The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-06

manner Is marked by quiet dignity. There
is not the slightest affectation Of social or
intellectual superiority about his manner.
He IS described by those who have viewed
him Is one Of the most approachabie OF
men, ready to talk upon public subjects
freely. and having something to say on all
matters pertaining to the nations welfare.
JOHN wANAMAKER.
One OF Americas Greatest Oreanixsrs
~ Postmaster General.
Postmaster-General John Wanamaker.
who accompanies the presidential party, is
one of the most interesting characters
among the men of affairs in America to-
day, and in the history of his early strug-
giles there Is lesson for all young men.
Mr.. Wanamaker will not be 81 years old
until the 1lth Of next July. He was born
in Philadelphia, in an old house on the
corner of Twenty-third and Federal
streets. His father was Nelson Wanna
maker, and his mother was Elizabeth
Kochersperger, and came from Montgom-
cry county, Pennsylvania. Mr.. Wana-
maker married in 1861 > sister Of Nathan
Brown. his first business partner. He
also began business in that year.
His youth was q laborious struggle, re-
warded in early manhood with the means
to open clothing establishment In Phila-
delphia- Untiring. honest, straightfor-
ward, shrewd, the young merchant pros
pered, until today he owns and conducts
one Of the largest retail establishments in
the world
Mr.. Wanamaker's home life is charm
ingly domestic. His town house in Phila-
delphia is . big, broad brick building
with wide entrance and rooms on each
side. The reception room on the left
gives the key to the character of all the
others It is not too large, and is fur
nished in dark colors. Although neither
Mr.. nor Mrs. Wanamaker care anything
for the designations of fashionable life or
the luxurious living of many who possess
large wealth, they entertain q great deal
in charming, quiet way at dinner. But
to see Mr.. Wanamaker at his very best one
must have the good fortune to be guest
tor two or three days at his country place
at Jenkintown. He is rapturously fond of
the field and the river. of trees and flowers,
and of all the wondrous growth with
which nature has beautified the earth.
His home is just what rustic home in
this great, prosperous and new country
ought to be.
His wealth is so large that he might
have had feudal castle with watch
towers and battlements, and even moat,
If he had chosen. But he didn't choose,
and his home is homelike structure, with
great wide piazzas, standing on the crest
Of hill, in the midst Of q noble lawn ex-
tensive enough for . farm. One enters
through wide doorway opening upon
wide hail. A big .'rosery" and q conserva-
toryfor orchids stand just behind the house.
They receive great deal of Mr.. Wanna
makers best thought, for in so far as
man of his guarded temperament and
methodical training may be said to have
passion, he has q passion for flowers.
Mr.. Wanamaker and his family have
grown so fond of this bucolic paradise that
before he became 3 cabinet officer they
spent eight months out Of the year in it.
The life out there 10 delightfully."- simple,
and the presence of guests cannot change
its free and even flow. Whoever comes there
is made at home at once. He has the lib
erty of coming and going and doing all
at his own pleasure. There is stable full
of excellent horses, though no racers. One
may ride or drive as he pleases, or enjoy
himself in a dozen other ways. Mr..
Wanamaker himself neither rides nor
shoots, just as he neither smokes nor
drinks. He has every kind Of q convey
ance and he travels q great deal that way,
his favorite vehicle being light four
wheeled wagon. He handles the reins
skillfully enough, but he doesn't fancy
even mild brush on the road.
When at his country home Mr.. Wanna
maker rarely sleeps later than $50 in the
spring or summer, and by 6 just as likely
as not, he is tramping over his place, his
dogs at his heels-stopping now to see the
cows MIXED, peeping in at the spring
house, leaping over q stile to take a look
at the young vegetables just above the
earth of the farm. Coming back he spends
a delightful ten minutes among his flow
ers, and when his family and his. guests
come down to breakfast they find the
trophies of his rambles-big punches of
roses and orchids-lying beside their
plates.
When business engagements are imper-
alive he leaves the flowers as a greeting
and is deep in affairs when the coffee and
rolls are on at his house. His all-round
cleverness is shown even in the skill with
which he orders a dinner. Every man
with money may buy sumptuous meal,
but taste and art are requisite to make up
one properly. A gourmet takes his mea-
sure of man by the way in which he or
ders dinner as quickly as a connoisseur
of paintings decides the bent of a mans
mind by the quality of the pictures with
which he surrounds himself.
Mr.. Wanamaker gets his oysters and his
pat-s, his roasts and his salads, all in
proper relation both to themselves and to
the dominating idea. But he has no place
for wine. He never touches it, just as he
has never visited the theater or circus.
But he does not interfere with the tastes
of others Only he himself will never set
wine before any one. His dinner parties,
nevertheless, do not seem to suffer on that
account, and many distinguished men
have found them exceedingly enjoyable.
His breakfast to Canon WHEREFORE, the
distinguished English churchman and
total abstinence advocate, was one of the
handsomest ever seen in this country and
the absence OF wine was quite in harmony
with the presence Of the guest of honor.
AT Mr.. Wanamaker's dinner to Vice
President Levi P. Morton, ginger ale was
the strongest beverage served, and the fact
that it was served in wine glasses did not
make it any the more exhilarating. Mr..
Morton himself and most of the other
guests would not have objected to glass
of champagne, and Mr.. Wanamaker came
in for q lot of good-natured chatting 1t