The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-07-25
Mr.. Sumner Interviewed.
MS nFcouLEcrloSs OF SOME >orAnlr

result OF All interview with Senate
Sumner:
/ We will examine Charles Sumner il
I the same way that we would picture
while his fine house ami exquisite sur
roundingS may be called the frame
Stand little way OIL, because light i.
needed and remember, he is seen tC
best advantage in his "wOrk-rOom."
/ An easy chair, high enough to sup
! port the head, is drawn before the ODeu
CRATE, and its capacious depths reflect
the majestic figure of Mirabeau, but the
face was designed by his Maker ex-
preSsly for Charles Sumner. 1t is one
Of the best living pictures that fore
shadows the exceeding grace of autumn.
The sense of harmony inits highest en-
bOdiment is fulfilled; but the Vison is,
neutral-tinted, with all the scarlet glory
left out even the long dressing-gown,
with its heavy tassels, its soft, BLUSH
gray.
In scanning the features, you realize
that the artist has been trying to follow
the classical order OF art. You see il in
the royal head crowned by its abundant
gray hair, i'm the oval face and clear
eyes, which, if you watch closely, YOU
can catch 4 glimpse Of the soul within.
Observe the Greek nose and finely
nodded lips, which are never used ey-
cept to make the world wise or better.
Now add the manners Of an English
lord and an improvement on the Ches-
terfleldian age, and we have the picture
OF the simple American gentleman.
The difference between spending a
morning with Charles Summer or learn
ing about him through the newspapers
Is like quencning our thirst at a foun-
tam at Saratoga or procuring an elixir
1T uruS store. 1t may be that your
apothecary is honest, and that Won are
imLibing genuine Congress wafer. and
then again, perhaps, yOu are the victim
Of misplaced information. With his
| permission, let us make visit To the
model "work-rOOm," because Charles
Sumner will take us into the companv
OF the famous people of the world. He
Will tell us about meeting George Eliot
at dinner party, or about being in the
same ship with George Sand. Then we
can say tO him with enthusiasm:
"Tell us about this wonderful George
Eliot. How old is she? Whom does
she look like, and don't you think hel
the greatest intellect represented by the
womanhood Of the present day ."
81 think her a great perhap,
the greatest-but time must decide al
things connected with fame. / have =
picture among my engravings very
much like her-so much so that it would
answer very well for her portrait"
The picture is found. 1t represents
Lorenzo de Aledici, and is ugly to the
last degree.
"Not like that. No! 1t cannot be
possible that her face is as wide as it i
long; that these are her eyes, that her
nose, that her mOuth-why this is the
face you see looking out of the moonr'
at may be a plain face,n saws Mr..
Sumner, "but then it is So strong and
noticeable face seen, that it will never
be forgotten"
"But the hair is cut short like a
mans"
"rhat is 4 matter of taste. You see
at glance that she lacks vanity, which
is another sign of great woman. |
also met Mr.. Lewes, Her husband He
is noted for his German studies, but is
not so eminent as his wife,
"About her age, Mr.. Sumner ~
THAT Is q very hard point To settle,
but without flattery | should think her
beyond fifty"
"Beyond fifty, aud still writing the
best love stories that the world enjOysU
"Why not? Genius never grows
old"
"But about George Sand ,"
al met this famous woman many
years ago, on steamer. We were
going from Marseilles to Genoa. Among
the passengers this woman in particular
attracted my attention, because she held
by the hand u very beautiful child |
have never observed such hair on a
child's head. Ii was the real gold in
color, and fell to his knees, not i'm curls,
but in waves. The lady wore the Span
ish costume. | now recall her Spanish
mantilla. She was shOrt-we might
call her thick-set-nOt handsome, vet
holding her child by the hand. | had
Il curiosity to find out her name. She
was accompanied by tall, slender gen.
tleman. They kept alOof from the other
passengers, and seemed to find society
enough in each other. Upon inquiry /
found her to be the celebrated George
Sand. At that time she was the tonic
Of conversation everywhere. She made
4 very distinct impression on my mind.
She was comparatively young woman.
"On board the same ship / was inter
ested in two other passengers. This
time IL was an aged couple. The old
gentleman carried his gOld-headed cane,
and hustled around rs if it was his
mission TO entertain everybody. One
would almost think that he thought
himself i'm his own house and the peO-
pie around him his guests. His aged
wife was at his side, helping in the good
work. | noticed 4 respect shown them
which age alone cannot always com
mand. | soon learned the man TO be
one of Charles the Tenths Minister'S of
Finance. / shall always remember the
extreme courtesy and pOliteness of these
old people, and their endeaVOr to make
everybody happy around them"
Ibid they talk to George Sand ,"
mo, for the lady and her cavalier
kept to themselves, and did not seem to
need any eXertlOns in their favOTn
In the conversation about the private
lives OF writers, a query came up of this
Kind: "Will woman of good Judgment
marry man fifteen years younger than
herself?n
81 shall have to refer you to Mr.. Dis
raeli. know that to have been q very
happy marriage. / met Mr.. Disraeli
and his wife at Munich, when they
were on their wedding tour. At the
principal hotel we met at the break ktast
table. Mr.. Disraeli sat by the side OF
his newly-made wife. He might have
been, or at least looked, about thirty
years old. His intensely black hair was
smoothed to perfection. At that time
he had become famous rs an author
Everything seemed noticeably new to
him. Mrs. Disraeli appeared like a
kihd-hearted, middle-aged English
woman, and Disraeli seemed the one to