The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-09-20

ty air of command. you run away to
bed This'll be busy day, too. My, but
I'm glad you're nominated I'm going
right up to tell mamma all about II"
1t was q matter of surprise and COM
ment among newspaper men who waited
In the glass enclosed porch at Fairview
that July night that the 17-year-old girl
should know SO much about politics and
have so broad a grasp of the situation.
She knew the voting strength of every
state represented In the convention and
her keen comments on the telegraph re-
ports they came in were listened to
with interest. Occasionally she Ventured
prophecies as to what would come next,
and in each instance her predictions were
verified.
Two little people who are spending
the summer at Fairview have put forth
a new claim on that most prominent
, characteristic of Mrs. Bryan-her unlim-
tied capacity for devotion. They are her
grandchildren, Bryan and Ruth Leavitt,
the and 4-year-old children of her old
est daughter, Ruth. The babies have won
| their way deep into the hearts of their
| grandparents, who find 1t hard not to
| turn away from even the most important
| duties when the little ones beg for a
| "'tory."
Julian Hawthorne, the well-known au-
! thor, spent some time at the Bryan home
| during the summer Of 1900 Afterward
| he wrote of Mrs. Bryan as follows:
Mrs Bryan is as unusual woman as
her husband is a man, but she is so I'M
| obtrusive that few people have much
| Idea of her true character. | had the OPP
| portunity to learn something of her dur
| ing the campaign Of SO, and l well recol-
lect her admirable bearing at the great
| meeting in Madison Square garden where
she was recognized and greeted on enter
ing her box by more than 10000 people.
1t was a tremendous ordeal for woman
to undergo But she sustained herself
| with a steadiness and self-posSesslon re-
| markable in any woman, but more than
| remarkable in her, who had always nVed
| in quiet domestic ways, occupied Win
| her husband, her children and her mousse
| hold duties She is woman OF great
courage and unshakable faith, OF excep-
tional intellect, also nourished with aoe-
ouate education. She possesses the cool
ness of Judgment, which must often have
served her husband well in times OF
doubt. She is not led away by imaglna-
ton or hope, but sees things as they are,
and resoutely faces facts
"Should the DEGREES of Providence see
fit to place her in the position or tho
first lady of the land l should have no
fear that she would not discharge her
duties irreproachably. A true American
woman, she is such as you may always
be glad to match against the great danes
of the old world. The dominant express
sion of her face is penetration, combined
with a gentle composure. But there Is
the sparkle of demure humor In her
eyes, and she can use speech as the most
delicate Of rapiers when she chooses.
cit is easy to know her as an acquaint-
ance, but I surmise that no one really
knows her except her husband, and prob
ably she will be able continually to dis
cover new resources and depths even to
him. She is good woman, with strong
religious convictions. and she regards
Bryans political aspirations from that
point Of view. If 1t is the will OF God
that he shall reach the highest place
among his countrymen, she will accept
the mission with good will and conf
dence. But should he be defeated, she
will welcome a life Of obscurity with
mistaken equanimity, believing that the
councils of the Almighty are unsearch-
able, but faithful. If she Is destined
to higher things. the example to the ma