The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-09
MRS. BRYAN'S MANY ACCOMPL EASEMENTS Wife of Democratic Nominee is
 Brainy Woman EXPERT AS STENOGRAPHER Mrs. Bryan Uses Shorthand System of Her Own-She Has Aided Her
 Husband signally in Ills
 Public Life.
EXPERT AS STENOGRAPHER
From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.

Bryan or approves his personal efforts to master the political situation from his vantage. the fact remains that the Bryans are very interesting people and deserve study at close range When the , President invited MT. Bryan to partici- pate in the deliberations with the gov ernors and other mighty personages, tho Washington public came closer to him since the days when he filled a minor role in the lower house.
 At the handsome reception given one afternoon in the White House one could see at glance some of the reasons why MT Bryan Is such a popular man. His social qualifications are dominant and he possess the memory which every suc- cessful politician must have, and more of it than many of the most successful can boast. He was the hero of that aft ernoon and President Roosevelt smiled as he saw the ovation which his politl- cal opponent was receiving. Hundreds clamored around him, shaking his hand recalling former meetings, asking ques- tions and exchanging badinage and these hundreds were not hero worshiping wo- men, but men on both sides of the polti- cal fence.
 Mrs. Bryan does not possess the win ming personality of her distinguished spouse, and she is much more reserved and more difficult to know, but she is a delightful woman for all that During the days when MT. Bryan was in the House and afterwards she made many close friends in Washington, and she spends several weeks here almost yearly. During the school term of Miss Grace Bryan at Roanoke Seminary she came to the capital city at least once a year.
 Charms of Falrview Home.
 
 exalted position in Washington she said during recent visit. soon after her re- turn from Europe-"who would not?-but I should like to bring Fairviwe with me-" Everybody who knows MT. or Mrs. Bryan soon hears all about Fairview, their fine prairie home which Mir Bryan has ac- quired in the past seven years The de- votion which the great commoner feels for his home and rolling acres reminds one of the feelings which actuated Jef- ferson towards Monticello. Even to be mistress of the White House does not seem to Mrs. Bryan as fine thing as to preside over F'airview.
 'T call that woman happy who lives to realize her hearts dsire," said Mrs. Bryan once in telling about Fairview. Mine was to own just such a home as we now live in. It is seven years since we moved into it, but for seven years be-
  schemed. It sounds almost biblical-like the story of Jacobs waiting. When we lived in Lincoln our home was very dear indeed, but just a tiny frame house was set down on a muddy street, and we had only excuse for yard. MT. Bryan and used to ride out on the prairie, and our favorite spot was on Antelope creek, a famous region out Lincoln way There was a. knoll where the sun seemed to shine the brightest, always green In sum- mer and full of wild flowers. Once MT. Bryan remarked that when he had saved s500O he would buy five acres around that hill and build house. We planned that house from this remark, and, though we modified our ideas several times, that first plan was carried out in general outlines. During the building I watched every de- tail and I felt like an artist who sees a beautiful picture grow under his brush"
 Pride of the Neighborhood.
 Fairview is the pride of the neighbor hood for miles around and everybody seems to have a proprietary right in it's importance The curios which MT. and Mrs Bryan gathered during their tour fthe world are known to every man and child in the community. Fairview Is in suburb of Lincoln called Normal and within easy reach of the trolley.
 
 have a few hours to spare visit the place, and as rule they are courteously re- ceived though recently since MT. Bryan loomed up so prominently for the hrst place on the democratic ticket Mrs. Bryan has been compelled to enforce the priv acy of her home. But the car men In Lincoln and all about Normal, the police and the odd job man can recite every detail of the wonderful things which MT. Bryan got when going around the world.
 Some of our visitors get things It. tie mixed" related Mrs. Bryan. Some children came all the way out from Lin- coin one cold day in winter to see the jugglers from Japan, and they were woe- fully disappointed to find these same jug glers were bronze affairs on the library mantel We have some fine bronze lions on the front steps which came from Corea and for a long time after our re- turn people from the countryside be- lieved the lions live ones and would come at all hours to see them."
 Bryan''s Prized Possessions.
 But the three things which he prizes most, says Mrs. Bryan, are the ancient bowl from Ireland, the heart of solid silver from the democrats and the gift of the grateful Filipinos. The silver heart from Pennsylvania is mounted on sil- yer shield and set in the massive oak mantel, which Is the most conSplcuOuS decoration of the library. The heart bears the following inscription:
 More than half million democrats of Pennsylvania join with pride in the na- tional greeting to William Jennings Bryan, the most eminent private citizen | of America, upon his return from for | eign lands. They hail him the next | President of the United States, as an in l dication of the organized democracy of the Keystone State. Upon the issue they | point with qualification upon the unani- | nous adoption of the democratic state | convention, held in Harrisburg, June 27, l 1906, of a platform, the most notable l plank of which reads:
 ''We congratulate the country upon the | fact that the only prominence the present | republican national administration has | attained has been achieved by feeble and | pretended application of the principles | enunciated by Hon. William Jennings | Bryan. the great democratic commoner, | who is regarded as the certain successor | of Theodore Roosevelt to the presidency. |
 Ireland has presented many tokens of | regard to the commoner-canes, pipes and | inkstands of black buckhorn. But an old | carved punch bowl Is a special favorite | of MT. and Mrs. Bryan, and the tnscrip- | tion in fat letters around the rim, has found a chord responsive. The bowl has