nly independence. All
through that romantic career this had been its most remarkable feature.
His talents were great, his powers of endurance were great, his energy
and courage were great; but his love of right was greater and grander
than all.

From that moment when he awoke to a true sense of his responsibilities
as a servant of God, he began to fit himself for all the duties of man.
For whatever duty claimed his service he was found prepared; and when
the call came suddenly to the kingly seat, and then yet more swiftly to
the martyr's crown, he was still found ready. Dividing his time
between Congress at Washington and his little home farm at Mentor, he
served his nation as a statesman, and ruled his happy household as a
citizen.

His noble mother, by whose godly counsel he had walked, spent some
happy years in his home; while his brave and loving wife cheered and
helped and inspired him in those days of patient service.

Gradually he gained the position of Leader of the House of
Representatives. In 1879 he was elected Senator of the United States;
and then, quite unexpectedly, in the following year he was lifted into
the highest place of all.

The President of the United States is elected every four years. In
each State a number of persons known as "electors" are chosen by the
votes of the people. The number of these electors is exactly the same
as the number of the Representatives of each State. These persons then
meet and elect the President and Vice-President for the ensuing four
years. The great and dignified office of President is the summit of an
American's ambition; and it is only in the United States that a poor
lad may hope and believe it possible for him to climb from the humblest
position to a rank which places him on an equality with kings.

Long before the time for election, the great parties in the State
select their candidates for this high office. Garfield belonged to the
Republican party, and the people chiefly opposed to him were called
Democrats. Previous to the Presidential election, the leading men of
the party met in a vast hall at Chicago to decide upon a candidate.
Several names were proposed, but it was found at first impossible to
select one man upon whom all the delegates of the Republican party
could agree.

[Illustration: Mrs. James Garfield.]

Thirty-five times a ballot had been taken, and they seemed no nearer
than before. But at the thirty-fifth it was found that on