Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-13
STEPHENS IN 1879.
A Boston Lady's Pen Picture of the
Georgia Statesman as She Saw Him
at ElberOn, y. j.


a lady from Boston, now resident in
New York, whose daily journal comprises
twenty-three large volumes. with over
thousand illustrations, and from which,
for twenty years, the record Of a single
day is not missing, sends the following
extract. Of peculiar interest at the pres
ent moment. II was written at ElberOn,
now famous as the scene Of the death Of
President Garfield:
THE ELBERON, Friday, Aug. %, 1873
A Congressional committee. composed Of
Alexander FL. Stephens. Of Georgia; Gen.
Garfield of Ohio: Mr. Blackburn, Of Ken
lucky: Speaker Randall. Of Pennsylvania,
and Mr.. Frye, Of Maine, has been con-
yened for several days at this hotel for the
purpose Of rearTanging the "Rules and
Practice Of the House of Representatives. y
They have apparently been most earnest
in their labOrs, which are now about con-
cluded. Gen. Garfield and Mr.. Frye
left this morning. but the others are
still here, busy with supplemental work.
II is one Of the sights Of the hotel 20
see Dir. Stephens, and most remarkable
that one 50 crippled by paralysis as 10
be able to stand only by, the aid or a
coi0red attendant, can attend so faith
fully to duties requiring severe mental
and physical eXertiOn. | slall not soon
forget the first time l met him here. /
4
the lovely widowed sister Of Ex-Governor
Tilden, when noticed approaching US a
crippled gentleman in a self-rOlling chair.
/ remarked the bright, youthful eyes, in
contrast with very white hair and
aged features. There was almost 2
weirdness about the face which
vanished. however, when he smiled and
spoke. The voice, childish and slightly
whining indicated general physical weak
ness. Before Mrs. Pelton introduced me.
/ was sure that it was Mr.. Alexander H.
Stephens-from the resemblance 10 the
caricature pictures once so common IN
the weekly papers. He asked Mrs. Pei
ton if she were expecting Coy. Tilden
down, II hope so, madame, for ! have
never had the pleasure Of seeing your dis
tinguished brother, whom | consider our
chief and long to take him by the hand"
Mrs. PeltOn soon excused herself,
and Joined speaker Randall and his
wife, who we're going out in her
carriage, and | had long talk with
Mr., Stephens, He assured me that he
had never known a single hour free from
pain for years, and yet he managed to at
tend 70 his business: that he rose early,
and never took nap through the dav.
s'If 90 to bed am surely sick. l never
go for rest until the night, and then / re-
tire early. No matter how badly / feel in
day cGInes tpat do not care to rise you
may be certain that the end is near.'' He
had heard OF my illustrated Journal, and
remarked that il was quite wonderful for
a lady TO keep record so many years,
with no omissions, and thought il betO-
kened perseverance as a strong point of
my character, ! thanked him for his
compliment, aud he continued:
"Before the war | had most remark
.lI nj ~
Of each day, and its date, iOr years back
and had no need Of diaries, but during the
war and since, the great whirI of events
has obliged me to use aids to my memory.
am now so completely prisoner to my
inYalid's chair that / take my greatest
pleasure in the illustrated papers Of the
day. / always was fond Of pictures, and
| watch eagerly each week for the publ |
cation of Hdrpef'S, Puck, etc, while fine |
editions of standard works are my delight. |
have always wished that / could visit |
Governor 1ilden's library in Gramercy |
Park, for l understand that he has the |
finest collection of illustrated books in the |
country"
just here his valet brought him large |
bundle Of the weekly papers. He unrOlled |
several, and showed me some cartoons in |
which Gov. Tilden was the central figure. |
He laughed heartily, and said: II think /
OllcutE4ludu any
in the United States as the subject Of /
these burlesques, and / frequently wonder /
if il annOys him to see himself constantly /
and so rudely disfgured and misrepre- |
sented.v Speaking more seriously be told |
me that he believed in leaving the past to
itself, and living in the present and for |
the future; that the statesman Of to-day |
should only attend to the internal govern
ment Of the country, and the great issues /
~ nd al I'm an ohi
ment Of labor and capital.
When our pleasant chat had ended, he
babe me good morning, and rolled his
chair off 10 his own suite of apartments.
Later in the day. Mrs. Pelton and / call
ed upon him, at his private parlor. We
found him at lunch-d Ia solitaire. He
gave me there fine photograph Of himself
Of him-a stswallow-tail''
coat, a cut down vest with
1nly two buttons buttoned; a Byron col
ar' with sharp points projecting over his
coat: narrow black necktie carelessly
znotted. and a tall silk hat, several sizes
.Oo big for him. He was standing lean
ng on the arm of his colored valet and
,ne crutch. Under the photograph he
wrote:
"a. II. stephens and his faithful attendant.
Alexander Keil. Taken 9Th Of March, 1872
His hand trembIed as he wrote, and he
plotted the writing, which seemed 10 annoy
aim, tsIf Il were not going into that jour
lal of yours, Mrs. would not mind it
but as il is. il frets me-" 1t did not oc-
,ur TO me that the remembrance Of the
plotted signature and writing would re-
main with him, but that evening, just as |
vas going out, his valet came to me and
aid: ''Mr. stephens does not wish that
dotted writing to go into your journal
With his photograph, so he sends you this"
lie gave me q card, OH which was written,
cry distinctly by Mr.. stephens:
=. For Mrs. -,
ALEXANDER II. STEPHENS,
NJ. c. of Ca.
Elberon Hotel,
long Branch, n. j.
Aug. =, '79.
; -------.--- ----'--s
C.F.H.
A Chicago Merchants Experience.
A. flor I had booouo almnCf skin and |