The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-03-23
The Presidents Mother.
CHARACTERISTIC LETTERS FROM THE AGED MHS.
GARFIELD-A MOTHkRS : PRIDE.
IErn1n the PcOria JOurnall

From the Peoria Journal
We stated the other day that MIS-. Car
field is cousin of Mrs. Mary Flint, the
mother Of d. II. andS. :. Trpp, now living
in the family OF the latter. Last fail Mrs.
Flint wrote to Mrs. Garfield. and received
the following letter from her. II contains
50 much that il interesting that we give It..
The letter is written by the old lady herself,
in peculiar handwriting, the letters bcin"
tremulou> with age. but very tall and well
made. We give the letter below:
MENTOR, o.. September II, 1880.
"My Dear COusin.-With much pleasure
ana surprise received your very welcome
letter. have often thought OF You, but did
not know whether you were living or not;
having got your letter, resolved to answer
it without delay. In the first place, we are
all well, for which | am truly thankful. |
hardly know where TO begin. 1t will be
seventeen years in December since James
first went to Congress. He has been there
ever Siuce-wintCrS. mean. | have been
in Washington thirteen winters. We al
ways come 10 Ohio summers. -Four wears
ago james bought a farm in Mentor, in Lake
county, Of 1jG acres. Ii is a splendid
farm. We have horses and cows, and
sheep, and hogs, and turkeys, and hens.
We enjoy living on the farm very much. 1t
is ouiy sixteen miles from Orange, where
james vas born. My children are living
near me, but my oldest son tie lives IN
Michigan j. farmer, has two ctildren-a
son and a daughter-Ooth married. The
girls both live where they did when you
were here. James has five children--fOur
sons and one daughter. The two oldest
bows are st school in New Hampshire in
Concord. They have been there one wear
and are going another year. Henry VIII he
seventeen next month ana james will be tii-
teen. How | wish | could see you, and
what a good time we would have; but
my sands OF life are nearly run out.
shall be seventy-nine next Tuesday. but my
health has been good for four or five years.
The last few weeks | have not felt well;
we have had such rush OF company since
the nomination that | get real tired. eN-
pect it will be 20 til after the election. II
James is elected, as / hope he will he. pray
he may have judgment " wisdom N
strength TO steer the ship OF state into safe
m0OringS. Ii do say il. he is very smart
man. Our friends are dropping TO the right
and TO the left. Ii will soon be our turn !;
let us be prepared for the change, that when
we are done with earth we may meet in
heaven. Give my kind regards to all OF
your children, and, with very much love. |
remain your cousin, ELIZA GARFIELD"
The next letter has just been received.
We give it in full. Part OF the other letter,
where she speaks OF individuals unknown
to our readers, we have omitted:
"WHITE House, March I, 1881.
"Mv Dear Cousin,- received your good
letter Il your picture also, Il would answered
sooner, but waited 10 get my picture.
have some, and will send you one, though
t1ey are not good. / am happy TO tell you
that we are all pretty well. but good deal
tired out. We have passed through the
greatest rush OF people for the last six
months tha: | ever saw. Since the lnaug-
uration 1t is one steady stream OF old
friends calling. Ii takes pretty much
all OF the time 10 entertain them; they
want TO see the Presidents mother. am
the first mother that has occupied the White
House and her son President. but | feel
very thankful for such son. l don't like
the word proud, but II must use II think
in this case il is quite appropriate. How
many times my miad goes back ID our girl
hood sehoo-days but changes take place.
! have seen sorrowful days, and have seen
happy days. l was once young, ana am
now old, but 1 have never seen the rig1t.
eoUs forsaken or his seed begging his bread.
] have got a very pleasant room, nice fur
nished, and waited on IN the very best man
ner possible. Now want you 10 write TO
me. Our folks all send love to you. With
very much love, IJemain. your aged cousin,
"ELlzA GARFIELD"