The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-04-05
A Word Picture.

of the Independent graphic description CT
the inaugural ceremonies. We quote The
| concluding portion of the letter: At pre-
cisely - o'clock, amid the breathless silence
of that vast multitude-followed by Fish,
Robson, Taft and Tyner-the two Presi-
dents slowly entered. Every eye was fixed
| upon the outgoing and incoming man. They
walked side by side, Grant and Hayes. The
contrast between them struck me at once.
Grant is not an ignoble-looking man. He
impresses you with his power, such as 1t is.
1t is of that broad, sinewy fibre that spreads
earth, earthly. 1t may be sordid; it is never
spiritual 10 that far spiritual looking and
longing that characterized Lincoln, Grant is
stranger. This world and its good things
its wines, its horses, its riches-suffice him.
Give him enough of them and he is happy in
his OWE way. And nothing in Heaven or on
earth can make him so happy as to have his
own way. He has conscience, honor, sense
Of duty but not the sentiment OF either.
None Of them Cypress him; for whatever he
sure he is right. His affections are as strong
as his prejudices, which is saying that Ghey
are of the strongest. He will not turn from
anybody he likes, no matter how bad he is.
He not only hugs him himself, but thrusts
him upon other people, which is unjust and
has made much Of the sin and sorrow of his
Administration. With some Of the strongest
traits of strong human nature and not a few
Of its sweetest and truest instincts, where his
| being should rise highest it is cut short. He
is strong upon the earth, but he does not rise
skyward.
You look up to see the other man. Not
only does he ascend in stature, but his head
scars so sym critically that you remark its
height. He is strong where human beings
most need strengthen his moral percep-
tons and faculties. He is capable of Chi
valric honor and OF consciousness of duty
strong as death. His pictures give but a
faint shadow of the man for his stature, his
| movement, his presence, indicate him even
| more than his face. All express the highest
manliness.5 The light step, the erect head.
the splendid figure, the clear, open counte-
nance-all indicate purity, health and power.
We have been told so often that he is not
| great man, that expected to see rather
weak looking brother, and confess to posi-
| tive surprise when | saw before ME man
| who made the men about him look rather
poor and small, who, If there be anything in
temperament, physique and head, has enough
| of each and all for himself, with considerable
| to spare for others. Having seen him, no
| body now could ever make me believe that
he has not mind of his own, with will
enough and sense enough to put it to the
best uses. And the whimpering Thomases of
the party who have expected him to be putty
| in the fingers of his Republican makers, may
hang up their fears. Already Chey are chew
ing the ends of their fingers in disgust, for
when they felt for the putty it was not there,
and with all their manipulations they cannot
| keep Carl Schurz out of the Cabinet.
Meanwhile, OIL this man of whom every
one in the nation is at this moment thinking,
a fair woman between two little children
looks down. She has a singularly gentle
and winning face. 1t looks out from the
bands of smooth, dark hair with that tender
light in the eyes which we have come to as
sociate always with the Madonna. have
never seen such face reign in the White
House. wonder what the world OF Vanity
Fair will Go with it. Will it friz that hair
powder that face? draw those sweet, pure
lines awry with pride? bare those shoulders
shorten those sleeves? hide John Wesley
discipline out of sight, as it poses and minces
before ''the first lady Of the land?'
What will she do with it, this woman oil
the heart and home? Strong as she is fair,
will she have the ''grace y to use it as not
abusing it; to be in it, yet not of it; priest
ess Of a religion pure and undetiled, holding
the white lamp Of her womanhood, unshaken
and unsullied, high above the heated crowd
that fawns, fatters and spoils? The Lore
in heaven knows. All that know is that
Mr.. aud Mrs. Hayes are the tinest-lookins
type of man and woman that have evel
seen take up their abode in the hite House