The Columbus journal., 1881-10-12

unsD III tuO opiihS vi low AShuihS
that of Mrs. Garfield, and, after going
into her house, l was little put ou
to be told by the servant that at wa'
amistake, for Mrs. Garfield was out. ;
March weather is so rough in Wash
ington that throat subject to bron
chitis flinches from passing from the
shelter of the carriage across those
wide, wind-swept pavements into
the warm houses and back again
oftener than necessary. So when
the servant ran down to ask that !
would come in again, that "the gen.
erals mother had read the card and
wished to see me-" / went back,
chiefly moved by the habit of never
willingly disappointing a child or an
aged person. Little children believe
in the good will of every one, while
the old-whst disappointments have
they not metl
Twas glad then that | did 60 back.
Now, the historical picture that visit
gave me makes me speak this word
for the mother of General Garfield.
Mrs. Garfield wished to see and
know me because of "my (her)
sons" (such tender pride in the little
words y deep interest in the work
for the cause we all had done our
best for i'm 1859 and had continued
to work for until the war closed that
chapter of the nations history.
She was very small and quiet, but
full of fresh interest in the clear
knowledge of events and men, and
understood large motives; a woman
who had shared the life of growing
man and a growing nation. Turn
ing to more personal topics and the
bringing up of boys, which she
dwelt on as so much the mothers
work, Mrs. Garfield told US of her
own "good SON." | had with me a
New York friend, still young and
only knowing surface conventional
life. Her eyes were wet as this
mother told-quite simply and as a
matter of course-of her lonely early
life and its struggles and privations,
and now of the exceeding great re-
gard she had in "my sons success
and his loving care for her; of the
place he gave her in his life, and in
this new home where--all the war
and dangers safely ended--they were
to dwell together in peace.
Just then General Garfield himself
entered. Hearing I! was there he
came in to see me, going first, how
ever, to his mother and giving her
the evidently accustomed kiss of
greeting, and, still holding her hand,
thanked me for 'coming back TO
please his mother"
So | see them. The little gray
mother at rest in the love Of good
son; she so frsil and spent with the
battle of life; he 90 nobly strong and
bright and glad.
Ii did not look so when / saw him
next, this last May, when the Farra-
gut statue was unveiled. The light
had gone out; both form and face
were stamped with endurance and
hard resolve, in place of the bright,
spontaneous courage so marked on
his earlier face. When a man has
been the target for the poisoned
arrows of Presidential campaign,
he may be as stoical as an Indian,
but the scar remains.
And this marked change was still
more noticeable the last time | saw
the president-the 18th of June. We
now know that the following morn
ing, the 18th of June, had been orig
inslly fixed by his assassin as the
time for his act. That morning /,
too, left Washington the same train.
How unconscious we all were of the
close-coming tragedy!
Something had to be referred TO
the president, and had gone down
TO see it through the necessary de-
psrtments, ending with an appoint
ment from the president "for 4
o'clock tnis afternoon" Twas there
punctually when the president came
in and dropped-not sat down, but
let himself go-into an armed chair
q fixed sadness was on his face, and
the loss of all red tinge from the
skin made me tell him 1 was glad
they were both going away from that
unhealthy house. Mrs. Garfield:
dangerous illness had, knew, great
ly grisved him. Beyond that wa
q look of
o, life! how little worth!
Oweary, weary earth!
the look of one who has got behinC
the scenes and counts the cost ant
finds il great.
The rest by the sea at fated Elber
on restored much of his own man
ner and look, but | did not see hin
again. To me be remains as sav