Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-22
Garfield and His Wife.
From The Whitehall Review

whom her tutor lOved-was for Garfield the star
of his hearts horizon till the last moment of his
life. In passage leading from the parlor to the
dining-rOOm in his house at Mentor, hangs pic
ture of nun about to enter the confessional in
cathedral. The resemblance of this sweet
face to that of Mrs. Garfield is very striking one
Of those accidental likenesses one sometimes OBJ
serves in picture, and which seems all the
more strange aud interesting because it
was evolved from the painters fancy with
out any knowledge of the dear model it
so greatly resembles So marked was the
face of the heaven-communing nun and that of
Mrs. Garfield. that 1 stopped before it as Gen.
CARRIED was taking me in to dinner. "HOw
like Mrs. Garfield" 1 exclaimed She was
directly behind me, walking with Gen. SWAIN
The married lovers exchanged fond glance and
Mrs. Garfield said, with joyous smile, ''The
General calls that his pretty girl!' This was his
pet name for herself, by which he always spoke
OF the accidental portrait. l never saw two
people talk SO much with their eyes as these
two did. 1t was evident that they consulted
each other upon every circumstance of life as it
arose, and that the action he took thereon was
the one which the mutual Judgment settled
upon as best.
saw him in the Senate chamber 60 through
the imposing ceremonial by which he was trans
to ruler whose bowers, while they last, are
more autOcratic than any kings The agitation
of the solemn moment had blanched the glowing
cheek. stilled the smile on the now pale lips;
but ever and anon he lifted his eyes to her,
as she sat in the gallery above and in front OF
him, and her calm, unruffied face seemed to give
him the response he needed-the only one he
could listen to, or sought. Any observer versed
In physiognomy could see that her eyes spoke
aloud to him across the space which separated
them. saying, "All is well. You are doing
nObly. l am proud ofyou." Behind the unim-
passiOned mask of her delicate features, held in
bondage by the power Of her will and fortitude,
there glowed the fire Of an enthusiastic love of
him, joy in him, support from her for him, to
which no cold description in written words can
do justice:
No one who saw President Garfield after his
installation in the White House can fail to have
observed the great change which his accession
to power had occasioned in him. Only at inter
walls did his bright jOyOusness shine out again,
as at the pleasant home at Mentor. The very
day after he became President the struggle for
the spells of office began with feIceness hith-
erto unparalleled in all the strife Of that kind
which has been seen at Washington. He was
half-maddened by his desire to do justice to all
the cOntending factions 1t was this feeling
which made him slow to give irrevoc-
able decisions. I was at the White
House one morning, and he referred to his anx-
1ety not to take step in haste which he might
tious slowness brought back the twinkle in his
eye, the smile on the rosy lip. 81 don't know
when l shall get around to that" he said. "You
know there's no telling when the Mississippi
river will reach given point" The sluggish
movement of the great Father of Waters was
hit off to the life by this impromptu epigram
The day called at the White House to say goud-
BY did not think it would be foreverI was
shown into the family drawing-room upstairs,
an apartment to which the public is not allowed
to penetrate.
Mrs. Garfield came in with her daughter
MOllie, splendid, large-limbed maiden of
fourteen her fathers self in feature and in form.
noble girl! Besides this heiress Of her fathers
grand proportions, Mrs. Garfield looks almost
smaller than her daughter; yet she cannot be
called little woman. Sweet-voiced, ladylike;
her apparel again most fitting, most simple,
most becoming.
The President enters, clad in a gray morning
suit, his hands in the Jackets side pockets.
Only moment! Such q rush Of people clamOr-
ing to see him! But during this moment hus-
band and wife continually glance afectionately
their old glance-their glance of Mentor, of
the Senate Hall, at each other. Eyes constantly
look love to eyes that speak again. Hecomplains
of the loss of sleep which the pressure of Presi-
Dental duties entails. 81 only slept four hours
last night" he says But he hopes everything
is doing well now. Life is to be joyous in the
future. There is always some trouble getting to
rights when we move house, is there nOt3 So.
goodbye, and God bless you! And he is gone.