The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-28
Alexander Stenhans' Home.


The Atlanta Constitution says the
committee appointed to convey Alex
ander Stephens to the gubernatorial
mansion, were, on arriving at Liberty
Hall. invited to breakfast. No less than
eight servants clustered about the table
and helped the guests, while major
domo of unyielding dignity directed
their movements, and three pickanin-
MES stood by the open fireplace and
watched the proceedings with undis-
guised interest A family of five kittens
tumbled about the floor, while two
case that led from the dining-room into
Il bought this house," said Mr..
Stephens, Sin 1912, from Mr.. Bird-and
to-day. for the first time, it is to be clos
ed up. We are packing up everything,
and the house will be closed up to-day,
except for Mr.. O'Neill, an old friend of
mine, who is now approaching his goth
year, and who will continue to live
here.n
''This is a library" said Mr.. Stephens,
sin which have spent many day and
night of work, and which leave with
great reluctance" 1t was not a preten-
tions room, but well filled. An i'm
mense basket of seed for distribution
sat on the floor. In q corner was a pile
of sweet potatoes. The entire wall
space was covered with books. These
were mostly on topics relating to the
war and constitutional questions. Every
conceivable history of the war and every
treatise on government ever published,
it appeared, were here, and the most of
them we'll thumbed.
You will notice." said Mr. Stephens,
''that have my house lighted with gas.
1t is curious fact, but my gas costs
me less than my Matches" ''Y ou must
have unskillful scratchers, then?" "No.
But great many of my visitors smoke
pipes, as do. and it takes four or five
matches to light pipe, especially in the
hands of those who are used to Goals.
1t costs me so cents week for matches
and only $19 year for gas. There is
no investment a country gentleman can
make that pays so well as to have his
own gas-machine.
"This room," said Mr.. Stephens, en-
tering bedroom adjoining the library,
"was occupied the night it was finished
by Smith O'Brien, the last of the line of
Irish kings of Munster. He spent q week
with me and was the grandest man in
some respects ever knew. His book on
representative government is the pro-
foundest work l ever read, except Mr..
Calhoun's, and is much more elaborate.
He was the foremost of the Irish patriots
in dignity and power. | had Toombs
here to meet him frequently, and it was
interesting to see them together Mr..
fbo,
in 1859, and l had resigned in view of
the coming storm-and was fond of
painting to O'Brien what magnificent
republic we could make of the south if
we were only cut off from the main body
of death, rs he called the north. In his
quiet but positive way O'Brien would
insist that the perpetuity of the Ameri-
can union. was the only hope for true
representative government on earth.
1t is we'll known that Mr.. Stephens is
poor. He spends his income on charity
and in entertaining, and has always
done so. While he is scrupulously exact
in his own personal expenses, he has
little thought of money spent on others.
1t is his boast that he has never turned
anyone away from his door. His income
on his books amounted to but little. An
old negro of 76, who is one month
younger than Mr., Stephens, and has
been with him seventy-six years, said:
''Why, he's better to dogs than most
folks is to folks. He feeds every dog as
comes to him, and when he dies he don't
just let him dry up; he buries him."
''Burics the dogs?' eyes, sir, just like
folks. He's got regular dog grave
yard in his garden. [ buried Frank
there two weeks ago, and Rio was
buried there, and there's heap O. dogs
buried there"
AS the car rolled out of the little town
this old'veteran was seen waving a tat
tered handkerchief, while what seemed
to be the entire population of Craw-
fordsville cheered Justify and gave the
new governor hearty send-off.