Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-01-18
How Garfeld's Home Now Looks
Cincinnati Gazette.

IL was blustery day when your cor
respondent arrived in Mentor, after
sleigh ride Of six miles from Painsviile
over a level road, bordered by farm
houses thick enough almost to form
village No one was home bat Mr..
Rudolph father of Mrs Garfield, and
two grandsons, bright little fellows of 5
and 6. Mrs. Garfield lives in Cleve-
land, but the Mentor homestead re.
mains just as it was, inside and out,
and is occupied by her father and
mothers family. In the hall islands
"grandfather's clock" the only ancient
piece of furniture l saw about the
house. While our party sat around
the hall base burner, Mr.. Rudolph the
father of the presidents wife, slipped
off TO the shed, split some wood and
kindling, and made q fire on the and
irons in the reception room. Was the
like ever known, but in republic?
with what contempt would q BrItisher
view such proceeding on the part of
one of the royal household! When the
fire was kindled he sat and chatted of
various matters IN quiet, intelligent
and modest way, not at all abiding to
his high connection with the late most
distinguished citizen of the republic,
nor in the slightest degree showing q
conscious sense of the elevation Of his
family, or desire to make an exhibit
of anything about the premises. Here
was fair type of republican simplicity
Looking at us from the wall was a
striking portrait of General Garfield,
painted by New York artist. To me
! it seemed an excellent likeness. Yet
they were points about it that did not
satisfy my friends. They said it was
painted however in marvelously short
time, the artist beginning at once with
| the brush without previously sketchirg
or measuring. Just over the upright
piano hung a small painting of "Moth-
er's Bible, With her spectacles upon it.
| in the hall is a portrait Of Washington,
and at the head of the stairs one Of
| Lincoln. Near Lincoln's is a steel
portrait of Bismark, with the gruH old
| Germans autograph below It, also the
picture Of the signing of the proclma-
| ton of emancipation, presented by
| Carpenter, Next is a sketch of the
| Electoral commission being addressed
! by Evarts 1t gives very good portraits
Of all the the leading politicians of that
time, including many Of the wives who
sat in the audience. Books are in
almost every room,. on low, open
shelves of the modern style. There
was a good variety, yet few volumns
outside OF the eminent novelist could
be called light reading, | noticed a
beautiful copy Of Horace that had evil
den'ly been favorite and one Of
Shakcspear with worn out binding
| was taken into the generals little
study, and Shove the desk that had
been his in congress, by the side Of
which be had won his fame, and at
which, when transferred to his home,
he wrote his speeches and important
documents. After lengthy M ntal la
| Dor, he loved to cali his family into the
study, and recreate himself with anc-
dotes and cheerful conversation. The
\ brightest and most ornamental room
\ in the house was the dining room.
1t was easy to determine the style Of
man who had been the owner Of these
premises by the clear evidence ofliber-
ality, culture, artistic taste, domestic
affection, snd patriotic and religious SEN
timent; What model for the presl-
I Il IS rgr,f,klg30