The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-03-03
Garfield Leaving Mentor for Wash
rFrom the New Herald. /


MENTOR. Feb. 27-Long before the Mon
day Herald is read by its friends in Gotham,
the Garfield family, now peacefully slum-
herring. and. in Que or two instances, snor-
ing. will be up. dressed. and already tired
with preparing for the arduous duties of the
dan.
wish it were possible to picture one of
the scenes of to-day, so that the reader
might appreciate and hot misunderstood if.
Garfield and his family are Disciples and
members of little church of that denomi-
nation in this town. Very naturally they
desired to attend service this morning. and
in spite Of the rain and wind arranged to do
so. There is a great deal of human nature
in the Mentor people, and very naturally
they. too, thought it would be a good idea
to attend The service. Consequently, when
General Garield's carriage drove up the
General found himself part and parcel OF an
overcrowded congregation With a charac-
terstic mixture of stolidity and modesty be
led the way to his family pew, and shortly
thereafter the sermon began. The sermon
was preached by one of Garfield's old pas
tors, Elder Jones. and | am pleased to re-
cord that the Elder paid no attention to his
distinguished pupil, but went on about his
Masters business.
The service closed with the holy commu-
with becoming reverence. and joining after
ward and heartily and quite audibly in the
hymn beginning "All hail the power of
Jesus name." The entire congrega' ion
had little by little come into perfect har-
mony with the occasion. Mentor, you
know, is small, and all in the church had
known and liked Garfield their neighbor,
for many years. He felt it and they felt it,
and after the last chorus of Grown Him
Lord of ALL" was sung with genuine fer
vor, and the final prayer began, an atmos-
phere of sentiment pervaded the place and
dominated the situation until the preacher
mentioned ''our dear Brother Garfield" by
name and firmly commended him and his
family to the guidance and protection of the
One whose crown betokened Him Lord of
ALL" Then followed perfect chorus of
amens and much weeping and other signs
of interest. The benediction was pronounced
and an old-time Misunderstanding and goodbye
followed.
1t would, of course. be easy to turn this
emotional outburst into ridcule; but I
don't envy the man who does it,and don't
believe the country will feel any the less in
terestedin its President because he is human
and as full of unaffected sympathes al an
egg is of meat. The General pulled out his
wallet, paid his years subscription to the
church, and walked down the aisle and out
to his carriage with unwiped tears ON his
cheek, for he had forgotten to take hand
kerchief; and the people crowded after and
waved him an affectionate goodbye. He
had been coming to this sympathetic point
for several days. Everything conspired to
aid him except the inchoate state of his cab
met and the necessity of getting his physical
house in order, so that when, for the hour,
everything except his friends and their af-
fectionate demonstration was shut out, his
natural effusiveness dubbed up and ran
over.
The remainder of the day was devoted to
preparation for to-morrow's trip, and by
nightfall there was a semblance of order
There were no visitors of any consequence,
but an avalanche of letters and bushel of
kilograms, many OF which had 20 be attend
ed to then and there.