The Indianapolis journal., 1886-08-05

and that not without great effort and only few
! words at time, he gives directions concerning
| everything that is DONE either on the place or on
/ the farm de mas two secretaries, who are kept
busy all the time looking after the vast details of
his business and tabulating the increase and pro-
/ duction of the stock and farm their figures being
| scanned by Mr.. Tilden before they are filed
away. He is very methodical and thorough in
| everything he does His retentive memory en-
/ ables him to place his hand upon any paper or
account that he desires. After he is through
with the farm hands, Mr. George w. Smith, who
tary, usually comes up from New York. where
/ he lives, to see him and make his re-
port. AT IL o'clock, if the sun is out and the
weather not too damp. Edward Riley (who has
oeen Mr. Tilden's coachman for thirty years..
dressed In his blue top coat, immaculate white
tie and high silk hat, drives up to the front door
| under the portico He sits on the front seat of
an old-fashioned T-cart, drawn by dark blood
| pay thoroughbred. Mr.. Tilden, dressed in over
coat and a soft felt hat, and leaning on the arm
| of his valet and Miss Gould, comes out at the
| front door. His walk is slow and very feeble.
bis right leg which has been paralyzed. moves
| with stiff. uncertain motion. AS he comes
slowly down the steps, one cannot fail to see the
| physical change that has come over the we'll
| known figure that was often seen on horse
| back in the streets of Albany when he was Gov:
| ernor. His face is very thin and furrowed His
hands are shriveled until one can almost see the
bones. He stoops little and leans heavily on
| the strong arm of his valet But to look at his
eyes one forgets the change that has come over
the statesman. They are just the same bright,
kindly, truth-telling eyes that made SO many
friends for him. They look at a stranger with
glance as if they would read his innermost
thoughts.
After his ride, which generally ends about2 or
2:30. he lunches again. He eats sparingly and
always of soft food. Though Mr.. Tilden has
been unable for the last five years to speak above
whisper, caused by the paralysis of the vocal.
chords, his hearing is perfect and his eyesight
good He suffers q great deal from his old ene-
my, indigestion, and much more from insomnia,
although to great extent he has been relieved
OF that trouble by the efforts OF his physician,
Dr. Charles E. Simmons. Seated in his easy
chair, his loose dressing-gown buttoned and
hanging in baggy folds about his emaciated body,
Mr.. Tilden gives what attention he can to the
reading of his secretary or of Miss Gould. At
times his eyes seem about to close, and it seems
| as though he must fall asleep. This is the signal
that tie time has come when he needs rest, and
his careful valet, who is always within CALL lays
his master gently on the lounge that stands con-
veniently near.
After short interval of perfect quiet, Mr.
Tilden opens his eyes and signifies desire to sit
| up again Restored to his chair he presents
about the same worn, listless and utterly de-
biitated appearance as before. His poor, para
| lyzed hands hang (the right one, at least en-
| tirely helpless by his side, and his lower jaw
| droops, leaving his mouth slightly open and
bringing CHASTITY expression to his thin feat
ures. The whole attitude is one of absolute
physical detection. At intervals his eye lights
up of old with kindly interest in the subject
that is being talked about but the strain of con-
centrated attention is clearly too much for the
invalid statesman, who loses interest in anything
| that requires effort and needs to be diverted
by frequent change of topic, and TO be amused
| that he may not fall into a lethargy.
His medicine is administered with almost
mathematical exactness, and it rarely happens
that his light doses are missed at the regular
time. And it is the same with his food Every
ounce he eats is calculated and weighed before
it is prepared and set before him. Rich soups
In infinitesimRl quantities, are supplemented
with small draughts of creamy milk, the latter
the yield of his famous Attorneys and Guern-
seys together with the tenderest part OF chick
en- or mere morsel of meat minced SO as to be
readily masticated, make up his diet. These
viands, temptingly cooked and carried to his
lips by his attendant, frequently fail to rouse
| his appetite, and are returned almost untasted.
1t is matter Of comment among his intimates
that he should be able, on so little nourishment,
to sustain life at all.
Mr. Tilden. in making some improvements
Gently, had need of an engineer to lay off some
ground for him back of his farm The engineer
thought because Mr.. Tilden's voice and PHI ysical
strength had left him that it necessarily fol-
lowed that he could not hear WELL One day Mr.
Tiden drove out to see how the work was get
ting The workmen, they usually do at
his approach, took off their hats Mr. Tilden
spoke to Miss Gould, who asked the engineer
how the work was coming on. The man took off
his hat. walked close up to the side of the cart
where Mr.. Tilden sitting, and yelled:
"Were coming on all right, Guv'nor, and add
ed in a low voice to himself "Why the devil
don't he stay in the houseg"
Mr. TilGen's eyes sparkled and laying his left
hand on the sleeve motioned for him to Dut his
ear down to his mouth, and in quiet voice he
said:
"My hearing is very good"
The mans face was picture-white, red, then
white again Then timidly lifting his eyes to
the Governors face he took off his hat and asked
his pardon. Mr.. Tilden simply smiled and mo-
toned for Riley to drive on.
After lunch, about 2:30, Mr.. Tilden reclines on
couch in his room, and Miss Gould reads to
him. He is especially fond of books of travel
autobiography and biography. Being fond of
travel though prevented by feeble health from
enjoying it, he loves to 60 with those more for
tunate in wandering around the world He
knows much more of the byways and highways
of the world than many who have spent their
lives in travelling. His retentive memory and
methodscal habits have given him encyclo-
pedic knowledge Of all countries. He is tolera
bly, fond of fiction but prefers an intricate plot
Sometimes ne likes well-tOld love story. His
collection of books is unsurpassed by any private
collection in the world. Most of them are in the
fire proof half of his large double house in Gram
ercy Park. He has never occupied this house
for any length Of time since building it. His
collection of books at Greystone principally re-
late to agricultural subjects. An especial feature
of the collection at Greystone is a magnificent
elephant edition of "Audubon's Birds" In plush
lined case.
On afternoons after a pleasant night, when
Mr.. Tilden feels better than usual, he goes
aboard his yacht the Viking, which lies with
| steam up off the wharf at Yonkers. He is
driven down the wharf in his victoria helped
into his gig and taken on board the yacht. The
Viking is $50 feet long over all, 1877 feet ON her
water line, has doubls compound engine, and q
propeller with seven-feet two-inch stroke.
When pushed she is capable of making about
| sixteen knots an hour She is schooner rugged,
and since coming into Mr. Tilden's possession
has been reftted throughout1
On passing down the companion-way one
comes into the saloon. On either side of the
| companion way at the foot there are two rooms,
with hunks in them for the captain and mate.