The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-02-18
[St. Louis Post Dispatch. !


State Capital Building, lives ex-senator
Thurman. he built this house when he
moved from Chillicothe to Columbus, in
1858, and it has been his home ever since.
was let in by a little house.woman, who
looked as neat and prim and smooth as If
she had Just come from hearing one of
Cotton Mather's sermons. Would step into
the library? Mr.. Thurman would be down
in q moment. 1 went back through
the broad, high hallway, and found
the library to be q large square room
with many easy chairs, table
with lamp, shelves of books reaching to
the ceiling on two sides, and a big, roaring
fire. And in moment in came the great
ex Senator. 1 expected to see q man some
what bent with age and very white-headed.
But be was not bent nor was he very white
headed. he carried his left arm as though
it was somewhat paralytic, and he was
little unsteady on his feet, but he has a
great, broad, massive chest, and his face
was
AS CLEAR AS BOYS.
He broke his left arm two years ago, and
it has never entirely recovered, and he is
somewhat unsteady on his feet from rheuma-
tism in his knees, malady that has afflicted
him for twenty years, and which he got by
inheritance. When he had sat down in a
big armchair. which he comfortably filed
he looked very hale and comfortable. His
great, fine head sat on his broad shou ldefs
as steadily as if be were but thirty-fYe. His
eye Is Gear, MS complexion Is rich and
healthful, and his mouth firmly SET He has
al< Aaou A. 81 h. nrx .rf
of his face, but his upper lip is clean shaven
and sets down squarely and solidly without
a wrinkle. His mouth is large, and when
he smiles or laughs, as he often does, he
shows a set of remars ably well-preserved
teeth. When l asked him about his health
he said that he felt better than he had for
long time.
docs your rheumatism trouble you much,
Senator?'
Every little now. have suffered more or
less from it for many years. 1t came to me
by inheritance, and it is sometimes in my
shoulder, sometimes in my elbow and some
times in my knee. Then again, it some
times falls into my broken arm, and then
1T HURTS GOOD DEAL"
''Then it is not true, Senator, that you are
quite decrepit and broken DOWN." He
laughed heartily, and asked me If / thought
he looked 80.
but l suppose you know that it has bsen
reported that you areP"
''0h, well, l know have heard some
thing of the kind. paid no attention to it.
l don't think l ever studied so hard in my
life as l do now. don't 90 out much, it is
true, for the reason that it is not necessary.
1 have closed up my law business, and am
now taking little comfort with my books"
"But, Senator, that is not the worst story
that we have heard"
What now?" he said, with a good-hu-
mored twinkle in his eye.
They say you have fallen into hard
drink"
He laughed more heartily than ever, sand
proceeded to tell a story about a man who
ran for the Legislature in Kentucky. When
he got the nomination he went home very
respondent, and said to his wife that he did
not believe that he would run; that he had
always borne q good character, and he did
not now want to lose it. But, John, you
haven't done anything" said she. You
have always been honest. They can't hurt
you. Go in and take it." And he did. But
when the campaign had got along pretty
well, he came home one day again
LOOKING VERY BLUE.
whats the matter, John@ asked his
wife. We'll, Sally, it's just as l told you.
They have accused me of stealing sheep
But you didn't Yes, but they have not
only accused me of it, but the worst of it is
they have proved it, 1 don't suppose" con-
tinued Mr.. Thurman, laughing, that there
was ever anything charged against man
that somebody would not swear. to. l hope
my friends do not expect me to notice such
stories. / will not even 60 to the trouble OF
denying them. l will say to you, however,
that as a matter of fact l have been for a
long time an absolute teetotaler. l do not
even drink wine at my dinner. / used to
drink little wine and occasionally some
thing stronger, but found thatit aggravated
my rheumatism, and gave it up entirely.
Now, that is Just how much truth there is in
the report that am a hard drinker."
1 next asked him if he would talk for pub
LEGATION about the current
POLITICAL QUESTIONS OF THE DAY.
told him he was, of course, aware that he
had been warmly urged for place on Mr..
Cleveland's Cabinet, and that the people
would be greatly interested in any expires
sien from him at this time as to the policy Of
the new administration.
You must excuse me from saying
word" he replied, with great irmness. How
ever much | may esteem the Post.Dispatch
and its editor, must De excused this time.
/ do not think it would become me. Any
expression of opinion from me now would
be ill-timed and out OF place As to my going
into the Cabinet, will only say this: have
received a bushel of letters, i suppose, from
kind friends all over the United States, ex.
pressing their hope that / would be selected
as one of Mr.. Cleveland's advisers. have not
even answered one of these letters. Some of
them are from gentlemen / esteem very
highly. and l fear they think strange OF
my not having acknowledged the cour-
tesy they have extended me, but
have felt, and still feel, that not
one word on this subject shall fall fro 81
my lips. l have not authorized living soul
to speak to Mr.. CLEVELAND in my behalf.
have moi seen him myself, and l have
never said to anybody that l would either
accept or decline place in his Cabinet. Mr..
Cleveland ought to be left to make his exec
utive family to suit himself. Positions in
the Cobinet are
NOT POSITIONS TO BE SOUGHT AFTER.
A man who seeks q Cabinet position or who
has others seek it for him is not the material
Of which q Cabinet should be made"
Mr.. Thurman did not again refer to any
current political topic during two hours
conversation, but he did not have to do that
at all to make himself charming talker. 1
fail to call to mind anything he said that
more strikingly illustrated the absolute fair
ness of the man than his comments on Mr..
Blaine's Twenty Years of Congress" He
was talking about history, about how great
consolation he found in reading it; tibet he
found it more entertaining than any other