Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-03-16
TIE LATE A. 4. GARLAND.
An Incident In His Career which
Illustrates General Grants
Character.

have opened up tloodgate of remin-
iscencts, One was born in the ex-
IRENE Northeastern corner OF Inc
Union, another in Philadelphia and
the third in the South. All three
were remarkable men. Each reached
high station. and each had an indi
viduality peculiarly his own, They
all had a host of friends, and each
left void in Washington not easily
filled. Dingley, an obscure country
editor, became a statesman pro
foundly versel in political economy
Young, hell boy in a Philadelphia
printing office, became the executive
edbtor of the greatest political news
paper on the continent, was the in
Inmate associate of President Grant,
had been American Minister to the
oldest empire on the face Of the
earth, and died librarian of congress,
Garland came down to us from a
former generation. While opposing
secession and voting for Bell and Ev-
erelt, he became "a member of both
the House and the Senate of the
Confederate States, and when boy
had predicted that he would be At
torney General Of the United States
a prediction fulfilled under the first
administration OF President Cleye-
land
Dingley WAS NOT a reminiscent
character. Life was serious with
him. He had little appreciation of
humor, and was never given to
merriment Rarely did he refer to
incidents in his early lifes He re-
tanned his studious habits to the day
of his death and was more of stu
dent than a reader. There was every
thing solid and nothing superficial
about him. Young read everything
novels, metaphysical works. history,
biogaphy-and was ever abreast OF
THE current literature of the day
His fund of "reminiscences was inex.
hnustible, and he had more than THE
average flow of genaIity Garland
combined many Of the traits of both
Young and Dingley, but had a per
sonality more charming tnan either
Few were admitted to HRS confidence
A delightful conversationalist, he had
/, . great memory and a store of infor
nation almost miraculous. His remi
niscences were of enhancing in
terest. but were dealt out with ex
IRENE hesitation and caution. AT
were historical and shed hight upon
THE characters of men whose names
will ever stand ON the roll of fame.
One incident related by him throws
a charming light upon the character
of General Grant and President
johnson, and casts lurid tinge upor
Secretary Stanton 1t was told sew
eral years ago in the humble brlcl
quarters of Colonel William R. Smith
the superintendent OF the Botanic
Garden. Garland and Smith wer,
kindred spirits. Both were grea
readers, and they thoroughly EN-
joyepl each others society. On tn,
night in question they sat in cas-,
chairs in the mellow gaslight. in tn,
den devoted to Smths unrivalet
collection of the works of Rober
Burns, detailing recollections of tn,
civil war Smith had been a volun
teer in Washington when the attacl
of General Early was repulscd. HI
came near being captured by his ole
friend, General John c. breckenridge
and gave narrowing account of hi
retreat from Fort Stevens to Wash
ington on IA hot and dusty day ii
July.
The narrative set ('ailands memory
aglow. lie described his visit ITO Wash
ington at the close of the war Every
thing was in confusion. Lincoln hay
been assassinated, and there was al
ugly feeling in the hearts OF tllos,
who had ait first manifested a gener
ous disposition toward the Confeder
ates. Very few had taken the oatl
of allegiance, and the status, polilica
and otherwise, of many distinguish
ed man was entirely undetermined
The aititude of President johnson
seemed TO be Influenced by the atmoS
phere of East Tennessee, where more