Too Big For His Britches

Daily Bee Correspondent

The excitement was high in the Cozad home. Henry Cozad had rushed in to tell his wife that his Drum and Fife Corp had been selected to play at a very important political meeting being held in their district. During the animated conversation a small boy slipped away to the next room. It only took a minute for seven-year-old Stephenson to reappear with his small snare drum held in his arms. His father immediately knew what his son was thinking.  Stephenson had been present when the group practiced and it was only natural for him to assume that he would make the trip and play with the adults. Seeing the look of excitement and expectation on his son’s face Henry did not have the heart to disappoint the lad.

Mary Cozad, Stephenson’s mother, went to work at once, and during the few days remaining until the big event, wove cloth for a new pair of pants for her young son. Every stitch was hand sewn and when the trousers were finished Stephenson tried them on with pride. He now would be dressed just like the older members of the fife and drum group.

The day of the big event finally arrived and the seven year old was in a state of wonderment as he surveyed the scene before him. There were more people present than he had ever seen in his life. They were gathered around a handmade stage that held two chairs. The crowd grew quiet as two figures climbed the steps of the platform and took their seats. Henry Cozad led the group as they played their last piece and when they had finished Stephenson was laying his drum down when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up into the face of the tall man that had been sitting on the stage. The man took Stephenson by the hand and asked him to get his snare drum. He led the youth through the crowd, up the steps of the rostrum, and to his chair. He bent down and picked the boy up and stood him on the chair. In a voice that all could hear the man made a request. “Young man, I would like for you to play two songs for me, will you do that?” Stephenson could only nod his head up and down. “I would like for you to play Dixie and The Girl I Left Behind Me.” Stephenson picked up his drum and the whole Fife and Drum Corp joined him as he played the songs requested by the tall stranger.

Young Master Stephenson did not realize until later that he had been a part of history. The tall, thin, man that had led him to the stage to play was Abraham Lincoln who was soon to be the President of the United States. The other gentleman was Stephen A. Douglas and Stephenson had been present at one of the eight Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858. The full impact of this momentous occasion would come to the lad later in his life but the fact that he had been singled out to play his drum was enough for the present. If you had been present in the Cozad home a few days after the debate you would probably have heard one of Stephenson’s parents say, “Ever since he played for Mr. Lincoln he has been too big for his britches.”

(The information for this story came from Barbara Blood who is the granddaughter of Stephenson Cozad, the boy who played the drum for Abraham Lincoln. Barbara still has the pants that were made by her grandmother).