The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-05-15
Correspondence Cincinnati Commercially
statss Qse Pest Belium.
AUGUSTA, GA, May 4, 1867.


who urged me very strongly to stop at
Charlottesville, on my way to this
place, and cali on Alexander II: Ste
phens, who. WAS assured, would be
very glad to see anybody from the
North; especially one making "tour OF
observation"-which / pretended to be
doing in small way. l soon procured
letter of introduction from o gentle.
man who knows Mr.. Stephens intimate
ly, and on Friday morning left Allan
to on the Augusta train, which, in
about seven honrs, landed at Craw.
fordsville Station. i soon found what
the natives called "the hoteP-rather
an untiquated specimen ofcaravansary,
bnt corresponding in this respect with
the other buildings of the little town
and after Kidding myself of travel dust,
started in pursuit of Mr.. Stephens
house. Aplain two-stOry frame, stand.
ing in the centre Of grass plat OF
about four acres, handsomely shaded
with oaks, rising just to the left OF the
railroad track as the train approaches
from Atlanta, was pointed ont to me,
and in five minutes / was inquiring IT
Mr.. Stephens was at home. He was,
and l was Immediately shown TO a
room in which l found him smoking a
pipe, and reading the National Inte't-
geacer, seated by the side of a small ta-
BILE, which was heapsd full of books,
papers, letters and writing materials in
great confusion. The room was small
and like anything but the beau ideal
of statesman's study or reading room.
In one corner was plain bed, without
any extra finish on the posts, or fine en-
broidery on the counterpsne; in another
corner was bureau and looking-glass,
such as you would see in the house OF
the poorest peasant in the land,
who pretended to have any such
thing at all; in another was
glass book case, crammed with
manuscripts in great disorder, and over
against one Of the walls was cot which
afterwards learned belonged to lit
tle negro boy about twelve years of age
named "Tim," whs acts as bOdy-servant
for Mr.. Stephens. The floor was cover
ed with faded carpet, which had never
been either luxurious or expensive.
The mantlepiece was strewn with
"euchre decks and "whist decks" and
here and there pipe and tobacco-box
for the use of visitors, who are certain
TO be invited to smoke. On the hearth
rug in front of Mr.. Stephens there were,
if recollect right, three dogs-tolera-
bly, large ones, too-indulging in q
quiet snooze. Such was the room and
its furniture in which met the great
Georgian-such the room in which he
spends most of his days and all of his
nights. The entire house is furnished
in the same simple and unpretending
style. There is very, plain parlor Oh
the right as you enter the front door,
and q still palmer dining room on the
left. To the rear of this yOu pass
through q large, airy porch and enter
the library, an apartment about twenty
feet square, shelved all round and all
the shelves full of bOOks-law, politics,
history and miscellaneous works. with
bronze bust of Webster looking at
you from one of the top shelves. Pass
ing through the library you enter the
room ] have already described as the
bedroom and study of the distinguish
ed statesman. Up stairs there are four
rooms-all kept for the accommodation
of visitors, and in harmony with the
other apartments az to their furniture
and equipments"
So much by way Of conveying faint
idea of the household surroundings
but what of the man himselfi A more
difficult task than pen and ink photo
graph of Mr.. Stevens is not easy to con-
eeive-such q one, / mean, as would pre-
sent him to the readers mind anything
like what he really is, in personal ap-
pearance. His face, at first glance, is
the face of boy, with few wrinkles
in it. There is neither strength, age,
nor force of character in his features.
His complexion is pale, with a sallow
tinpe gu the eheeks-the skin seems
soft and delicate as child's; and there
is not the sign of beard or whisker, nor
the Use Of razor to prevent them. His
small month and thin, livid lips, set
physiegnomy at naught, with those who
know him Us an orator. But what is
lacking in other features to denote the
man, aud enable yOu to estimate his in
tellectual force, is fully made up in a
pair of the finest and most keenly eX-
pressive brown eyes have ever seen in
a human head. They tell the whole
story and tell it at once. Only let him
look You full in the face with them, and
YOU forget the sad boy, prematurely old
and wrinkled, and are confronted by q
man whose body disease may have
wasted and worn, but whose mind is
vigorous, strong and powerful enough
for the physique of gymnast.
Mr.. Stevens is now about fifty-five
wears of age. He is about five feet
eleven in height, but his shoulders
stoop q little and make him look short
er. He has never enjoyed good health,
l believe-certainly never since he ar
rived at mans estate; and the affiiction
and suffering through which he has
passed have left their impress upon
every lineament of his countenance,
till he looks more like a boy, shriveled
by acute pains into old age in a few
wears, than a man who has lived up
ward Of half century in the world.
His hair is quite gray, and straggles
quite long and thin over his forehead
sometimes; his voice, in conversation,
tells little of what it can be in public
speaking, for it is thin, weak, and in
ciining to falsetto-one would scarcely
think it had volume enough to reach a
public audience at all. His legs and
arms are long and thin, his hands small
and beny, and his whole frame, as he
walks about, slowly and with apparent
distress, seems loose and awkward. His
dress is simple and rustic. When at
home, he usually wears a suit of brown
homespun, real Georgian-made stuff, i
presume. He has never been married,
but has lived alone, for many years, at
Liberty Hail. as his present residence
is named-that is, if we may call 1t
living alone, to have a house full Of
company most Of the time, but no fam
lily Of his own.
found Mr. Stephens, as have said,
seated in his room, reading and smoking.
Upon reading the letter of introduction
handed him, lie Immediately welcomed
me, and, before a dozen words had passed
between us, he inquired where was my
valise. Upon being told that it was at
, the hotel, he Immediately called "Tim,
anu sent him for it, insisting that l
should make myself at hsme with him
as long as I remained in that part of
the country. In very few minutes we
had entered into conversation about
the condition of the South, and espe-
cially of Georgia, since the war. Mr..
! Stpphens said he heliayaa tha ,,,o,,la