Historical Library. In 1910 President E. J. James of the University of Illinois, President of the Board of Trustees of the Illinois State Historical Library resigned, and Governor Charles S. Deneen ap |