The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1900-06-28
Seen At Home.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN.
His Home Life as Described by
Girdner in N. Y, Journal.

| JOnn H. Cirner III New York Journal
| II you'd look upon American man
hood in its highest state of develop
ment, 60 to Mr.. Bryan's farm in Ne
braska, as did few days ago, an,
see the greatest Statesman and leader
OF the Western Hemisphere living the
life he loves best, close to the soil, clos,
to the plain people, close to the grea,
problems of honest toll and its just re
wards, which lie behind the smoke
and flame of party warfare in the great
money centres of the country.
As he walks about his barn or zoe.
through his fields he gives one an i'm
preston OF almost immeasurable phys
lcal strength and endurance. His
muscles are hard, and his eyes and
complexion are clear, the inheritance
OF a temperate life. Notwithstanding
the tremendous draughts which have
been made upon his vitality during
the last four years, he Is still younger
in physical strength than most men
are at 40.
When on his farm he has the jocose
spirit OF man out for a holiday.
There is nothing in his manner to In
dicate that the greatest responsible
ties of political leadership in the pres
ent generation are resting upon him.
It is doubtful whether any other
great leader can so easily dismiss from
his mind its customary burden of care
and annoyances as Mr.. Bryan when he
wants to sleep or play. This is due to
his evenly balanced mental qualities
and perfect physical health, to intelli-
gent self-control and to conscience
yoid of offense.
He seems to breathe in the very
breath Of the farm, and to be a part of
it he is so simple, SO natural, so un-
conscious of himself, so interested in
everything that grows-in the horses,
the chickens, the red COW and its calf,
the well, the windmill, the farm over
seer, and the rolling landscape. have
rarely seen man with so great a Ca
pacity for enjoying the simple beau
ties of nature. His tastes haye not
been yitiated by the excitements of
city life or the stock ticker.
Tho.e who have only seen Mr..
Bryan in the heat of campaign thun-
dering against the wrongs which press
upon the plain people can have no idea
OF the quaint, delicate, Lincoln-like
humcr that runs through bis CONVEX
sation when he is off duty. He has
good sense of proportion, and enjoys
telling story, even when the joks is
on himself. He can even joke about
his military record, thing that few
men can do. The other day, in Lin
coin, he showed me his "black war
charger" and in tone of mock grav-
ity said II rode that horse all through
the Spanish-American war. He was
in every battle was in. Do you won
der that am attached to him?"
On rising slope Of the farm, which
view for several miles in
every direction, stands the little Bryan
farm house, and on this spot he intends
to build his permanent home.
"Some day." he said, "if am ever
able to, will put up a comfortable
stone house here, where hope to
spend my declining years in peace"
That modest ambition of a man who,
by abandoning the cause to which he
has devoted his lie might acquire great
wealth, gives a better idea of the real
Bryan than could he conveyed in a
volume of words.
Ga TOE