New-York tribune., 1880-06-20
HIS HOME IN WASHINGTON.

On the corner Of Thirteenth and lists sfanns .no
LAWYER. general. statesman, Member Of Congress.
Senatorelect from the great state OF Onlo, anu t
the United States 1t is very modest anu uh-
pretentious mansion of brick. plain and sgnalo
built, after the manner OF lts dstineasntsu i
on the east, comprising dining-room ana uoroty.
The paror side windows look out upon the pleasing
prospect of the park, while the front commanttss
corner view of and Thirteentlsts
Entering from the South, let us turn to re iefe
into this little parior for moment ~ = small a ana
only comfortably, not elegantly. furnished Ihero
is u fine upright grand piano III the ROOM Opposite
which, one on each side the slate mantei Is solemn
looking pair of fine Chinese vases oyer three &c iscs @
high. narrow pirror at the opposite emd or me
room reaches very nearly to.the ceiling The latter
is frescoGd as well as the walls; the ceiling light
with gilt BORDERS the walls in indistinct panels;
Here, over the grand piano in the most Pr0mitnens
pt"sfe re Whon Is the most beautiful
and touching trait in the hOnored mans character.
1t is a small sweet face, enysloped III its snowy
cap and beamin9 beney0lentiy over The Simple
kerchef Opposite is the portrait Of pr. Gariields
first daughter, an almost angelic c0nntenance. Sne
IS now dead Here is farm ana there , Iounsaa uns
photograph of the General in camp. He y repre-
sented sitting before his tens surronnded ny his
staff all in undress UNIFORM. lew choice enRraV-
ings complete the decorations
10 the right is q small sitting room, modestly
FURNISHED T5n GGsy GsssnSle and Whatno
mOnopozcs corner and this is strewn WIN
books. .
a somewhat! luxurious diningrOom, Luxurious
in color and decoration; ,The paper ~
rich drab and brown, with dado OF pretty Japanese
pattern. Above the mantel q curious nnhnisneo
painting of Falstait attracts the attention. IL
designed from the Generals own idea. SITTING IN Q
company of literary men and artists one evening
discussing Shakespeare, he remarked fhat none OK
the Illustrations of this character met n; nus CON on
ccpton of it. An artist present begged him to de
scribe his ideal. On that description the picture
was undertaken, but the painter died before its
complexion. That portion which embraces the
figure OF the rcickng knight leaning his right arm
glass and the drawer" in the background bringing
fresh cnp of sack. is in finished state, while the
remainder Of the picture is not blled ILL.,. Even In
this stage it Is effective as is original On tho
opposite wall is large naintng of hunting scene
with horses and slain deer in tue foreground. Here
Is trout in his last acrObatic double before Deing
landed, so liicke as to make the sportsIlnanss ans
here another bookcase filled to bursting 0Verig
is that piece of rare cOloring, Love or Duty.
the artist and nun. Curious Austrian chairs OF Dens
black who'd and cane-seats and slender backs are
ranged about the room.
Aboyo all other places Of interest in this house,
however Is the library. which - Immediately above
| this room. Here Is the woIklng-ground or man
of energy and ideas: here the student and scholar
| lives ard has being to the exclusion OF the man;
here the statesman and politician takes nourishment
| and hourishes. The room ) about 25xli ftet
three windows opening south on l-st.. one to the
east. The pattern carpet leaves about three feet Of
stained flO0r about the margin. In the centre ana
under tho heavy chandelier is a double Yalaut
otticc-desk with an addition of pigeon holes and
boxes and drawers on the end. There is an air OF
legal brusmcness everywhere of orderly disorder.
as if the owner cared less for general symmetry
than for immediate convenience. Haf dozen
bookcases occupy the ayaIE,ble space against the
walls, and two or three thousand books ireighe
their smvG no TM OF or t1sS SkS "is Is as i Se
accumulation had from ,tinn to time oyerlown
the liz lit OF book -room and another ease hal been
hastily procured in which 10 store tnc surplus. and
then. when that was full. another was added, and
so on. Books, books books lt is the one striking
feature Of MIR. tSariiell's home. They confront
ana no 4
sitting room. and in the dining-rooni-yeS, and
even in the bathroom, where documents and
not he Mt all SurpriS, Il Is fair library could bo
discovered in the kitchen: Among ali these hooks
there is not trashy yommr Thcy arr law and and
government and standard works OF all sorts the
accumulation OF ysArs OF Stndy and the patient
portion of Mr.. Garields collection. a considerable
one being at his country home i'll Ohio.
irrrgnlar hight above and beside the cases. Here
is the portrait of Bismarck, from the ChanccllOt
himself; and Ene Of General Thomas whom whom
picture 0t General sherman, who, by the way,
when asked ii he hal sent his congratulations to
""Nq; the General is soldier. There IS no need..'
Over there are PORTRAITS of Professor AgaSsiz and
President Hopkins of Williams College. both
The man OF these SURROUNDINGS is broad
slomdcrcd ful;che~ted strongly bnit and six feet
high. His head is massive; with light brown hair
and reddish beard, large blue eyes and full round
face lie dresses very plainly. lie is hard
worker, systematic in habits and punetual in per-
Torrance of promises and duty. One infaliible.
rule of his public life has been that every civil
letter, whatever subject or from W aever source,
theYefore. always large and eXacting. lie employs
two short hand secretaries at times, and his private
f"r Twelve W. Years Whatever Mr. GARFIELD does is
thoroughly done. HIS work in the Fitz-JOhn Porter
case involved immense labor. and the references
and documents relative to that case piled apart In
his library are simply appalling to mind OF orI-
narv>grasp. closet contiguous to this work
Is crowded with letters received anu copies
of letters sent, and the adjoining bathroom shares
In the midst of a busy life incidental to public
duties and political leadership in the House, Is
would hardly be expected that Mr. Garfield could
find much time to devote to society and literature
Yet he has for a long timc been an active and
hOnOred member of the Literary Society organize
tiOn embracing the most prominent men and women
in music art and literature OF the national capital
is usually present at their meetings and takes an
earnest but modest part IL, in their discussions:
% the Society and and entertained the members at his
house. Ho is usually accompanied by his wife on
these occasions bright intelligent and vivaciOps
little woman who has shared alike his early poverty
and successes, and always been at once Ills COM
panion, counsellor. wife and friend; His love Of
Massachusetts,, and bred in him as professor o{
languages and president Of Hiram College Ohio.
Even now his most cOngenial recreation Is stndy
Of classical literature. and it related Of him that
behind big 6arricads Sf books, yhichiproyed upon
and books. relating 10 that poet. ar ind an
oyerworked and need reereation." said he.
mind is not to let It be Idle, but to put IL at
something quite outside the'or{nary line Of employ
gressional Library can show about Horace and tho
various editions and translations OF his poeuasS
In accordance with this theory he warmly seconded
Society to organize purely classical literary club
And an application Of Il to his everyday life has
anywheretn men of public life. 60. - 80.
General Gariields devotion to his books N
second only to his love Of family and donieatio
habits and tastes. No one who has ever seem Aha
bread sx-footer supporting little old lady u 6e
tween eighty-fouT or cighty.fye years OF arc on