The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1860-07-21

I 1yJg = -. - llsaI,S1o 4.
lls1l1lS 70 n III sk
tnlnssiAi csnsapssssass = - xssg WI
I CllAon opsiae Jsly I. 1890
Pa1siag IL day hesas - 80 = Accept
PRODUCTION % Is iEnlly * Hezekiah Granger
NJ. Granger many ysass go married the widow
Of Nj. Dou9l1s q Brandon, VT, and the moth
e. Of Htephen A. Douglas, the Democratic can
dibate for the Preside0cy
| The residence Of the venerable but most
Iagreaahle couple lies about two miles south Of
ths Clifton Springs Hotel OF the macy elegant
farm houses Of Ontario county, that of Mr..
Granger will rank among the first It il Of
wood, three stories, and covers considerable
ground Ito snowy whitsneGs, with Venetian
blinds and lAtticed doora the wellcared-ior
walks approaching and surrounding il, hemmed
in by shrubbery and plants, and out houses, at
once neat aud ample, and the broad fields
stretching TO the north and south, mark the spot
- the home Of the thrifty and contcnted farm
er. 1t 10 just such picture OF rural quiet and
i elegance that poets have celebrated in verse
that dramatists have painted TO my lady love in
the play, and denizens Of cities envy 50 often a.
they pass, and think Of the inmates as those who
have nothing LEFT 70 sigh for:
i -"What Il the world 70 them,
Its pomp, it, pleasures. and IL nonsense all!"
The family consists Of Mr.. and Mrs. Granger,
the son, Julius r. Granger, Esq, and his wife
An unusual relationship exists between the older
and the younger married couples The elder
Granger married the mother of his sons wife,
the latter being the only sister Of Stephen A.
Douglas The younger Mr.. Granger was absent
at the time Of INV visit He was daily expected
here with Mr.. Douglas himself
The neatness and elegance Of the residence
outside, and the grounds are well reflected by
the taste and or6er which prevail within. The
day was damp and cold, which made the cheer
ful Gre in the parlor to which the servant con-
Quoted us the more pleasant. Among the wall
adoFnments, 'fitthough few" 1 was not surprised
to find very elegant steel plate engraving Of
the "Little Giant"
The first of the household to meet us, was
the younger Mrs. Granger. She is q lady of
some forty years, accomplished, and Of intelli-
gent and agreeable discourse. 1t was apparent
that she had . just pride and interest in the
name and fame Of her distinguished brother
In the course Of the conversation she remarked
that the family had of late received many letters
inquiring whether this or that fact stated of
Mr.. Douglas early history was true If, indeed,
his mother was 80 very poor; and if young D.
had been obliged to work at cabinet-making for
his board, ETC., and also many anecdotes
Of her brothers. youthful days, which she knew
not to be true. The cabinet maker story had
this for its foundation, and no more: Mrs.
Douglas, the mother, had both the means and
inclination 70 give Stephen thorough educa-
ton, and to that end kept him at school. The
boy tired of this, importuned her to allow him
to learn trade, pleading partiality for cabinet
making. To "work in wood" was at that time
the oily ambition that he knew or felt Mrs.
D. refused repeatedly, and consented at last,
| with the thought that the way to cure the boys
liking for trade-for which he was physically
unfit, being weak and pnny-was to put him at
1t. And the woman's foresight was not at fault.
Three m0nths' apprenticeship in the shop snffc-
ed AT the end Of that time he returned to his
mother, saying the work was to hard for lin
and that, with her consent, he would resume
the school and remain there as long as she de.
sired. This he did; and when the widow Doug
las became Mrs. Granger and removed to Opta
rio county, Stephen was sent to tho Canandiagua
Academy-an excellent institntOn--as board
ing student, and remained there until fit to enter
law Office.
He remained reading law" at Canadaigra as
long he could restrain his impotence to strike
out and ''set up for HIMSELF" Ambition, fan
more than necessity, led him to push on to Hi
nois. III health, brought on as he thought BY
too much study, and constitution which at
that time appeared feeble, also had much to do
with his venture,
That Mr. Douglas when young was self-reiiant
and quite disposed to do for himself rather than
have others do for him, would seem to be true,
That his selfreiiance was from choice, rather
than from necessity, is all the more creditable
to him. But the stories of his having been an
extremely poor boy, deprived of a.. early adj
vantages in youth, ETC., are simple exaggeratons
the coinage of clcctioneering biographers and
other humbugs.
Mrs. Granger the mother Of Mr.. Douglas, is
a very active, sprighty and intelligent lady
She told me she was over seventy; had guess
cd her age from appearance and conversation,
should have said at least fifteen years younger
In height she is not over five feet, and probably
weighs less than one hundred pounds. She said
she expected Stephen almost every train, but
that it was altogether uncertain when he would
come. 1.-Two years ago" said she when we did
not look for bin, he dropped in on us and made
long visit. He never writes when we may OK
pect him." II was quite evident the Old lady
fully understood the circumstances under which
her son was running for the Presidency, and she
seemed to assent to aremark of her husband
that with the Democratic party divided he stood
no chance. ''IIe has always told me fsaid she)
| that he did not want to run for the Presidency
but that his friends were pressing him to do so'
| (The ''did not want" fear was boys tale to
his motherD ''If he could be elected she con.
tinped, lone good would come of 1.-THE would
stop making speeches and save his health
She expressed considerable fear Of the Senator's
throat disease, and mother-like, appeared far
more concerned about that than his political
prospects. OF one thing she felt entirely sure
that to he beaten would not hurt her son
at all; and speaking of attacks upon him, she
good naturally remarked she thought the news
papers had already said all the harsh things they
could say Of him, so his running for the Presi
dency now could make no difference about that.
Mr.. Granger, the step-father Of Mr.. Douglas,
is tall, erect old gentleman Of eighty years
With the exception Of being little deaf, he is
in the enjoyment of every faculty He came
here from Suidcld, Con-, in 1900, and purchased
the noble farm (then wilderness,) on which be
! now lives- He boasts that in all the changes
and revolutions Of politics he has always voted
the Democratic ticket Himself and family en-
joy the esteem and love of all their neighbors
ROARING MOUNTAIN OF MIssouRL-A cores
pondent Of the ST. Louis Intelligencer, writing
| from Ironton, No., says
| Since my last have had the pleasure of ma
king trip to oh Madison county, just for the
purpose Of seeing the much-talked-of gold mines,
and it was there came across the above men-
toned natural curiosity. This mountain is in
Madison county, fourteen miles southwest of
i H. r.. -