Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-11-23
THE PRESIDENCY.
Garfield Had Much Of the Sorrow
and Littlesof the Joy Of
His Office.

1t was my good fortune to be visiting
at the house of a man when he received
news of his election to the presidency,
says a contributor to the Fortnightly
Review. To my young mind the mere
thought of such honor was bewildering.
l could not picture how I would act in
such circumstances. But | did have a
vague notion that a man at such time
would act in dramatic fashion-call to
the gods for aid-ask high heaven to
witness his gratitude; register his vow
Of loyalty to duty and Deity. Here,
then, was an opportunity to test my
theory, and I awaited results with keen
anxiety We were at breakfast when
the telegram arrived. His wife tore it
open. and, her voice all in a tremble,
read: ''You are elected beyond shadow
of doubt" | looked closely at the
lucky man. Not muscle moved, not
the slightest change in his expression
was visible. He was silent for a few
seconds, and then, as he broke open an
egg, he quietly observed: Mother, that
other year" Really, was tempted to
throw my cup of coffee at him, his leyity
seemed so sacrilegious. | hated him be-
cause he was so lacking in human ma
ture Half an hour later | was passing
the stables. Looking in, I saw the cold
blooded' President-elect standing by the
side of his favorite horse. One arm was
thrown over it's neck his face was buried
in the name, and his whole frame was
conyulsed. That very human side of his
nature which he kept out of sight, even
when surrounded by his own family, he
had revealed to his dear old horse. AS
/ passed on / realized that my boyhood
idol was again on it's old pedestal, and
knew that the making of President
had not, in this case, been the unmak-
ing Of man.
Garield's life. He had won the great
prize. Three months of bitter strife
with politicians over spoils of office fol-
lowed his Inauguration and exhausted the
little store of nervous energy which re-
NAMED after a long and exciting cleo
toral campaign. Rest was an absolute
necessity, and he started on brief holt
day-a visit to his alma mater in the
New England hills. Smiling as he
walked into the railway station at a
witty speech of his friend Blaine, he
fell mortally wounded at the hands Of
a half-crazed assassin. They carried
him to the white house-the political
Mecca of many millions-and for weeks
his suffering was beyond description.
had 2 friend who was with him from
first to last. and he gave me this little
picture of the closing days of Garfeld's
life. Suffering bred fever, and fever
revived his old love of the sea. He
begged to be carried to the Atlantic, and
his wish was law. One morning my
friend, at Garfeld's request, lifted him
so that his dying eyes might take in a
wider sweep Of the old Atlantic. And
while my friend held in his arms the
wasted figure Of his old FRIEND he told
the President how the whole nation was
also looking toward the sea. Yes, and
praying that God would help and bless
their chief magistrate. Garfield pressed
the hand of his friend and whispered:
''He has blessed me; could man ask more
than such love and sympathy from such
a people?" A few hours later the Presi-
dent had put aside forever place and
power-paid with his life the awful price
of success.