The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-04-05
THE PRESIDENTS HAsIrs.
General harrison Likes to Work,
Read, Talk and Walk.
washington Post.l


General Harrison SAYS he Is beginning 10
realize that 1t Is lonesome thing TO be
President
1t is lonesome thing for any man. but
General Harrison's habits Of life have been
such that the solitary nature Of his position
Is sure to be felt by him more than by almost
any man who has been Chief Magistrate.
President Cleveland came to the White
House from the Governors mansion In Al
bany Mr.. Arthur had been long Ain public
life and was especially fond OF that csremo-
NAL form Of social enjoyment which -four
ished best while he was President. Mr..
Garfield had been breathing the peculiar so.
cial and political atmosphere OF Washington
for many years and undoubtedly liked It.
General Harrison, Of course, had six syears
Of IL, but after his Senatorial term was fin
ished ne went back to indianapolis and re-
sumed his old quiet and unostentatlous man.
ner Of living.
"What feature OF his old life will General
Harrison miss most2" was the question
which Post reporter put to one Of the gen
erals closest friends.
table with his own family and Of spending
his evenings with his children and grand
children"
The same friend spoke freely Of the gem
erals private life, the methodical, even rou-
tine Of which was as. different as possible
from that which awaits him at the White
House. More than that, 1t Is certain that
the Indianapolis life was just suited TO his
tdotCS. lc llhcu W kCt up III tho ll0Iuluk
at the same hour each day, go to his ONCE
and work so many hours, then back to din
ner, and spend the evening with his children
| and his books.
The general keenly enjoyed the practice Of
| the law. When engaged In a lawsuit he was
as eager and enthusiastic to win as a sports
man In pursuit Of his game. II was genu-
inc enjoyment to hunt up authorities, ar
range evidence, and work out his case to
triumphant close.
Sin place Of this" said his friend, che viii
| now have to give large part OF his time 70
| deciding which among a dozen applicants
shall have certain office. And the worst
i part Of 1t Is that they will all be his friends
i whom Ii will be pain TO disappoint."
"And will the degree Of service rendered
i for him influence his decisionP
II am certain that IL will not. The public
| service alone will be considered. And Il will
be Just the same when the applications are
i based largely on the necessities Of the ap-
/ plicants, There are tens Of thousands Of
people In this country who actually need
/ offices TO support them, and many Of them
| make known their wants and the certainty
Of their despair 4 refused in way to touch
| any mans hear"
us General Harrison susceptible to such
i pleas?'
mot in the sense that he will permit them
to influence his action. The public service
will alone be considered. But he Is a very
sympathetic man, and 10 refuse people who
are really In need win certainly give him
great pain. Incidents In his law practice
show how sympathetic he is. As hard work
as he ever did In lawsuit has been done In
behalf OF needy people, and when there was
no prospect OF fee. And he has always
been generous. He has had an income from
his profession Of about $4,000 year, and
| yet, although the family has always lived
| plainly, the general has saved very little
money. He has been too free giyer.
Another Of General Harrison's delights
i - ali he ufa with ~ nruhih-
| tied entirely, by his new social and political
| duties Is his reading. He Is something OF a
bookworm. As 70 the character OF his read
| ing a member Of the Bible class Of fifteen
young men, Of which he was a teacher al
most continuously from the close Of the war
until his election to the Senate, Is authority.
The young men had noticed that their teach
or had an astonishing amount OF information
about all the subjects that they studied.
Everything In history and since that bore in
any degree upon these Biblical matter.
seemed perfectly familiar 10 him. One young
man was curious, and at first opportunity.
when In General Harrison's house, went up
10 his private room and found there the most
complete Biblical library he had ever seen.
| The general reads very few novels. Some
times one Of the highest class OF works OF
fiction engages his attention, put the study
OF che law and the Scriptures has been his
The dignity Of manner which the people
expect In their Chief Magistrate will not
| trouble the ktutIdl greatly III uOab RESPECTS
that Is his habit, but In some minor matters,
especially Of dress, the general will probably
be noticeable. The sight OF a President
walking the streets unattended has been
rare In recent years. We are likely TO grow
accustomed to u within the next four years,
and whatever the stieklers may say who be-
lieve in hedging dignltaries about that cere-
mOny, tho people OF Washington and OF the
country are sure to like II. General Harri-
son is fond Of walking and OF walking alone
With him, as with not a few other men Of
the learned professions, the regular motion
Of the legs seems to quicken and clear the
intellect.
The general never wore a frock oyercoat.
He wants pockets NJ the side, and when he
walks In cold weather be prefers their
warmth, to gloves, and therefore strides a
long with bare hands thrust into the side
pockets. Then, II the weather Is not tine. hs
has fancy for turning uD the collar Of hi,
oyercoat behind, and wears Ii In that wav
although the coat itself IL flying open n
front. -