The Washington herald., 1909-03-28

The American Magazine, in the current
issue. contains Stories by and About
Grover Cleveland" written by Jesse
Lynch Williams. The contribution which
follows is a part OF the article. which
is made up OF stories gathered IN the
course of e long acquaintaneeship. and
they have been authenticated by Mr.
Clevelands family and friends.
Mr.. Williams, who so long as Mr.
Cleveland lived refused TO write any
thing about him, has now gathered to-
gether these stories in his desire TO make
a real contribution 10 the memory OF the
great man. The copyrighted article, in
part, is as follows:
Great men are so often great bores;
admirable. but interesting chiefly as Curl
osities. Friendship seldom thrives on
greatness. II takes two TO make a quar-
rel or a friendship. II requires giving
as well as receiving. Greatness is apt to
consume the capacity for real friendship.
Mr.. Cleveland, however, was one Of
those who made and kept real friends.
He set great store by them. He liked
to be with them. Naturally. they liked to
be with hirn-not, however, because II
was an honor and privilege and a lib
eral education. merely. but because he
was such good company. His humOr.
sympathy and simple friendliness. which
the world at large had little chance to
see. were the most characteristic things
about him to those who saw him most.
He was not great talker. Once IN a
while something would start him going.
and he would run on for half an even
ing with "reminiscences and comments
on men and events-wonderful talk which
ought 10 have been recorded even II
never printed-but for the most part he
let others DO the talking; he listened
Like many men OF attainment. though
not ell. he was a most inspiring listener,
with a fatterfng manner of regarding
you while talking as II your views upon
the topic Of conversation were quite as
worthy OF attention as his own. He
really believed so He knew that he was
not brilliant, and thought that he had no
Extraordinary "gifts"-and he was right.
There was nothing extraordinary abOuf
his qualitles-except the degree TO which
he had developed them.
His grave quietness. however. was not
Of the heavy. crushing kind which rem
ders conversation painful. or impossible;
it was thoughtful. suggestive. often
stimulating He had real gift Of silence.
It expressed comment. appreciation. re-
proof, applause.
AS an illustration OF this striking trait
and incidentally Of how the public often
misunderstood him. the following Incl
dent Of an historic day Will serve. On
the afternoon that President Mckinley
was shot at Buffalo. Mr.. Cleveland was
fishing with a friend IN a small lake in
tha Berkshires. At about sunset man
was seen rowing rapidly out toward the
ex-President's boat. Mr.. Cleveland,
Mr.. Cleveland" he shouted as he drew
within call. President Mckinley has
been assassinated."
The ex-President did not start. He
simply looked az the stranger too much
amazed by this bolt out of the blue to
say anything.
The man came nearer I tell you
he repeated, painting from his rapid row.
ing. President Mckinley has been shot
killed."
Mr.. Cleveland scrutinized the stranger
moment IN grave silence betraying
nothing OF what he thought or felt. Then
making sign to show that he had heard
and appreciated what the man wished to
say. his gaze dropped TO his line again.
though OF course he was not thinking Of
fishing now.
The bearer OF bad tidings looked at the
apparently stolid figure Of the silent fish
e7man You don't seem to be much eK-
cited about IT," he muttered and, put
ting about. rowed slowly to shore
Mr.. Cleveland waited a little while,
still IN profound silence. then thought
fully reeling in his line he merely said TO
his friend. well I guess we may as well
go" On the way to shore he disjointed
his rod in his careful. deliberate manner.
put it in the case, saying nothing.
At the landing he was met by the near
est local correspondent for certain New
York newspaper, also quite excited and
not a little embarrassed by his unwel-
come assignment. I'm sorry to trouble
you, sir" he said. but my paper wants
me to get 200 words from you on the as
sassination Of the President"
Mr.. Cleveland az first shook HIS head.
Say this" he finally answered. that In
common with all decent. patriotic Ameri-
can citizens I am so horrihed by this
report that I am unable to say anything"
Then turning hastily away he drove of
with his friend. and for some time said
nothing even to him as the carriage JOLT
ed over the hilly roads and the sunset
faded Then suddenly. as II they had
been talking all the time. he said aloud.
We'll, IL may not be true" Presently
he added. 1T may be true that he has
been shot, It may not be true that he has
been killed" After that there was still
longer silence until finally, just before
the end OF the Grive-it was now quite
dark-he began to talk (and note the
extraordinary prescience OF the conclu-
sion he reached as a result Of his slow.
silent brOoding upon the momentous tid-
!ngs): First OF all. he said, II the report
were true, the thing could hardly have
been done by a disappointed offlce-seeker
as in the case OF poor Garfield" for the
circumstances at the time were not such
as to make that very probable Nor. he
explained. was 1t very likely that labor
troubles could have been the immediate
cause; there were no strikes OF impor-