Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-09-09
HANCOCK AT HOME.
HIS OFFICIAL AND DOMESTIC HABiTs--TEN'
AcITY HIS STRONGEST POINT.
From New York Herald, Ind.

HIS OFFICIAL AND DOMESTIC HABITs-TEN.
AcITY HIS STRONGEST POINT.
From New York Herald, Ind.
General Hancock is seen at his
best at his home, for there he throws
aside the worriment of his official
cares and responsibilities.
"Thero's but the twinkIng Of a star
| Between man of peace and war;
No one is more thoroughly domestic
in his habits. He has always prefer
red the quiet of his own home to the
glittering splendors of fashionable
life. on children he is passionately
fond. Rising at six o'clock, which is
his uniform habit, he takes a bath
first and then has u wild romp with
his three grandchildren, at present
with Russell Hancock, their father,
and their mother, stopping with him.
When he lost his only daughter,
few years ago, most beautiful and
accomplished young lady of Is, it
took him long while to recover from
the blow, and his wife has not yet
laid aside her sombre habiliments
commemorative of the sad event
Directly after breakfast and glaucing
over the papers, and his personal mail,
the General goes to his Office, where,
as already stated, he spends the most
of the day. Till dinner he occupies
himself talking with his family and
entertaining visitors. lie eats-spar-
ingly, TO which may doubtless be
mainly ascribed his perfect health.
After dinner he smokes sometimes a
pipe and sometimes cigar, and this
is the sum total of his days smoking
so, as will be seen, he is no great slave
to the seductive weed. His spare
time in the evening he usually devotes
to reading. He has well furnish
ed library and shows preference
for historical and statistical works.
He goes to bed early, at ten O'Clock
generally, aud is, sound sleeper
that precious boon OF n clear con-
science and good digestion. His resi-
dence is the largest and the finest on
the island, and thus notedly distin-
guished from the others, is model of
cosy comfort both outside and inside.
Wide porches in the front and rear,
with creeping vines and beautiful
flowers scattered about, show diserimi-
mating taste, while pictures and works
of art and well-lined book cases TO be
seen in the interior evince the broad
culture of the master occupant.
As already stated General Hancock
does not go into society much. OF
course he visits good deal among
the officers of the post, and 2 very
pleasant society it is, composed mainly
of the members of his staff and their
families. On Sundays he generally
comes to the city in the morning to
attend DIR. Bellows's church. where he
and Mrs. Hancock have pew. In
the summer he rarely frequents sum-
mer watering places, having some
how, Notwithstanding his eminent So
ciability, dislike for this kind of
life. He is par excellence a domestic
man, and his accomplished wife, al
though before their marriage one Of
the reigning bellies of st. Louis, has
the same domestic tastes. He seldom
travels except on official business, and
since his nomination has politely,
though firmly, declined invitations to
visit our leading places of fashionable
resort or to go on trips through the
country, he being strongly averse TO
anything which would look like max
ing a show of himself Once in
awhile he and his family take little
sail down the bay on a steam launch
the Pinafore-kept at the island ex-
clusively for his use, and this, with
the quiet repose of his cool, double
porched and vine-embosomed resi-
dence, the society of his family and
books, bis official duties and at the
present time entertaining an unwonted
rush of visitors-one of the pains aud
penalties of being q presidential can
didate-make up the sum total of his
daily life. The fact has been frequent
ly noted that no newspaper represen-
tative has been able to interview"
him. 1t is not that he does not have
we'll settled opinions on all the leading
political questions Of the day. Few
men are firmer in their convictions,
few better read or better posted, few
able TO give 10 their ideas more terse
expression. He does not paraphrase.
He calls spade spade. One Of bis
strongest mental characteristics Is firm
Mesa bulldog tenacity of purpose.
The day he was nominated he would
not be- "interyiewed," and he has not
been and will not be.
IT Is said that a woman's voice can
be heard at distance of two miles by