, 1885-06-13
cAAalss suMnna.s pALy Llfa.
simplicity II MS Habit. Of wo-k and
Recreation ~ Entertaining Company.

simplicity II ni. Habit. Of work and
Recreation Entertaining Company.
Ben; p-riey Poore.I
Charles summers daily life, after he
was relieved IRON domestic ~annoyances,
was very simple He resided in his
" house next to tho Arlington hotel
and facing ! lafayette square, which had
been furnished under his direction.
Tho walls were almost covered with
paintings and rare ~engravings, and his
library, although small in the number
Of volumes colsainet many rare works.
Mr.. Sumner used to rise about Z,
battle, Shave himself, and carefully
dress for tho duties of the day, with the
exception OF his coat, for which he would
substitute a comfortable dressing
gown. Then going into his study, or
den, as he often called it, which adj
joined his bedroom, he would read the
v ashington and baltimore morning pa
pers until tho arrival of his mail, brought
from the enate p~ostoHice. Scanning
the midget of letter, no would pick out
those which no recognized as from Long
fellow, Whittier, Bird, b hillips, Curtis
or other personal friends, and read them
before he went down stairs to breakfast.
lie always sat Mt the north side of the
large round table, where his simple
breakfast with its cup Of exquisite tea
was served. lie had not drank coffee
for several years prior to his death, but
he was a connoisseur in teas was IA
miliar with the flavor and taste Of the
choicest varieties. While at breakfast
no used to read The Now York Evening
/ ost and The Springfield Republican of
the day previous, with some of the
many newspapers sent him from all
parts of tho country.
While at the breakfast-table he used
to receive the visits OF friends, and the
room was often crowded. His devoted
friend, Mr.. Wormley. used also to come
in to consult with him on Lis house
keeping arrangements, which he looked
after with a careful eye. In a letter
now before me, written when Mr.. Sum
ner was last in Europe. he said: Pray
tell Wormley TO expect me at the end of
tho month. His friendly care will see
that my small house is in order Never
was friendly care moro dovotcdly dis
played, and prominent among those OF
. the African race who manifested deep,
u%nceasing gratitude to Mr.. Sumner.
were Messrs. Wormley and J. b. Smith
of Boston. Unlike others, they never
sought to use their friend as a pedestal
for self-eXhibltion.
Mr.. sumner undoubtedly appeared to
the greatest advantage in the eyes of
his friends, no less than in those of
strangers, at his own receptions, or at
his dinner-table, where he delighte ! to
entertain a select company. He often
received company, also, during the
hours of the evening which he proposed
TO devote to stu ~ and original inyosti-
cation. friends, and often strangers,
who would call on him between b and
~ in the evening, would go away
charmed by his conversation, enriched
by interesting "reminiscences and charac-
t~eristic anecdotes but they little knew
he would have to take from sleep the
time that he had given to them. 1t was
thus often between ! and in the morn
ing before going to bed-often to suffer
during a sleepless night. Often he re-
tired to his study at 8 O'Clock TO work
upon the edition of his works, but SO
numerous were his callers that he was
almost always persuaded to DO inter-
rupted.
Mr. summers r~ecreat'ons were very
simple. He was not fond of games.
During the last few years Of his life,
being unable &c walk much, he enjoyed
evening rides. His chief diversion was
in the study Of pictures and rare works
OF art.