Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-08
MRS. GARFIELD AT MENTOR.
a Pleasing Portrait Of the UncOm.
ing Mistress of the White House.

Evening
lis it Garf1eld's house you want to find?'
said good natured Official at the depot. "Juss
go up this road TIL you strike the main road
turn TO your right and you'll pass yellow
TO house painted green, and the next ones a
a Kind OF pink; and that's Garfield's.o
with confused Idea OF the principles Of high
arr governing house painting 10 Mentor. the In
Qulrer formed himself into a procession OF one
and started up the barren country road en-.
llvened OILY by thoughts of those valiant bands
OF pilgrims WHO had formerly traversei that
via sacra. Again by The aid Of a pictorial irnari-
nation he saw the air Illuminated by the ro,eate
noses OF the first bald OF stalwart3, and again
heard the rustic OF the petticOats in the last
mao assault OF the AmazOnS upon the Garfield
citadel.
He reached the place and gael, as might a
tourist upon Waterloo e7er the historic orchard
aid pumpkin fields, lying peacefully now under
lhelr snowy Covering, aud giving no signs Of tne
recent scenes OF devastation, Crossing the wide
VeTanda, The solitary pilgrim rang the bell and
was ushered by wonderfully patient-iOok,ng
cCio:ed man servant into the Teceptiol-ro0m,
although that ia quite too formal a name to give
room combining such an air OF comfort with
its elegance; it is The elnanation or an artist
and firesfde genius in oue and you are not
surprised TO learn later That the mistress OF the
mansion Is an artist OF considerable skill.
royal CRATE fire burns brightly at one end OF the
room, over which is a Queen Anne mantel with
cabinet photographs of Garfield and Arthur,
painted candles and numerous articles OF brio.
a Drac. AT the opposite end of the apartment
stands fine upright piano. adorned With pho
tOgraphs OF Hancock. Marshall Jewell and Ole
Bull. over this fs French picture In bright
water coiors, on one side of which hangs copy
OF HelsSoniers Napoleon. on the other little
lar escape, painted and given her; Mrs. Garfield
relates, by her OLD drawing teacher OF whom
she tells
SOME INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES.
'She waS an English lady and went SOUTH"
Mrs. Garfield said. ''before the wal, and became
strong secession1st, but when l saw her last
she had reconsidered the question and cOnclud-
cd the north was In the right.
The quiet tinted walls or the reception room
are further adorned with large portraits or the
General aud Of his mother, one Of
ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, THE FOUNDER OF THE
FAITH
which Garfield tndorSe5 and a number OF other
pieces, among them copy OF Miss RinSon'5
'Hagar and her Son. fron-''let me see il can
remember the name" Mrs. Garfield said turn
ing the picture aud spelling out the italian
name from card Oh 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 thls,'n, pointing to a nttle gilt frame
decorated with pansieS. was sent 70 the gen
eral by a little Vermont girl her own work,
and the verse inscribed On it was written for
her by Whittier"
tories Mrs Garfield showed constantly the
artistic element In her nature as well as In a
hundred touches about the rooms.
sIhalihSured dark carpet covered the floor.
d smyrna rug lay before the ire In the glow OF
Which sat
THE FAMOUS GRANDMOTHER
quaint little figure, making with her snowy
hair ana cap, and her knitting work, a ;iJIing
adjunct TO an interior" charming enough for
arJhody's pencil There were easy Chairs and
lounges. speaking OF solid comfort, and little
center table piled up eareesSly with all kinds OF
books. school books. story books gay col0red
copy OF Ctlc. life Of the preSdent-elect, aud
BITS OF Talk" by Fl. H., being among them.
And there were also upon that taoIe-yes,
llxy 10 YNrfo,
known SLOUGH hat OF the generals, and a
roll OF red flannel, with Ihimb.e beside it,
BOOKS EVERYWHERE.
