The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-11-20

Wouiu Uo dpPlcQ 10 the SnaBJi
wounds In American union? He wa
playing on the White House grounds
His mother, the presidents daugh
ter. was mistress of the White House
She was "the first lady of the land.
Her son was the pet of ambassador
and the few distinguished public Of
flee holders DESTROYS of maintaining
friendly relations with the chief exc
cutive.
Those were not the most brilliant
days socially the White House eyel
knew, however.
Il The country was just catching It'll
breath again after a prolonged and
/ CHASTITY war in which the union had
at times seemed In danger OF being
forever split In which countless
homes had been saddened and DESC
lated and uncounted thousands Of
brave men had been shot ana killed
and buried on the many bloody bat
tie fields. Nevertheless there was q
certain relief and Joy In the hearts
Of all men that the war was over, and
this feeling found expression In the
society affairs ~0f the time. There
was q gaity and vivacity unknown for
some years past.
At any rate Andrew johnson
Slower saw the best society Of that
era at Its brightest. He saw the
foreign representatives in their gold
laced uniforms and breasts bedecked
with royal orders. He saw the love-
Hest women Of his time floating in
gauze and crinoline in the dreamy
waltz. He watched with uncompre-
bending childish eyes the great
events that succeeded each other
with startling rapidity. Perhaps he
comprehended more than any one
guessed. Perhaps he saw the hollow
emptiness of glory and granduer.
Perhaps in those childish days at the
nations capital a sort Of infantiie
philosophy taught him that the
misery that goes hand in hand with
political distinction the heavy cares
the responsibilities the heart-aches
the weary burdens. Perhaps he de-
termined then in his boyish heart to
turn his back on all of that, and
seek the simple life, close to nature
at any rate the white house child be-
came the log cabin man. The mag
nificence OF the executive mansion
was succeeded by the rough walls Of
the cabin. The formal White House
gardens were succeeded by the rug
sed wilderness of the mountain slope.
licked IN tangled green. save in mid
spring when the dogwood and other
mountain flowers are in the glory of
'ull blossom.
Preferred Dogs and Traps.
Instead OF sitting on the knees Of
celebrated men high in the council Of
his and other nations. Andrew
Johnson Slower had for his compan-
ons his dogs and his traps, the sun ,
light the shadow, the raccoon and
ne hootowl. Beside a mountain !
rock, clear and sweet, bubbling and /
FLASHING onward toward the valley.
g had no regrets of the loss Of her i
avs. The free, wild mountains and !
ne blue, over arching sky, were +
to him than the stately +
ardens at the capital had been. a
Not that Andrew Johnson Slower Q
as poor--he was an heir-at-law Of y
resident Johnson, who left a con- n
derable estate at Greeneville. He n
light have set himself up in bust d
ess and become flourishing capt. t.
list and bank director. !,
Strange Family History. m
A strange history is that Of the \,
'hnson family-strange, indeed, in
ldrew Johnson was born and reared 70
farm. He moved to Greeseville
q become tailor. His first poll in
al venture was in municipal poll N,
IS. Greeneville was village, but m,
had an aldermanic counsel. and an
town was divided into two fac m,
ms. Though the voters were few. IN,
campaigners were lively. An OF
ew Johnson, the tailor, ran for wa
lerman. He was elected. Evident- 81,
ne was good alderman, for the
'pie afterward elected him mayor. tn,
ter retiring from that office he sic
light loftier honors. There were az
franchise problems, no municipal scr
nership questions to deal with and
ne OF the nuts that modern MAYORS in
1e to crack. But Andrew johnson has
good mayor. Later he was an,
cted to the legislature, afterward bea
congress. He served in the state tho
ate and was an elector at large for tic,