Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-05-21
STEPHEN a. DOUGLAS, SISTER.



She Is Postmistress at Clifton Springs mt
the Ago Of Seventy-eight.
Mrs. Sarah A. Granger was appointed
postmistress at Clifton Springs by President
Cleveland. Those not already aware of the
fact may be interested to learn that Mrs
Granger is the sister of Stephen A. Douglas.
She was first appointed to the Office which
she now holds by President Arthur, during
the latter part of his term. She has deputy
in the person of Eugene f. Hoyt, her grand
son, a capable and popular young man, with
whom she resides. Mrs Granger, now in her
sever9 eighth year, appears much younger.
She is universally esteemed for many excel
lent qualities of mind and heart, possessing
not a few of the traits which distinguished her
brother, and resembling him closely in form
and feature
Mrs. Granger is justly proud of her broth
er's memory, and from her intimate knowl-
edge of his history from childhood and her
personal interest in his career she is enabled
to speak more accurately of many events in
which he figured than any other person liv-
ing She laughed heartily when The World
correspondent referred to Douglas famous
visit TO his mother while he was a candidate
for president.
1.-The caricatures in the Republican papers
at that time worried mother terribly" she
said, land made me very angry. One pict-
ure, III which mother was represented as a
washerwoman at work over the tub grieved
her very much, and everything / saw in the
papers against my brother made me fairly
frantic with rage. Brother Steve used to
laugh and say, You won't mind such things
after you've seen as much of them as have ,"
Mrs. Granger then related incidents con-
nected with the visit mentioned-how her
brother went down TO the little gate before
the house and waved his white felt hat to the
immense delegations from surrounding towns,
who halted in turn and cheered for the Little
Giant of Illinois; how her mother could not
be induced to go to the village and hear
Stephens speech that day; how she asked her
brother what he was going to say, and he re-
piled: Il never know what | am going to
say. God will put words into my mouth
| when am ready TO talk" The vast crowd
that heard Douglas speak that day laughed
and cheered with tremendous enthusiasm
| when he said: AT last l have found my
| mother, and, thank God, the good old lady is
| alive and we'll" In September, 1885, Mrs.
| Granger visited her native place at Brandon,
Vt, scarcely expecting to find person living
| who would know her. But an old schoolmas
ter at the age of 92 years remembered her
| OF her old schoolmates she found six, and the
clergyman who married her came sixteen
| miles to pay her a visit. She was royalty en-
| tertained. The academy where she and hel
| brother attended school remained unchanged
and many other old landmarks recalled vivid
| ly to her mind the scenes of her childhood
1t was here that Stephen A. Douglas, at the
age of IL years, proved himself born orator
In company with his mother and sister he at
tended the meetings of debating society, il
which an overbearing and pompous dispu
tant named Conant usually had things hi
own way. Finally one night the boy Dougla
| asked permission of the society s president t.
| reply to Commits remarks at future meet
ing. The request was granted, and at tn,
next meeting, after hearing what Conan
had to say, young Douglas arose, and to tn,
establishment and delight of all in the room
| excepting Conant, who was not delighted
| replied in a manner that not only slencet
| Conant, but so exasperated him that he with
drew from the society.
In 1880 the family removed to Clifton
Springs. The place which they made thei
home is situated about mile west of the vii
| lage 1t Is known as the Granger homestead
and is still the property of Mrs. Granger
academy, ten miles distant. He studied Their
| three years
Mrs. Changers husband, Julius N Granger
died few years ago, having been for thirty
two years in the service of the government a
Washington. Among his neighbors at Cliff
ton Springs he was held in high esteem HI
was justice of the peace for eighteen years
His acquaintance among the statesmen of hi
time was very wide, and he numbered anon,
his friends many of the most eminent mel
who have left their impress upon the legisla
ton of the country.-Clifton Springs On. Y.
| Cor. New York World