St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-05
A VERY DULL Roy.
How President Cleveland Was Res
garded Ely His SchOOlmates.
Washington Letter.

Washington Letter.
Dewitt G. Sprague is well known in New
York. He read the poem at the last re-
union of the Army of the Potomac at Balti-
more. He is at present one of the officials
in the fourth auditors office. He was for
merly lawyer in New York, but ill-health
compelled him to give up his practice. He
was consul in Italy during the greater
part of Grants time. He was born and
brought up in Fayetteville, where Grover
Cleveland lived for number of years when
he was boy. Mr. Sprague is still young,
active-loOking man. He recalls a number
of interesting incidents in the earlier career
of young Cleveland. His family, the
Spragues, were neighbors and friends
OF the Clevelands. The presidents father
was very rigid Presbyterian clergyman
and an Abolitionist of the extreme type.
He never lost an opportunity to denounce
slavery. Clevelands family were all Re-
publicans. His brOther-in-law, Mr.. Hoyt,
is one OF the strongest Republicans i'll Cen
trail New York. Cleveland himself never
took much interest in politics when he was
young man. Mr.. Sprague says that he
cannot remember his ever saying anything
about it when he was in Fayetteville. 1t
was not until he went to Buffalo that he
took the side Of any political party. He
never has been at any = t time partisan.
''What kind of a boy was Cleveland at
SCHOOL," asked Mr.. Sprague.
''He was a very dull boy. He never was
much of fellow for books. He was
chubby, good-natured fellow. He was very
fond in the winter time of drawing the girls
of the school around on sleds. Why, l can
remember him now, just as well as can be,
running with my sister on his red sled
through the snow, his round, fresh face
fairly lighted up with radiant good nature"
'sWas he fighter in those days?"
''No, he was not You couldn't get him
into fight. He was the most peaceful fell
low 1 ever saw. He would do anything in
the world to keep out of row. Those who
knew him as a boy were very much sur
prised to see him develop so much backbone
when he became governor. He used to be
so easy and yielding that any one could do
what they pleased with him." Mr.. Sprague
continued: EVEN liz those days he
showed great taste for business. AL
though he was considered very dull
at the school he was one of the hardest
workers in it. He was never very fond
of play. He seemed to take more pleasure
in work. All Of us boys thought that he
was cut out for a merchant. Cleveland
used to come over to our house a great deal.
My mother used to call him Grove Cleve-
land She still calls him that. Cleveland
used to be very fond of coming over to our
house about breakfast time. My mother
was great hand for buckwheat cakes in
the morning. Cleveland would come in
and take a seat and then cast wistful eye
upon the pancakes. Then my mother
would say, ''Grove, wont you have some of
the cakes? Do sit up" and although he
had previously breakfasted at home he
would eat nearly his weight in buckwheat
cakes"
The president, when he left school in
Fayetteville, entered the store of Beach G.
Beard. Beard was the leading merchant
OF the place. He was the great capitalist of
Pompey Hill. He moved over to Fayette-
vile to find larger field for his energies.
His daughter Carrie married John 0. Evans,
the late president of the Mutual Union
Telegraph company. Mr.. Evans was largely
interested in Washington property and left
very handsome estate here. His widow
resides here now. She is a frequent caller
at the White house, now occupied by her
fathers former clerk. Mr.. Beard himself
was here the other day and had very
pleasant visit with the president. Mr..
Beard is very fine-looking gentleman, who
has always voted the Republican ticket UNI
til last fall. He could not vote for Mr..
Blaine, and so voted for Mr. Cleveland.
The president always shows great pleasure
when he meets any of his old Fayetteville
friends. Mr.. Sprague called at the White
house soon after the Inauguration and found
that they all remembered him. The presi-
dent gave him and his wife hearty invita-
ton to family dinner at the White house.
*xw
Mr.. Spragues account of the presidents
being dull boy finds plenty of parallels in
the history Of other prominent men. Sir
Walter Scott was regarded as one of the
most stupid of boys at school. The Duke
Of Wellington was dullard in his youth,
while Goldsmith was considered to be not
more than half-witted. The president has
surprised the politicians about him even
more than his old-time friends with the de-
velOpment of his powers as executive. He
is anxious to make good administration
and believes that he will be renominated in
the event of his giving satisfactory adj
ministration to the people.
He Confesses.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-. June 4.-The China