The herald., 1896-07-26

OIdtOIy. L dlSO represented llllnOlS COl-
| lege at Galesboro in the state contest of
| 1880, taking second prize with an ora
| ton on Justice My chief sport when
| boy was rabbit hunting and jumping,
and have not recovered from either
yet. After 1 had graduated 1 won
| prize for a standing jump of twelve
feet four inches, and that is a pretty
good jump today, isn't It ?"
| FALLS IN LOVE AT COLLEGE,
When Mr.. Bryan was in Illinois COL
lege he boarded with DR.. II. X. Jones,
| a relative who had been one Of the fa-
nous Concord school. 1t was during
Mr.. Bryan's junior year at college that
he met Miss Mary e. Baird. Junior
| in the female academy at the same place.
They became engaged the same year.
She was graduated the day before Mr..
| Bryan, and was valedictorian of her class
| of eight, and was thus fit match for
him who was the valedictorian of a class
| of fifteen. She was born in Perry, Ill,
| where her father was merchant.
The death of Mr.. Bryan's father
threatened to disturb his career, but he
| determined to continue his law studies
and he entered the Union College of
Law at Chicago In the fall of 1881. He
was fortunate to get place in the office
of Lyman Trumbull, and now reckons
him as one of his warmest friends. He
did hard work in the law school and
| was beaten for the valedictory (elective)
by one vote. There were fifty-four in
the class, and it was regarded as good
class. Mr. Bryan settled at once in Jack
sonville to practice law. He had his US
ual starvation PERIOD" but he had
Ss,ns aone SO SOW well In his first year that he and
MISS Baird were married October 1884.
1t was then that Mr. Baird said to him,
| remark which Mr.. Bryan delights to
quote: We'll, William, as long as I
have plenty we shall not both want"
Mr.. Bryan's practice grew steadily,
and In 1887 he was engaged to go to
| Kansas and Nebraska to look after some
investments for an Illinois company. He
visited Lincoln to see his old chum at
Union college, A. r. Talbot He was
Fascinated by the town, and at once de-
termined to remove to It.. Talbot offered
him partnership and he accepted.
When he went home and told his family
that he wanted to go to Nebraska all
but Mr.. Baird demurred. Mr.. Baird was
delighted. He was an earnest Republi-
can. He said:
| Yes, William, I shall be glad to go to
Nebraska, for it is such a strong Re-
| publican state that know you will have
| to stay out Of politics when you get
| there"
Mr.. Bryan removed to Lincoln in the
| fall of 1887, and his family came eight
| months later. He had another struggle
to get into practice, but he was moder-
ately successful, and when he was elect
ed to congress he had a very good income
| which was steadily growing. Since 1890
Mr Bryan has spoken in every cam
paign. From the first he spoke and
! studied the subject Of tariff reform and
is believed to be as we'll informed on
that subject as any other man in this
| country.
Mrs. Bryan has great liking for pol
ltics, and accompanies her husband on
many of his Nebraska jaunts. Her
tastes are essentially literary, and she
mas written much for various causes
She studied law in Illinois. and was ad-
mitted to the bar after she came to Ne
Draska, not with view to practice, but
TO assist Mr. Bryan In his work. She is
charming woman, and is as great a
favorite IN Lincoln as her husband She
was one of the organizers of the Sorosis
the leading woman's club of Lincoln,
and also leading member of the w. c.
A. and other societies. Mr. Bryan says
she is Invaluable to him in suggestions
ana IN the preparation of material and
IN ADVICE as to points and methods. The
children are very bright and are pretty
and well bred.
1t is not only for Mr.. Bryan's great
gifts as speaker that he is esteemed so
hlghly by the people of this city and
state. his greatest hold on them comes
from MS character and manliness. He
IS one OIL the pureSt men in public life
| NO talnt has ever attached to his public
or private acts, and no charge of evil
has ever been brought against him He
is member of the First Presbvterian
church in Lincoln, having united with
the church when IA years of age. He
| neltnef smokes, chews, swears nor
drinks, and his language is pure.
A TOWER OF STRENGTH
1t used to be tradition that the Mis-
| souri, river was magical in changing
! poitlcs. for many men who had been
sta!Warts democrats in eastern states
| Wnen they came to Nebraska at once
became Republicans on account of the
great Republican majorities. All that
mas now changed, and Mr.. Bryan has
mad much to do with changing it, for
he remained true to his Democracy. and
by his eloquence and personal zeal and
character, has given his party strength
which it could get in no other way so
quickly
In congress and in his business Mr..
Bryan has been noted for being fair
first of all. He often voted against his
colleagues in seating members which he
believed had not been elected, and his
private and official acts have been free
from jobbery.
In the house his name has been con-
nected with measures for the public
good, and when any scheme for the evil
of the people was up he voted against it,
and often spoke against it. 1t was after
his famous speech against the pooling
bill In the last session that Champ Clark
called him "the most eloquent tribune
of the common people which(congress
has contained for many years" Mr.
Bryan is invariably charitable and kind
in speaking of his colleagues, especially
of the opposite party. He speaks very
highly of the characters of Mckinley
and Harrison of the Republican leadero.
AS an editor, for he is the editor in chief
of the Omaha World-H Herald and directs
its policy in the national issues, he is a
ready and apt writer. His editorials
have been quoted many times in the
magazines and reviews. 1t would be a
new thing to see Mr.. Bryan roasted
in this state. Outside of few Repub-
lican railroad organs, all newspapers of
all parties join in the warmest praise of
him, however they may differ with him
as to his politics.
JUST LIKE A WOMAN
~