Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-08-12
Governor TiIden at Home.

lAtUutty OoT. CtftctJtHutt Lftqttfef.J
The Governors mansion is sit
uated on Eagle street, a little be-
yond the brow of the Hill you have
to climb in going from the capitol,
which stands at one end Of the
street to a suppositious beer gar
den, which nestles away down in
a presumptive valley at the other
extremity. If it was ever intend
cd to make Eagle street the adj
min~istration thoroughfare, as
Pennsylvania avenue is in Wash
ington, the project must long since
have been abandoned. With the
exception of the Governors man
sion, two or three churches and
the capitol at the extremity, as
aforesaid, the street seems 20 be
given up to cheap boarding houses,
doctors offices and small shops
1t, / mean the Governors man
sion, may be said to be the only
attraction of a street otherwise bar
rem. 1t is a handsome structure of
gray stone, with red sandstone
foundation and trimmings, and an
ample bow window on one side
and a tower on the other. 1t is
nearly covered with ivy, and the
long pinnacle OF a portico which
runs way down the walk to meet
one, covered, as it is, with vines,
looks almost like a bower, and
gives a pleasant sort of greeting to
the stranger about to enter. The
building stands back from the
street a couple of hundred feet, per-
haps, and the neatly shaven lawn,
with a few evergreenS dotting it,
and a croquet field in the FORE
ground, all combine to make the
place exceedingly charming. On
entering the house you are usher
ed into the parlor--a moderately
furnished room on the left, with
the bow windows occupying the
front end. The prevailing color is
blue here. A blue carpet covers
the floor, blue curtains of satin
damask droop from the heavy cor
nice, relieved by others of lace, blue
upholstery on the chairs and otto
mans give a general idea of ceru-
lean comfort, while there is still
enough of the ebony and gilt or
mOin and the bizarre work of the
heather Chinee in the rest of the
furnishing of the room to make up
the assortment of colors. An Eng
lish landscape, a marvel of dainty
coloring in still water and sky,
hangs on one of the walls, and an
upright easel with a portrait upon
it, stands on the floor. Who the
portrait is, however, we cannot
conjecture, because a photograph
of the poet Byrant, larger than
both the picture and Frame, has
been fastened in front of it. Then
a pretty little marble bust of a
child stands on a pedestal near
by, and mirrors and the usual
drawing-rooh 6Vouterie make up
the parlor scene.
ENTER, HIS EXCELLENCY.
/ had called earlier, but was told
that the Governor was taking his
afternoon nap, and could not see
me until seven O'Clock. l called
again at that hour and was told
that he had been so engrossed with
official business during the day,
and would be engaged at it until
midnight, that his able secretary,
who talked with me, dare not ask
him to give me a few moments of
his time. While 1 was engaged
in trying to harmonic these two
stories SO as to make the excellent
excuse of the custodian of the card
basket consist" with the equally
valid one of the keeper of the
privy seal, / heard footsteps in the
hall, then my name given hurried
|, and then the Governor entered,
aud, addressing me by name, gave
me a pheasant greeting, and at
once commenced asking about
some of his old political friends in
Ohio. My conclusion was that the
talented young men who reported
him asleep and immersed in State
papers hadn't taken their observa-
tions with sufficient care to secure
absolute accuracy. Uncle Samuel
was evidently awake, and not so
engrossed with State affairs as to
interfere with his sociability.
Every body has seen Gov. Til
denis pictures in the shop windows
and the illustrated papers, and
every body is likely to be deceived
by them, just as / was. A pleas
ant voiced, brisk moving, hearty
looking man of apparently fifty
years, a little under size perhaps,
but with a straight and well knit
frame, with clean shaven face,
whose closely cut features indicate
cool judgment and invincible de-
termination above all other things,