Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-07-10
The Bryans at Home

The organs at Home
The Bryan house is set on top OF
hill and is surrounded by 155 acres
of as nice farming land as is to be
found anywhere in America. Mr.. Bryan
paid $3.50 an acre for the first five
acres in 1893. and since then has ac-
quired at odd times the remainder.
He did not begin to build until sew
eral years after the first purchase. The
house is OF red brick with sandstone
trimmings and probably cost between
$25 900 and 100000. 1t has all the con-
veniences of a modern suburban home.
Mr. Bryan grows little of every
thing on this farm and this year the
crops are excellent. He will have four
cuttings from his ten acres of alfalfa
this season and it will be a record
breaking crop for him. This will bring
him $14 a ton in the local market. but
he does not know how many tons he
will have. This has been a wet sea-
son for farmers, but Mr.. Bryan has
suffered but little as his land Is high
and dry. He does not talk much about
his farm and probably does not pay
great deal attention to it, altho he
knows what is going on. He has
paid head farmer who lives in good
house of his own and superintends the
work of the employees. There are
enough of these SO that not one is
overWorked. They move languidly
about the place, as farm hands will on
hot days when not urged, and take
a pleasant interest in the coming and
going Of visitors.
There is an air of spick and span
cleanliness and freshness about the
place which might bring real farmer
to the criticism that there is too much
style. But, as Mr.. Bryan says, 1t is
farmer.
There is every evidence about this
beautiful place that Mrs. Bryan is an
ideal and painstaking housekeeper, but
her activities in other directions forces
one to the conclusion that she intrusts
her domestic duties to we'll trained
servants. She says she has her trou-
bles with help In the country" just
the same as other mortals, but she
does not let these vexations bother her
here. At present the chickens, the
kitchen, gardens, the diaries and other
affairs of the house are not for her.
She is helping her husband in the most
practical way.
To begin with, she understands the
political situation in detail almost as
well as her husband. For years she
has been travelling with him, meeting
the men who confer with him and TAX
ing part in the discussions. She now
has a most capable private secretary
and handles a heavier correspondence
than Mr.. Bryan. She receives herself
a great many letters and all get an
swers. She also answers great many
letters of her husband. He Indicates
the answers and she dictates the re-
plies.
His editorials in the Commoner and
much of his other literary work is die
tated to her and she writes on the
typewriter instead Of taking notes. She
is capable and experienced writer.
and those who are familiar with this
class Of work can understand the adj
vantage of having an amanuensis who
Is always ready with word phrase
or an idea. In this respect the two are
in perfect sympathy and together per-
form an incredible amount of work
without apparent fatigue. They inter-
sperse this with attention to visitors
and other matters.
In passing it is interesting to note
that the Bryan children have been
brought up in much the same way.
They have learned how to work just
as their father and mother work. The
girls did not learn to sew or cook, but
to read and write. The young son is
a student and worker and not so much
interested in the ordinary little play
affairs which appeal to boys. He is
ing is settled as to the youngsters fu
ture At present he is away visiting
friends.
Two interesting personages of the
Bryan household are the grandchil-
dren, Ruth and Bryan Leavitt, aged
and g. They are the children of Ho-
mer and Ruth Bryan Leavitt. He is
living in Denver. Mr.. Bryan will not
permit the pictures of these children
to be taken and stories about them are
not part of the material" furnished
to newspaper correspondents.
Nearly every day the organs drive to
the city in curious sort of a double
seated rig. 1t has two seats, with top
and side curtains. The wheels have
rubber tires 1t is a roomy, comfy sort
Of light wagon. Mr.. Bryan sits In
front and drives. His wife sits in the
rear and superintends. Frequently one
of their visitors Is taken downtown,
and this fortunate person sits on the
rear seat with Mrs. Bryan, who keeps
~ lively conversation. doing most
I of the questioning. After an hour or
| TWO Of visiting with srs. Bryan 1T is
L !, LIZ lEoxa In,