The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-26
SENATOR TILLMAN's WIFE.
She Advises Him for His Own Soos:
and Tries to Polish Him.

Charleston Letter in New York Sur.
a talk with Senator benjamin L. Till
man when his mind is for the time being
relaxed from the plots and cares OF poh-
tics Will reveal in great measure that power
about him which compels his extensive
personal following throughout South Caro-
lima Tilman, when under the influence of
political or any other pubic excitement,
becomes violent or fanatical to the extent
of losing completely the subtle element
OF his personality. Uncultured, and at times
ignoring every usage of polite society, he
IS often as rough and coarse in private
life as he is in the heat of Il political bat
tie. But it is then that he is strongest in
the exercise of the wonderful magnetism
with which he dominates and subdues
those about him. And in spite of his usual
want of refinement ne observes closely the
bearing of the best people," whom he
affects to detest, and on occasion can as
sumo a semblance of gentility. He
guilty of the grossest social blunders when
thereby votes from the masses. But
he was too shrewd to lose the opportunity
practices many OF the customs that few
years ago he scoffeu at as the "absurdities
of the elite
Mrs. Tillman has more ambition in this
direction than her husband, and having
mind cultivated by hard and incessant
study and a marvellous influence over him.
she has been able to improve him con-
siderably. She assists him in all his pub
lie affairs, and he rarely makes an i'm
portant move without first consulting her.
he was never known to act against her
advice but once. This was on the occasion
OF MS acceptance OF pass over a railroad.
He had made bitter fight against the
railroads, and had denounced the former
Governors who had been, as he alleged, in
league with them against the interests of
the farmer. Mrs. Tillman argued that the
acceptance of the< slightest favor would
cast suspicion OF insincerity upon him.
and that he would be cenSured even by
his strongest adherents. But Tillman used
the pass, and Mrs. Humans predictions
were a once verified He was blamed, and
for the first time in his career his motives
were questioned by his own party.
MRS I1lman reads much, devoting her
self especially to politics and history. 1t
is laughingly asserted by her intimates
that she has read and remembers every
erence to her husband and supplies the
dates and statistics with which his speeches
abound. Humans fe-vorite hour for grove
conference with his wife is at dusk, when
he returns home exhausted with his own
Vehemence of the Gay. He overturnS q
and, throwing off his coat over it's back, ne
filings himself full length the floor to
catch the stray whiffs of breeze. He rests
his head upon his coat as q pillow, and
then calls long and loudly for Mrs. Tillman
to come and talk to him. Often she has
looked up some desired information for
him, the early accident to his eye necessi-
tating caution against overtaXing it. She
plans with him the campaign of the next
day, while he Tolls and losses the floor.
At times a business messenger, sometimes
an intimate friend. calls interrupting them.
He does not observe the formality of ris-
ing and resuming his coat, but will sing
out in a jolly rough-and-ready way to come
on and talk, then and there, if they must.
at evening receptions a long black frock
coat, and pays no attention to the shiny
his cravat, or the dandrun upon the
lapels. His hair is seldom if ever, smooth,
and he is constantly disarranging it by
falls Immediately over his forehead again,
and seemingly annoys him by its great
terly into hard lines, as is usual, relaXeS
into well-chiseled curves. His favorte at
head turned slightly in order to level the
good eye upon one with a searching gaze.
tering that the other is. not missed. He as
sumes to bend from his eminence to look
down, which he re does effectively ely having
One would imagine he had studied this
pose.
He will pay close attention to the words
of another, but does not hesitate to inter
rupt with an enthusiastic or violent afnr-
nation or denial. He is vastly in earnest
about the smallest affair or popularity of
his own. He is ready and even pleased to
discuss his eccentricities with any passing
He discourses in loud tone, and does
not modulate his voice to suit his sur
ously, and plunges into fierce argument TO
convert others to his own way of distin-
gushing right from wrong.
He considers his unique talent OF hurting
abuse and profanity at the heads OF ms
enemies an art, and laughs over 1t and
declares that it is why, second nature.
A Young woman recently demonstrated
with him upon the sinfulness of this hab-
it, reminding him of an unwarranted vol
ley lately INDUCED in. He whooped with
mirth. and replied We'll. cursing and
damning and swearing are my safety
valve" He then explained this safety
valve" as he continued to call it, as his
one vice. He declared that all men must
and did have at least one. vice, that those
who appeared too good for it were only
worse than the rest. He called attention
to the worst faults or the several vices
of the luckess young wonlans best friends,
and vowed that his own fault was not so
harmful wicked. He had studied this
question, he said.
The gambler, the tobacco user and the
drunkard all injured their health and wore
out the brain. And their vices often cost
money that their families needed. His
"damning and bad words did not wear
him out physically or mentally, but did
him good and assisted him 10 work off
bad temper. He acknowledged that he dare
not abandon his own peculiar vice. as in
that case he would be apt to adopt more
injurious safety valve" He urged that
his vice was even reasonable. for he had
considered the entire list before finally |
making a choice, and no amount of religion
could ever cure his ''cussin. -