Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-02-11
MRS. GARFIELD At HOME.
A Pen-POrtrait Of the IncOmIng Lady
Of the white House.
Letter to tho Detroit Evening News.I

said a good-natured official at the depot
'Just go up this road till you strike the main
road, turn to your right and you'll pass a yell
low building; that's the post Office. Then
you come to house painted green and the
next ones a kind of pink, and that's Gar
feld'sl"
With a confused idea of the principles
of high art governing house painting in Men
tor, the inquirer formed himself into pro-
cession of one and started up the barren coun-
try road, enlivened only by thoughts of those
valiant bands of pilgrims who had formerly
traversed that Uia saord. Again, by the aid
of pictorial imagination, he saw the dir H.
Illuminated by the roseate noses OF the first
band Of stalwarts, and again heard the rustic
Of the petticoats in the last mad assault of the
Amazons upon the Garfield citadel.
He reached the place and gazed, as might a
tourist upon Waterloo over the historic Or
chard and pumpkin fields, lying peacefully
now under their snowy covering, and giving
no signs of the recent scenes of devastation.
Crossing the wide veranda, the solitary pill
grim rang the bell, and was ushered by q
wonderfully patient looking coloped man-ser-
want into the reception room, although that
is quite too formal name TO give a room
combining such an air Of comfort with its
elegance it is the emanation of an artist and
q fresde genius in one, and you are not sur
prised TO learn later that the mistress Of the
mansion is an artist of considerable skill. A
royal CRATE fire burns brightly at one end of
the room, over which is Queen Anne man
tel, with cabinet photographs of Garfield and
Arthur painted candles and numerous articles
of bric-a a-brac. At the opposite end of the
apartment stands a fine upright piano, adorn-
ed with photographs of Hancock, Marshall
Jewell and Ole Bull Over this is French
picture in bright water colors, on one side of
which hangs a copy of Messoniers Napoleon,
on the other a little landscape painted and
given her, Mrs. Garfield relates, by her old
drawing teacher, of whom she tells some in
teresting "reminiscences.
"She was an English lady and went
South, Mrs. Garfield said, "before the war
and became a strong secessionist, but when
saw her last she had reconsidered the ques-
ton and concluded the North was in the
right"
The quiet tinted walls of the reception
room are further adorned with large portraits
of the General and his mother, one OF Alex
ander Campbell, the founder Of the faith
which Garfield indorses, and a number Of
other pieces, among them copy of Miss
RaDsom's "Hagsr and her Son." from-'let
me see if l can remember the name" Mrs.
Garfield said, turning the picture and spell
ing out the Italian name from card on the
back. Miss Ransom put the card there so
that shouldn't forget the name, because he
was not one of the best known painters"
And this, pointing to little gilt frame
decorated with pansies, was sent to the Gen
eral by a little Vermont girl her own work,
and the verse inscribed on it was written for
her by Whittier"
In this interest in her pictures and their
histories Mrs. Garfield showed constantly the
artistic element in her nature, as well as in
hundred touches about the rooms.
A small-6gured dark carpet covered the
floor, Smyrna rug lay before the fire, in the
glow Of which sat the famous grandmother, a
quaint little figure, making, with her snowy
hair aud cap and her knitting work, a fitting
uluutA W hll lbAfIlhE tuOuku IOT
anybody's pencil. There were easy-cbairs
and lounges, speaking of solid comfort, and a
little centre-table piled up carelessly with all
kinds Of books, school books, story books, a
gay-colored copy of Chic, life of the Pres-
dent elect and bits of Talk, by II. H., be-
ing among them. And there were also upon
that table-yes, actually, dear prim house
la tha ysalI l,nxpp pIn,,,h hot ,f 1la
General and roll of red flannel, with q
thimble beside it,
Everywhere-in every nook and corner
there are books. A case in the parlor con-
tains editions Of Wayerly and Dickens, French
history in the original old English poets and
dramatists richly bound in black and gold,
and choice collection of miscellaneous
works in the little hallway leading to the
dining room are books, and in the dining
room itself more books The last is CHEEKY
room with ITS handsome tiled mantel, open
fire, pictures and shining silver. There is
everywhere evidence of the dainty house
keeper
The pilgrim wandered out through the back
regions of the house where the tin wash basin
anu hhAA Nehoi hNAo Athh1 bHGuf NOulu
no doubt be deemed objects of sacred inter
est to the enthusiastic adorer, and crossed
over TO the detached office, whose walls are
lined with ponderous volumes, and where
busy clerks and peculiar hum of the wires
gives one some idea of the work done there
A peculiarly of the telegraph wires running
into Gen. Garheld's Office is that the sound of
Clevelands church bells is conveyed distinct
ly over them, thirty miles.
Under a tree near the Office was a spirited
picture. The two youngest scions of the
house and the great Newfoundland dog, all
three in state of frantic delight, were chas-
ing a coon which had been sent the General
by train that morning, a sample of the odd
and incongruous quality of the presents which
are showered upon the family. Returning to
the parlor the visitor found Mrs. Garfield
seated before the fire, and received her pleas
ant and cordial consent TO the sketching of
her home for the benefit of the public, who
have o natural and loyal interest in it. To
those who would wish to see a brilliant So
ciety leader in the White House, Mrs. Gar
field will perhaps be a disappointment; but
those who have been led to think of her as q
retiring, mere domestic woman, inadequate
to the position, will also be disappointed
She is a lady of admirable self-pose, dignity
and thorough culture, reserved, yet aTable,
and with the distinguishing trait of genuine
ness. There is not a trace of aheetation
about her A Mentor gentleman remarked,
''There isn't family in town apparently SO
little set up by the situation as the Gar
fields"
When asked if she dreaded the coming re-
sponsibilities $50 much has been said of her
retiring naturs) she said slowly, with her
brown eyes fixed thoughtfully on the fire ,
''Yes, in many waysj but it has always been
my experience, so far, that one grows fitted
for responsibility as it comes. Ny greatest