Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1880-12-09
Our Next President and his Family.
From Mr.. T. L. Nichols Sketch.

| tllu p1CUuICS 11c 10 NlIIlG1 fCly
He sings songs and reads poetry, studies
mathematics, problems, and translates "knot-
ty' passages Of the Greek Testament with
equal interest and relish. I remember once
seeing gentleman showing him what is
called a trick with cards." After trying it a
few times, Mr. Garfield said: THAT is no
trick-it is the result of some law of num-
bers; it is a mathematical problem, depend
ing on the number Of cards, spots, etc" That
night he determined to solve the problem. |
went to bed about midnight and left him
working at it, In the morning he said he
had sat up until after three, but, like Archi-
medes, he had found it," and he had covered
a dozen sheets Of paper with algebraic for
mulas in the operation.
| think Garfield would like to be rich-at
least better off than he is; but he could never
endure the kind of life that makes men rich
the continued and mOnotOnOus routine and
attention that is required in mere mOney-get-
ting. That kind of mental food wouldn't
nOurish his intellectual nature. He is ambi
tious, and in a true and laudable sense, proud
He likes to excel He told me the evening
the nominations were made in Chicago that
he would rather have the credit of making
the best speech before such an audience than
to get the nomination. People may not
readily believe it, but Garfield's speech NOM
| mating Sherman was very nearly an i'm
| promptu speech Garfield is temperance
man, though not total abstinence man."
have seen wine ON his table twice in Wash
i,,oto,, ot n fact Of
ner party / know that liquor is not habitu-
ally used about his house, and that he very
rarely touches it himself He is not at all
sensitive on the subject of temperance, nor
desirous of concealing his views and practice
General Garfield is fond of his home and his
farm. He walks his visitors around and
shows them the Improvements he has made,
and explains those he cOntemplates. He
shows his stock, machinery and crops with as
much enthusiasm as Horace Greeley used to
display on the same subjects. He finds the
farm source of perpetual pleasure and in
terest One cannot be about Mentor long
without finding out that Garfield likes his
neighbors and they like him.
Mrs. Garfield is very pleasant but not 4
demonstratiye woman. She is well educated
and appreciates the good things in literature
and art. She reads solid" books, and the
magazines; looks well after the house and
teaches her own children; she is a "help-
meet" and an entertaining companion for her
husband, and abundantly able to entertain
his most intellectual friends and visitors. I
should think her most marked characteristic
is that of perfect attention to her own busi-
ness, and no meddling with other peoples.
She is unOstentatiOus. She refused to allow
her photograph to be sold OF her picture to
be engraved, though earnestly pressed to do
so by photographers, engravers, and by many
friends. / suspect she don't care to be writ
ten about much either and l don't wish to
do violence to her desire in this respect by
extended comments
The children are two boys one girl, and
two more boys. Their first child was girl,
which died when few months old. The last
one was boy who died when about two
years old. Harry, the eldest living, is Is
Abram, the youngest, is 8; Jim is IA, Molly
II, and Irwin 10 years old. Harry isa quiet,
steady boy, very obedient and dutiful, par
ticularly respectful towards his parents and
grandmother. The writer had an opportu-
nifty of seeing a Characteristic letter which he
wrote to his mother shortly after the Chicago
Convention he and Jim being at school at
Concord, n. H, at the time. He spoke of the
fact that some of his schoolmates had mani
tested great deal more interest in himself
and Jim since their "pa" was nominated for
President He evidently thought this little
snobby, and said he didn't consider that they
were a bit bigger or better than they were
before, and that he would respect his father |
just as much 'even if he were nothing but |
Congressman all his life" He didn't seem |
to think it very big thing to be Congress
man.
jim is what is called q rOllicking boy He |
Is never known to be still, unless asleep. |
Both physically and mentally he is strong |
and quick. He masters his studies almost |
without effort and in incredibly short time |
At school he excels at the gymnasium and |
spring-board at home he stands on his head
and walks on his hands, turns somersaults, |
and jumps the fence in preference to opening
the gate. He is good-natured, kind-hearted
and accommodating, and famous for boyish
devllment Molly is rather quiet girl, |
with remarkably good sense for her years
she keeps to her lessons pretty close, and
plays the piano very well. Irwin is the
queerest genius ofthe family, though don't
know how to describe him. Abram is an ar
tlst, lie IS always making pictures and
seems to prefer drawings of machinery. A
train of cars is one of his favorite drawings,
and he will have the engine, baggage and
mail cars, the coaches and sleepers, all so
perfect that it would take an expert to find
a part left out
The Paris Figaro tells story which Sarah
Bemhardt tells on herself When playing
once in "RuE Bias, at the Odeon Theatre,
fellow threw loaf of bred at her from the
peanut gallery, with the remark that he
hoped she'd eat it and get little fatter The
story now circulating about her is that an
empty cab drove up to the stage door of
Booths theatre and Sarah Bernhardt got out.