The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-03-31
An Interesting Incident Of the Inau.
guratiOn.

IL IS seldom GnaC the T0pOTCOrlal
agents of the press are entirely unani-
nous in regard to the most interesting
feature of great public ceremonial;
and this rare unanimity is perhaps the
most noticeable, certainly the most sug-
q ---..-, r~~.aisA1Cy W IHc lnuumeraOle
pen pictures of the Inauguration. Await
ing the appointed hour brilliant audi
ence filled the Senate chamber. On
the floor were the leaders of the two
great political parties, the chosen rep
resentatives of every State and Territory
in the Republic, and mingled with them
distinguished gentlemen from near and
far; soldiers. statesmen, jurists, schol-
ars, whose names are household words,
and who have made and are making the
Nation $ history. Gathered in the place
assigned them were the members of
the Diplomatic corps, in gorgeous cos
tunes glittering with gold lace and dec
orations-the representatives of all that
is best in Christendom and heather
dom, f:om imperial England to imperial
China. In the galleries the pick and
flower of American civilizations; fair
women and brave men, the representa-
tives of the culture and the capital, the
grace and the energy. the refinement
and the power, which are shaping and
urging American progress. In the
doorways and lobbies were the
eager multitude, representing the
bone and sinew of the land, its
workmen in the field, the shop, the
store, the Office. A magnificent spec
taele, such as no other country on earth
can present. And The central figure in
it was little old lady in the front of
the gallery, dressed in plain black silk,
with a hood-like bonnet drawn close
around the withered face and half.
hiding hair which eighty years have
bleached to snowy whiteness. She
looks down upon the bewildering scene
such scene as she had never even
dreamed of before-without q trace of
or emotion. The old lady
is watching and waiting for some one
who has not yet arrived, and until he |
comes she has no eyes or thoughts for
what is going on around her. At last
she sees him, standing as President
elect OF the United States in front of |
the Vice-Presidential desk. The with
cred face lights up. the lips tremble and
the tears start. What q tide of feeling |
must have swept through that mother
heart ut the sight of that son! How
must have carried her back to
those dismal days of poverty and
when the son put into
the mother hand his first earnings,
aud when neither he nor she could look
forward to anything better than life
Of obscurity and toll. An hour later
was busy again, for the inau-
yural address was ended, the inaugural
oath taken, and her cheek felt the filial
Kiss of gratitude and cougratulation.
Is it any wonder that even case
hardened reporters were touched by
his incident, SO natural and vet so un-
usual? 1t was worth to them, aud to
Iii who read their descriptions, all the
est of the days performance. Mrs.
Garfield is the only mother who has
Witnessed sons Inauguration; if we
nay believe what is said by those who
know her best, no mother was ever
more worthy to have that proud pleas
Use. Not a brilliant woman, not
lighly-educated woman, perhaps not
What would be called q refined woman,
tut q good woman. nevertheless-a
woman
"NObly planned,
To warn, to comfort, t. command"
1t is said that her son strongly resem-
lies her in face, and that whatever in
ellectual ability he possesses comes
rom the maternal side. But be this as
may, he has more than once declared
hat to his mother he owes everything;
hat but for her courage, perseverance,
lear sighted judgment, recognition and
Emulation of his capacities, he would.
n all probability, never have risen
hove the humble station in which he
vas born. In his opinion it was the
mother in him and with him that lifted
he wood-chopper's apprentice to the
thief Magistracy Of the first Republic
d the world. Such woman. such .
mother, deserves to see what Mrs. Gar
Iel6 saw on the 4th Of March, 1884,.
u L0ais Republican. |,