The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-03-03
How GarGald,s Homo Looks Now.

II was n blusterv day when your cor
respondent arrived at Mentor, after q
sleigh ride of six miles from gainesville
over level road, bordered by farm
houses thick enough almost to form Z
village. No one was at home but Mr..
Rudolph, father of Mrs, Garfield, and
two grandsons, bright little fellows OF )
and Z. Mrs. Garfield lives in Clevc'
land, but the Mentor homestead re-
mains about rs il was, inside and out,
and is occupied by her father and
mothers family. In the hall stands
"grandfather clock the only ancient
piece OF furniture ! saw about the
house. While our party ataround the
hall baseburner, Mr., Rudolph. the
father of the Presidents wife. slipped
off to the shed. split some wood and
kindling, and made fire on the andi-
rons in the reception room. Was the
like ever known, but in n republic!
With what contempt would Britisher
view such q proceeding on the part Of
one of the royal household. When the
fire was kinded he sat and chatted OF
various matters in quiet, intelligent
and modest way. not at all abiding to
his connection with the late most dis
tnguished citizen of the republic, nor
ia the slightest degree showing con-
scious sense of the elevation of his fam
ily, or a desire to make an exhibit OF
anything about the premises. Here was
a fair type of republican simplicity.
Looking ut Us from the wall was a
striking portrait of General Garfield
painted bv New York artist. To me
it seemed an excellent likeness. yet
there were points about 1t that did not
satisfy the friends, They said it was
painted. however, in marvelously
short time, the artist beginning at once
with the brush without previously
sketchng or measuring. Just over the
upright piano hung small painting of
"Mo.her's Bible" with her spectacles
upon it, In the hall is portrait Of
Washington, and ut the head of the
stairs one OF Lincoln. Near Lincoln
is q steel portrait of Bismarck, with the
gruff old Germans autograph attached:
also the picture of the signing OF the
proclamation of emancipation, pre-
scented by Carpenter Next is a sketch
of the Electoral Commission being adj
dressed by Eyarts. 1t gives very good
portraits of all the leading politicians of
that time. including the wives of many
who sat in the audience. Books are in
almost every room on low. open shelves
of the modern style. There was good
variety, yet few volumes outside of the
eminent novelsts could be called light
noticed II beautiful copy of
Horace that had evidently been favor
lite, and one of Shakespeare with worn
ont binding. ! was taken into the Gen
erals little study, and shown the desk
that had been his in Congress, by the
side of which he had won his fame, and
ut which, when transferred to his home,
he wrote his speeches and important
documents. After lengthy mental labor
he loved to call his family into his study,
and rccreate himself with anecdotes and
cheerful conversation.
1t was easy TO determine the style Of
man who had been the owner of these
premises by the clear evidences of lib
crafty, culture, artistic taste. domestic
and patriotic and religious
sentiment What model for the pres
idency of republic! Gin. gazette.