Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-10-12
ANECDOTES OF GARFIELD.
Pleasing "reminiscences by Represen
tatiue Williams, of Wisconsin.

l -
tatiue Williams, of Wisconsin.
Congressman Williams was in the
city yesterday, and, in answer to ques-
tions as to his acquaintance with the
lamented President, replied:
Happening to sit within one seat of
him for four years in the House, l,
with others, perhaps, had better OPP
portunity to see him In all his moods
than those more removed. In action
he was a giant; off duty he was a
great, noble boy. He never knew
what austerity of manner or cermoni-
Gus dignity meant. After some of his
greatest efforts in the House, such as
will live in history he would turn to
me or any one else and say: We'll,
old boy, how was that p Every man
was his confdant and friend so far as
the interchange of everyday good feel
ing concerned He once told me how
he prepared his speeches that first he
filled himself with his subject, massing
all the facts and principles involved, so
far as he could then he took pen and
paper and wrote down the salient
points in what he regarded their logi-
cal order. Then he scanned these crit
ically and fixed them in his memory.
And then.' said he, Il leave the paper
in my room, and trust to the emergen-
cy.' He told me that when he spoke
at the serenade in New York a year
ago he was so pressed by callers that
the only opportunity he had for prep
aration was to lock the door and walk
three times around the table when he
was called out to the balcony to begin.
All the world knows what that speech
was. He was wrapped up in his fami-
ly. His two boys would come up to
the House just before adjournment
and loiter about his desk with their
books in their hands. After the House
adjourned other members would 60 off
in cars or carriages, or walk down the
avenue in groups But Garfield, with
boy on each side of him, would walk
down Capitol Hill, as we would say
in the country, 'cross-lots,' all three
chatting together on equal terms. He
said to me one day during the canvass,
while tears came to his eyes: Il have
done no more coming up from poverty
than hundreds and thousands of 9th
sers but / am thankful that l have
been able TO keep my family by my
side and educate my children He
was man with whom anybody could
differ with impunity. l have said re-
peatedly that were Garfield alive and
fully recovered, and dozen of his in
innate friends were to 60 to him and
advise that Guiteau be let of, he would
say: Yes, let him co. The man
positively knew no malice. And for
such man to be shot and tortured
like dog and by dog! lie was ex-
tremely sensitive. 1 have seen him
come into the House In the morning
when some guerrilla of the press had
stabbed him deeper in his feelings than
Guiteau's bullet did in the body, and
when he looked pallid from suffering
and the evident loss of sleep; but he
would utter no murmur, and in some
short time his great exuberance of
spirit would surmount it all, and he
would be boy again. He never went
to lunch without troop of friends
with him. He loved to talk at the
table, and there is no gush in saying
be talked like god, socially and intel
lectually. Some of his off-hand express
sions were like burst of inspiration.
Like all truly great men, he did not
seem to realize his greatness. And,
as have said, he would talk as cor
daily and confdentially with a child
as with monarch Aud / only refer
to his conversations with me because
you ask me to, and because | think
his off-band conversations with any
one reveal bis real traits best. Com
ing on the train from Washington after
his nomination, he said: Only think
of this, / am yet young man if elect
ed and l serve my term l shall still be
young man Then what am | going
to do? There seems to be no place in
America for an ex-President = And
then came in what l thought the ex-
treme simplicity and real nobility of
the man. Why said he, i had no
thought of being nominated. | had
bought me some new books and was
getting ready for the Senate l laugh
ed at the idea of his buying books, like
boy going to college, and remember
ed that during his Congressional career,
he had furnished material for a few
books himself And then, with that
peculiar roll of the body and slap ON
shoulder with the left hand which oil
will recognize, he said: why! do
you know that up to 1856 | never saw
q Congressional Globe nor knew what
one was p And he then explained
how he stumbled on to one in the
hands of an opponent in his first public
anti-slavery debate. A friend remark.
ed the other day that Garfield would
get as enthusiastic in digging six.
foot ditch with his own hands as when
making a speech in Congress Such
was my observation. Going down the
lane he seemed to forget for the time
that there was any Presidential can
vass pending. He would refer first to
one thing then tire other, and always
with that off-hand originality which
was his great characteristic. Sudden
| ly picking up a smooth, round pebble
he said Look at that Every stone