News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-08-06
A Retired Statesman.
HOME LIFE OF SENATOR GEORGE
FRANKLIN EDMUNDS.

HOME LIFE OF SENATOR GEORGE
FRANKLIN EDMUNDS.
BURLINGTON, Vt, July IL, '91.
The newspaper-reading world is ia
miliar with the public life of Hon.
George F. Edmunds, United States
Senator from Vermont, who sent in
his resignation twenty-five years to Ii
day from the time ofhis appointment.
But not even the Senator's books,
which inspired the famous Ashville
interview, have revealed much of his
home life, for the Senator is even
more reticent IN regard to his delight
full home and family than his public
acts, and both Mrs. Edmunds and
daughter feel they have a right to the
privacy of their own lives and pur-
suits, and resolutely and effectually
avoid and suppress personal mention
in print consequently few outside the
immediate personal family friends
know really anything of Mr.. Ed
mund's truest and happiest life. The
long summers are spent in their Bur-
Iington home-a large old brick house
2 and stories high, situated at the
corner of Main and South Union
streets, that has been Mrs. Edmunds'
home for fifty-five years. Upon their
marriage in 1859 Senator Edmunds
came into the home of his father-in-
law, Hon. Wyllis Lyman. Additions
and changes have been made from
time to time as family convenience
demanded. This year it was the Sen
ator's library that was greatly en-
larged. An air of quiet elegance per-
vades the house, evincing the good
taste of it's occupants. In the lofty
hall ones eye is Immediately attract
ed to the Indian war bonnet-the
horns and hair from buffalo's head
ornamented with eagles feathers. A
portion of the fresco from the capitol
hangs opposite the doorway, and an
Italian lamp with pendant snufferSy
pincherS and eXtinguiShers are among
the hall furnishings. Near the en-
trance to the drawing-room is a uni
que card receiver-an enormous stone
Indian mortar and pestle-founda and
presented to Mrs. Edmunds while at
Dale, on the Columbian River. Many
articles of vertu have been collected
on their foreign tours, and as SOU
venirs of pleasantest foreign days and
months, are worth much more than
their intrinsic value. The position
of honor, at the west end ofthe draw
ing-room. which extends the whole,
north end of the house, is given a
copy of the famous Rembrandt Peele.
painting of George Washington at
Washington, the life-size face looking
out from stone-work background
On either side are Healy photographs
of Daniel Webster and Lord Ashbur-
ton, of Ashburton Treaty fame. A
pair of ugly pistols used by Turkish
Janisaries hang near an antique lit
tie Italian lamp from the AdriatBe-
A Hiram Powers copy of Dante'S
death mask hangs in immediatepTOx-
unity to dainty watercolor land
scapes. Paintings by Guido and
modern artists, portraits and photo
graphs of past and present person
ages and scenes, adorn the walls and
! mantelS.
From the west windows, especially
the upper ones, and the western piaz-
"a fine views of Lake Champlain and
the Adirondacks are obtained, White
| face as usual the most prominent
peak. The house is so high it quite
overlooks the lower part of the town,
and the view of the broad lake dotted
with islands and all varieties ofwater
craft is charming. The grounds are
extensive and covered with trees; a
high close fence completely shuts out
curious and prying eyes from the
street. The Senator's apple-trees are
| to we'll known to receive further men
tion, though, as a matter of fact,
most of the ardous labor of grating
trees and gathering fruit, which he is
represented as performing with
streaming brow, barred head and
hands, sans coat and waist-coat, is
really done by the old gardener and
his young assistants, the Senator's
part being to give orders as to what,
not how. Occasionally, however, he
is an interested spectator. The shade
trees are nearly all American varieties
A member of the family said, with
| few exceptions, they had been set out
since Hon. Mr.. Edmunds' marriage,
were gotten one at time on their
little outings and family drives, usu-
ally brought home under the carriage
seat, but sometimes tiny ones were
dug up and carried with their hands.
Senator Edmunds is very domestic
in his habits and tastes, and his great
est happiness is found in the COM
panionship of his wife and daughter.
With the latter he takes long horse
back rides, and they are a familiar
sight on both Washington and Bur
lington roads. Both exhibit superior
horsemanship. Senator Edmunds
possesses valuable horses and fine
euuipages, but in his ordinary drives
goes frequently in q most democratic
manner, jogging along behind mid
dle-aged horse, sitting about half
way on the narrow seat of q moGe
than middle-aged express wagon, Inn
custom that is notexactly full dEass
with a cherry word and nod for each
acquaintance he chances to meet
He is an old-fashioned early Biiser
while in Burlington, holding IAany
Jolly conversations over the hedges,
and even across the street, with those
of his neighbors who are up and out
betimes. His old friends find him the
same frank, companionable friend OF
earlier days, unchanged by the many
and worldwide honors thrust upon
him-taking a keen delight in read.
ing my obituaries, as he humorously
style the many fake interviews. Read
ing the papers in his own pleasant
breakfast room to find out in how
many places l am spending my vaca
} tion today" If press reports were
only true, Senator Edmunds would
) have triumphed over matter in his
, ability to be in from three to five