Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-26
A Word for the Mother.


Making visits in Washington one day in
the spring of 1870, returned that of Mrs.
Garfield, and after going into her house
was little put out TO be told by the servant,
at was mistake for Mrs. Garfield was
out" March weather is so rough in Wash
ington that throat subject to bronchitis
hipches from passing from the carriages
across those wide, wind-swept pavements
into the warm houses and back again Of.
tener than necessary. So when the servant
ran down to ask that would come in again,
that "the generals mother had read the
card and wished TO see me-" | went back,
chiefly moved by the idea of never willingly
disappointing child or an aged person.
Mrs. Garfield wished to see and know me
because of my (her) sons" (such tender
pride in the little word y deep interest in
and work for the cause we had all done our
best for in 1856, 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 interest in and knowledge
of events and men, and understood large
motives; a woman who had shared the life
of a growing man and a growing nation.
Turning 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 New York friend, still young and only
knowing surface conventional life. Her
| eyes were wet as this mother told--quite
| simply and as matter of course-of her lonely
early life and its struggles and privations,
and now OF the exceeding great reward she
had in "my (her) sons" success and his low
ing 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 D-they
were to dwell together in peace. Just then
General Garfield himself entered. Hearing
| was there he came in to see me, going first
however, to his mother, giving her the evi
IDENTIFY accustomed kiss of greeting, and
still holding her hand, thanked me for "com
ing back to please his mother" So see
them. The little gray mother at rest in the
love Of the good son she so frai and spent
with the battle of life he so nobly strong
and bright and glad. He did not look Sc
when | saw him next, this last May, wher
the Farragut statue was unveiled. The
light had gone ont both form and face wer'
stamped with endurance and hard resolve
in place of the bright, spontaneous courag'
so marked on his earlier face. When a mar
has been the target for the poisoned arrow
of presidential campaign, he may be a
stoical as an Indian but the scar remains
And this marked change was still more no
ticeable the last time l saw the president
on the 18th of June. Something had hat
to be referred to the president, and hat
gone down to see it through the necessar,
departments, ending with an appointment
from the president I" for four o'clock this af
ternoon." was there punctually, when tn
president came in and dropped-not sa
down, but let himself go-into an armchair
fixed sadness was on his face, and the los
Of all red tinge from the skin made me tel
him was glad that they were both goin
away from that unhealthy house. Mr.:
Garfeld's dangerous illness had, | know
greatly grieved him. But beyond that wa
look of
lifel how little worthi
weary, weary earth!
the look of one who has got behind tn
scenes and counts the cost and finds it great
From the outside no one can Judge, but i
seems like mistaken kindness that tha
mother and son should have been apart whe
the end came. What if it should end hi
feeble life? She had never counted tn
cost of being mother. For myself woul
have better liked that the mother-heart tina
answered to his every baby cry had been bt
side him when his great heart broke tina
the hand / had seen so fondly outstretohe
to hers should have found hers also when b
was reaching out into the great darkness.
This family has been long held under tn
/ burning glass of inspection. Out of tn
scrutiny has come one unbroken impressio
of respect and tenderest pity. Their ul
rightness and simplicity, their united an
blameless domestic life, their genuine Chri
tian silence and dignity, have reused to el
preston the best underlying feeling of tn
whole country and found response through
out the world-most beautifully from f.
gland. 1t was good thought to take froI
death the added sting of poverty; and th
original sum named has bsen more tina
made up. The power of the America
people rarely finds expression. Its usus
form is only delegated power through the
representatives; but where they can act d
rectly the expression is singularly true an
: forcible. Often our nation has shown it ha
the heart to feel and the hand to give, bu
never has il expressed itself 80 unitedly an
80 overwhelmingly as now. Aud | am sure
speak the feeling of many and many a sol
when | suggest that part of the remain
ing gift of the people should be set asid
for the venerable mother of our dead pres
, dent Looking back-past the agony, pa!
: the conflicts Of power-back to the quit
time when | saw him in his home with hi
mother, realize how this would meet h
feeling. He is beyond our aid. But thel
: comes before me clearly the bright, fran
5 manner of his saying, Thank you for gi
r ing pleasure to my mother"