The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-22
BRYAN AND HIS BOOK
~ LITERATURE, AS IN POLITICS, He IS
A BUSY MAN.

- - Ooo ciuo oh sho AeOAos ne On sn'
Othsr-His Book Coming ON Slowly
Story of His Daily Life.
William j. Bryan is engaged just at
present In writing q book. He is tn
literary man just now, not the orator
and there is difference. Bryan in hi
workshop looks the Literary man-th'
literary man that you read about, tn,
man whose thoughts run DO his ink wei
rather than to his coat. Bryan has no
had his hair cut for some time. 1t II
not heavy on the top of his head, bu
about his ears it falls very long. with {
manifest tendency to curl. His fact
takes to itself the darkening shades ol
an ambitious beard in single day, bul
he does not take time to shave every
day. William J. Bryan is a working.
man just now-not that this is anything
new, for be is one of those people SO
peculiarly constituted that he seems to
enjoy work. During the late campaign
Bryan's smile became famous Many
thought that it was only candidates az
fectation, but they were wrong Bryan's
campaign smile was not a campaign
storm coat, to be thrown off after the
rain, il was simply-William j. Bryan.
He smiles all alone in his library over
columns Of uncorrected proof.
During the campaign Bryan under
went a strain that 10 other candidate
for the Office of president had ever un-
Ia al ~
until the carpers all said that he wonld
collapse, and then, when he did not
break down, they said that if he was
defeated he woald never rally from the
shock. Bryan was defeated, but there
was no collapse 1t is doubtful il he
ever lost a moments sleep. 1t certainly
did not cast him down or detract any
thing from his great capacity for work.
Western people do not expect to live
in the same house forever, and therefore
they do not care so much whether they
are built to last for lifetime or not.
The Bryan homestead is a "boom"
house, such as every western town
knows-built not to shelter half dozen
generations but built to shelter q west.
ern family until it gets ready to move
into better house-and none too good,
not even the house that is painted white.
The fat prairie town, the muddy
streets, the very western house and The
children's dog all fade from the memo
~ when one enters the workshop Of the
Bryan home and the doors are drawn,
and the interest centers only in the man
to whom millions have listened sur
rounded only by the stage settings OF
his own den. This man Bryan does not
change much under any surroundings,
however. He is too honestly candid for
that. You think that you are going to
discover him as he is. and you find that
You only discover him as you knew
he was. He has ON an old velvet smok-
ing jacket and u three days beard, and
when, after you are seated, he throws
pile of books and papers and says,
Here is where I like best to be-" you
know that he is speaking the truth.
The book will be called "The First
Battle" 1t will be q history of the first
great battle for free silver by the gen.
eral himself. The book will contain
Bryan's speeches during the campaign,
an account of his wonderful campaign
Journeys and also Bryan's ideas as to
the battles for free silver which are to
come as well as the historical account
OF the one which is passed. 1t will also
contain An account Of his life, written
by Mrs. Bryan, and the letters Of ac-
ceptance Of the other candidates and
all the principal historical facts Of the
last campaign. 1t will in all the years
that are to come be one of the most i'm
portant historical documents Of this
country.
II am working harder now than did
during the campaign" said he-"that
is. it is more wearing upon me. start
In to work as soon as get my breakfast,
and work until 1890 at night. never
60 down town. don't know whether
you had better mention that or not,
but never do-because, il I do, you
know, / meet SO many people. and they
want to shake hands and talk, and !
cannot spare the time Now and then
take short walk, but do not get out
OF the house much l stay right here,
and there is no place feel SO contented
as shut right up here in this room. Mrs.
Bryan, you see. has her seat right
across the desk, and il is here that can
enjoy myself.
The room in which Mr.. Bryan is liv-
ing all the time he is not asleep at the
present time is not large room. 1t is
we'll lighted and is SO packed that it
seems cozy. A large, square, fat desk
occupies the center Of the room. and at
this desk Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan sit oppo-
site each other TO do their literary work.
The walls Of the room are lined with
bookshelves. and Of this library Bryan
10 very proud.
Il want you to look at my books"
was one Of the first things he said to me
after he had welcomed me to his den.
He pointed them all out before he had
finished Not one OF the books had beau
tiful and elaborate bindings; az far as
I was able 70 discover not one Of them