Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-05-05
A HISTORIAN.
Skotoh ef His Qliet, Pleasant Life at New
port ami in Washing on.
A WELCOME GUEST AT a DINNER
TABLE.

George Bancroft is eightytwo. He
has been writing history for years.
1t has heightened his days. Perhaps
that's the reason why Blaine con-
templates history of political events
in the United States between the
Lincoln and Garfield administra-
tions. 1 wonder whether the other
shelved statesmen who propose to
settle down in their Washington pal
aces purpose writing history. Ferry
might tell us all about silver mines
Window could enlighten the world
on stock operations; Saunders of
Nebraska could give us points on
agriculture as species of political
capital. What a history of the navies
of the world Robeson could write
and how entertaining voluntary con
tribution Hubbelfs essay on political
assessments, past and present, would
be! At any rate, Mr.. Bancroft lives
a life that any of them might envy.
He has everything that heart could
desire-fame in his lifetime, houses
and friends, horses and roses, books
and bouquets. He lives well at New
port in summer, and he lives better
in Washington in winter. He said
the other day that that was his idea
of a sensible life-sx months of the
country in summer and six months
of the city in winter, with plenty of
flowers and friends and books and
horses in both. He is fond OF roses
he has some of the finest in the
world, both here and at Newport
and of books and of paintings and of
sculptures and of fine horses. So are
u great many other people, but un
like majority of them, he is able to
have what he wants. One thing that
he enjoys very much is horseback
riding on the smooth roads north of
Washington. When he can get
companion or two he is almost happy.
When several pedestrians or eques-
trians have bowed to him he is quite
happy. He is, like most successful
men, profoundly self respectful. He
likes to- have people bow to him
whether he knows them or not An
other thing no is fond of is dining
out. He is a welcome guest at any
dinner table in Washington. from
the President down. He has great
conversational powers and an abund-
ant fund of anecdotes and recollec
tions. He is entirely adequate to the
of one end of any din
ner table. He tells a story about
man who has been dead fifty years as
though he had been with us but yes
terday In the course of his long life
he has held such positions at home
and abroad as brought him in con-
tact with the best as we'll as the most
prominent men in the world. His
is simply marvellous. 1t is
full of well arranged facts, faces and
the accumulation of busy,
brilliant lifetime. He told at din
ner, not long ago, with great neatness
and grace, tho story of near r-sighted
old Governor Lincoln of Massachu-
sets, who, crossing Boston Common
sixty or seventy or eighty years ago,
bowed gravely and courteously to a
flock of geese then advancing toward
him, with THANK you. my children;
very polite of you to bow: I'm sure"
No one could have initiated the an
cient Governors manner and voice
more perfectly than did the bright
eyed, white-haired octogenarian
across the table, and the laughter
that followed was as deserved as it
was hearty. Mr.. Bancroft has a
warm side for all Massachusetts, peo
pie. He takes enough time every
day ont of his busy life to stop at the
hotels where the Boston people usu-
ally stop. "Any Boston people here?'
he asks, and If the clerk says Yes"
he adds: Here are some cards; put
them in their boxes. Good day"
And then he is off again to his drive
or his book.