Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-03-15
HARRlS0N'S HABITS.
SOME PLEASANT PECULIARlTlES
OF THE NEW PRESIDENT.

1t is a lonesome thing for any
man. but General Harrison's habits
of life have been such that the soil
tary nature of his position is sure
TO be felt by him more than by AL
most any man who has been chief
magistrate.
President Cleveland came to the
white house from the governors
mansion in Albany. Mr.. Arthur
had been long IN public life and
was especially 'Ond of that ceremo'
NAL form of social enjoyment which
hourlshed best while he was presl'
dent. Mr. Garfield had been breath
ing the peculiar social and political
atmosphere OF Washington for
many years and undoubtedly liked
it.
General Harrison, Of course, had
six years OF it, but after his sena'
torlal term was finished he went
back to indianapolis and resumed
his old quiet and unostentatlous
manner Of living.
"What feature of his old life will
General Harrison miss most 7" was
the question which a Post reporter
put to one of the generals closest
friends.
"The privilege Of sitting down at
his own table with his own family,
and of spending his evenings with
his children and gvandchlldren.'
The same friend spoke freely OF
the generals private life, the me-
tbodical, even routine Of which was
as different az possible from that
which awaits him at the white
house. More than that, 1t is Ger.
tain the indianapolis life "as Just
suited to his tastes. He liked to
get up in the morning at the same
hour each day, 80 to his Office aud
work so many hours, then back to
his home and dinner, aud spend the
evening with his children aud his
books.
The General ksenly enjoyed tue
practice of the law. When en-
gagged in a lawsuit he was as eager
and enthusiastic to win as a sports
man in pursuit Of his game. 1t was
a genuine enjoyment to hunt up au-
thorities, arrange evidence, and
work ont his case to triumphant
close.
wn place of this said his friend,
she will now have to give a large
part of his time to deciding which
among a dozen applicants shall
have a certain office. And the
worst part Of it is that they will
all he his frlends-men who have
worked for his success and whom II
will be pain to disappoint.
"Aud will the degree Of service
rendered for him influence his de
cisl0n -
~ am certain that it will not
The public service alone will be
considered. And it will be just the
same when applications are based
largely on the necessities of the ap
plcants. There are tens of thou
sands Of people in this country who
actually need Offices to support
them, and many Of them make
known their wants and the certain
tv Of their despair Ii refused IN
way to touch any mans heart '
ais General Harrison susceptible
to such pleasW
"Not in the sense that he vii
permit them to influence his action
The public service will alone bt
considered. But he is a very sym
pathetic man and to refuse people
who are really IN need will certain
Is give him great pain. Incidents
in his law practice show how sym
pathetic he is. As hard work as
he ever did IN "A lawsuit has beer
done in behalf of needy people and
when there was no prospect OF d
fee. And he has always been gen
erous. He has had an income from
his profession of about S25,00O
year, and yet, although the family
have always lived plainly, the gen
eral has saved very little money
. He has been too free a giver.'
Another of General Iarrisoni
delights which will be interiere'
via, not prohibited entirely, b,
his new social and political dutle
is his reading. He is somewhat o
a boOkworm. AS to the characte
of his reading, member OF tn
Bible class of fifteen young men, o
which he was teacher almost con
tinuously from the close of the wa
until his election to the Senate i
authority. The young men ha'
noticed that their teacher had al
astonishing amount Of information
about all the subjects that the,
studied. Everything in histor
, and science that bore in any degre
upon these biblical matters SCENE
perfectly familiar to him. On
young man was curious, aud at III
), first opportunity, when in Genera
HarrisOn's house, went up TO hi
private room and found there III
most complete biblical library h
. had ever seen. The general read
y very few novels. Sometimes one
: the higher class of works of flctlo
engages his attention, but th
IL. 1. ~ aud fha gQrfnfuT(