Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-15
THEN BUT AN ONLOOKER.
General Harrison at the Inauguration
of General Garfield.
,ndence Augusta Chronicle.

President, chatting in the lobby of the
Riggs house with an old washingtonian, an ex-
member of Congress, and a man Of very wide
acquaintance and of good repute for political
shrewdness.
Within half an hour there passed the hotel
a number of persons whose fathers or grand
fathers were the central figures in the past
in just such an event was to be solemnized
that day. First. there strolled by at a leis-
urely pace man of thirty-five, short and
thickset, dressed like Frenchman of good
breeding. and bearing the manner of a man
OF cultivation and wealth This young man
and his brother have the richest political
heritage of any in this country. He was
Henry Adams, and his grandfather and
great-grandfather had been Presidents of
row escape that his father, Charles Francis
Adams, had from nomination and election.
Almost on the heels of Henry Adams came
tall, slender, blue-eyed young man. auburn
had been President, for he was DIR. Tyler, the
son of John Tyler
Then there entered the hotel a stout full
bearded young man, black-eyed, black-haired
and Suggesting neither in appearance nor man
ner his ilustrious father He was Bob Lincoln,
son of Abraham Lincoln, and about to become
q member of Garfield's cabinet
Then came a long, thin, specialized studi-
ous-looking youth, who stopped a moment
upon the sidewalk that he might point out to
q companion the brilliant uniform of one of
the companies of military that was ID take part
IN the parade which was to escort Garfield to
the place of power held by his father This
was one young Hayes, son of the President
whose term was to expire in few hours.
There went running and rollicking through
the toilet lobby two youngsters, looking out for
fun. and bored because they were stopped and
spoken to SO often by men who knew that they
were the little Garfield boys.,i ., no.i.bbs
Something was said about the number of tine
offspring of Presidents then in town, snd The
Washington gentleman exclaimed: "Oh. there
are several other children and grandchildren
of Presidents in town. There is one now" and
he indicated a gentleman who was Just coming
from the hotel dining groom complacently using
q wooden toothpick. like one who had satisfied
q good appetite with good breakfast He was
a short man, built something like Phil Sheri-
dan or General Butler. with q big head set
seemingly without the support of a neck upon
stocky, square shoulders, generous abdomen,
and short, almost puerile legs, that seemed to
have been stunted by reason of the generous
gifts nature had bestowed upon the body and
head. He had large, grayish blue eyes, with
peculiar wrinkles at the outer corners that gave
him the suggestion of possessing and enjoying
humor; he had the nose of a fnancier. some
thing like jay Gould's but the lower part of
his face was concealed by beard and moustache.
In which the brown was rapidly turning to gray.
He wore short-tailed business coat and
pair OF trousers Of remarkable color and most
prominently bagged at the knees. They were
Of clayey blue, delicate but dangerous shade,
because they revealed the slightest suggestion
of contact with things which soil.
He strolled to the cigar-stand and spent a
few minutes selecting brand, half dozen of
which he bought, and lighting one he went to
the window and looked out upon the street.
You say he is Presidents son. Who is
he?"
Not a soma grandson. His grandfather
was President Just one month. That is Ben
Harrison. who Is going to be sworn in as a Sem
atos to-day. don't know whether he saw his
graadfather's Inauguration or not but this is
the first inauguration he has seen since then, if
he did see that one"
Sen. Harrison stood so long at the window
that it was evident that he was greatly inter-
ested IN something he saw outside and a
glance showed that he was watching with keen
interest the movements of the military upos
the streets
Nobody in the hotel seemed to know him. a..
II he was recognized, he was not thought of
consequence enough to bestow a second glance
upon. At last an Indiana office-seeker dascoy-
cred him and approached and spoke. Gen.
Harmon turned with some annoyance. plainly
not wishing to have his attention distracted
from the military.
The ofhce-seeker was persistent pulled pa
pers from his pocket, the general glancing at
them with bored air, and at last he said and
30 distinctly that his words were overheard: Il
have Just been to breakfast. haven't had
time to turn around yet. But don't think
there Is any chance for you. The trouble is
there are too many pegs for the holes too many
pegs for the holes, wait awhile. perhaps there'll
be hole for you. That's fine company
marching by, and he turned and looked again
at the military.
half hour later General Harrison stood on
the sidewalk, one of the great throng. hustled
hither and thither in the jam, and stretching
his head to get glimpse of the soldiers. For
he Is fond of the military He likes good
marching. good uniforms and good music. And
TINS 1nauspicious little man. one of the hundred
thousand that looked from the sidewalk at the
eyolutions of the military, was the same for
whom the brilliant scenes of that day are now
repeated
When General Harrison entered the Senate
chamber little late that morning he was
known probably to less than a dozen members
and probably not one in fifty of the great crowd
IN the gallery knew or cared anything about
the new little Senator from Indiana Big Joe
Mcdonald. whom he was to succeed in the
Senate, came to him and took him under his
wing, and twas an impressive sight to see that
giant, with his kindly face, trotting the little
man around that he might present his future
associates in the Senate to him. Soon that
other Indiana giant, Dan Voorhees,, came in and
stood beside them and there must have been
something IN the sight that amused Conkling
ior ne called his friend Humans attention to
Gen. Harrison's head barely reached to the
shoulders OF voorhees, and Mcdonald, and he
was obliged to throw his head back to look into
Their eyes, but be was grave and Of great dig
nity, while they cracked jokes and laughed
heartily, and soon gathered q group around so
mat Harrison was completely hidden from
nsnt nom the gallery. He was, with the ex-
cepton OF George Vest, the shortest man in
the Senate, fact npon which Vest congratu-
isted him when they were introduced
IhOnOh ha crran 81 u L
ceived the honors then bestowed upon Garfield
Gen. Harrison seemed but little impressed by
the ceremonies in the Senate chamber after
Garfield and Hayes came in. He sat in a chair
ON the outer row of seats, and far down in IL.
too, so that his chin seemed almost on A line
with the desk in front of him. and glanced.
with no evidence of interest. at the scene which
Is now repeated with himself at the seat of
honor. But when the great throng Of public
men had gathered on the platform at TIE east
front Of the capitol TO hear the inaugural address
and witness the administration of the oath. Gen
HarrisCn's interest was made manifest. Some
OF the crowd pressed in front OF him. lust be-
fore Garfield took his place at the stand. and
Harrison at once mounted his chair where he
stood watching with the keenest interest the
magnificent hne of soldiers and the impressive
throng of human beings densely packed To-
gether on the plaza in front Of the capitol
One company seemed to interest him greatly
He eyed IL for some moments and then called
the attention of the man who stood next To him
TO IT When Garfield began to read his inang-
ual, Harrison sat down in the chair but il WAS
not possible to hear Garfield distinctly where
he sat. and he. after awhile ,ava m a. -.