=. Everywhere-in every nook and corner
tnere are BOOKS. \ case in The parlOr contains
editions Of Waverly and Dickens French history
In the original, Old English poets and dramatists
richly bound In black and gold, and choice
collection or 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
mantle, open fire, pictures and shining silver.
There IS everywhere evidence OF the dainty
huuSekeeper.
The pilgrim wandered out through the back
regions OF the house where the tin wash basin
and milk cans which were really seen, would
no doubt b deemed objects OF sacred interest
to the enthusiastic adorer, and crossed over to
the detached Office. whose walls are lined with
pondeIouS volumes and where busy clerks and
peculiar hum OF the wires gives one some idea
or the work done there. popularity OF the
eiegraph wires running into Cen Garfield's
bells is conveyed distinctly over them. 80 miles
Under tree near The Office was spirited
picture. Tie two youngest Sciols Of the house
and the great SeWioundiand dog, all three In a
state OF frantic delight, We're chasing a coon
which had been sent the general By train that
morning. sample OF the odd aud Homogeneous
quality OF the presents whicn are showered
Upon 3i tne family Returning to the parlor the
visitor found Mrs Garfield seated before the
ME, and received her pleasant and cordial con-
sent TO the sketching OF her home for the bene-
III OF the pubic. who have natural and loyal
interest In It.
ThE FUTURE LADY OF The WHITE HOUSE
To those who would Wish to see a brilliant
society leader In the White House. Mrs, Garfield
viii perhaps be disappointment; but those
who have been led to think OF her as retiring.
mere domestic woman, Inadequate to the posi-
ton, Will also be disappointed. She is lads OF
admirable self-poise, dignity and thorough cul-
ture, reserved yet affab!e. and with the distin-
gushing trait OF genuineness. There i5 not q
trace OF afiectation about her. A Mentor gen
tleman remarked, There Isn't family In town.
apparently, SO little set up by the situation as
When asked If she dreaded the coming rcspon-
sibilities $50 much has been said Of her retiring
nature), she said slowly, with her brown eyes
nxed thoughtfuily on the fire; "Yes, In many
ways, but II has always been my experience so
far. that one grows fitted for responsibility as 1t
comes My greatest fear is that the time Will
slip by, and when IT is over shall have 1t to
look back TO with regret for the many things
that ought to have been DONE"
HER INFLUENCE IN THK MKT ADMINISTRATION.
With such spirit 1t Will be safe to trust the
woman influence in the next ADMINISTRATION
That It Is going to be an influence that Will be
1elt, 10 one who Is acquainted with Mrs. Gar
held doubts. Neither Is It doubted that her
career In The White House will compare favor
ably With that Of any Of her immediate prede-
cessora Her dignity Is such as will prevent
her from falling into the errors which made
Mrs. LineOln's reign so disf1gured with folly.
Her good sense good taste and patriotism win
Keep her from Mrs. Grants mistake of using
her position to fOist all her pauper relatives
upon the government. And Is safe to predict
she Will have breadth OF mind enough to avoid
the errors which, with the best OF Intentions on
her part, have arisen from Mrs. Hayes some
what limited Ideas. When Mrs. Hayes stated
doing anything pecullar-that she merely kept
her own opinions and style OF housekeeping and
transferred them to the White HOuse-she
stated what was literally true; but IN so saying
she admitted her tncapacity 10 meet. In the
wider sphere, the enlarged requirements of the
situation.
Mrs. GARFIELD, though a woman of equally
pre1udices over the boundary line Of COURTESY.
nor viii she oppose the appointment OF man,
lifted by craftsmanship and patriotism TO con.
serve IN Official position the best Interests OF
the country, because he doesn't belong to her
church.
Replying to aTemark about
her RELUCTANCE TO NEWSPAPER PUBLICITY
Mrs. Garfield said: 81 nave SEGA SD much that
was trashy. untrue and unjust published or
Washington people ia prominent positions that
| have become rather Disguised. EeSldes my
life has been utterly unevenJfuL There Is really
nothing 10 write OF IT."