It was early in his course at Geauga that he made the acquaintance of one who was to prove his closest and dearest friend—­the young lady who in after years was to become his wife.  Lucretia Rudolph was the daughter of a farmer in the neighborhood—­“a quiet, thoughtful girl, of singularly sweet and refined disposition, fond of study and reading, and possessing a warm heart, and a mind capable of steady growth.”  Probably James was first attracted to her by intellectual sympathy and a community of tastes; but as time passed he discerned in her something higher and better than mere intellectual aspiration; and who shall say in the light that has been thrown by recent events on the character of Lucretia Garfield, that he was not wholly right?

Though we are anticipating the record, it may be in place to say here that the acquaintance formed here was renewed and ripened at Hiram College, to which in time both transferred themselves.  There as pupil-teacher James Garfield became in one branch the instructor of his future wife, and it was while there that the two became engaged.  It was a long engagement.  James had to wait the traditional “seven years” for his wife, but the world knows how well he was repaid for his long waiting.

“Did you know Mrs. Garfield?” asked a reporter of the Chicago Inter-Ocean of Mr. Philo Chamberlain, of Cleveland.

“Yes, indeed,” was the reply.  “My wife knows her intimately.  They used to teach school together in Cleveland.  Mrs. Garfield is a splendid lady.  She wasn’t what you would call a brilliant teacher, but she was an unusually good one, very industrious, and the children made rapid progress in their studies under her.  And then she was studious, too.  Why, she acquired three languages while she was in school, both as a student and a teacher, and she spoke them well, I am told.  They were married shortly after he came back from Williams, and I forgot to tell you a nice little thing about the time when he paid Dr. Robinson back the money he had spent on him.  When Dr. Robinson refused to take the interest, which amounted to a snug little sum, Garfield said:  ’Well, Doctor, that is one big point in my favor, as now I can get married.’  It seems that they had been engaged for a long time, but had to wait till he could get something to marry on.  And I tell you it isn’t every young man that will let the payment of a self-imposed debt stand between him and getting married to the girl he loves.”

Without anticipating too far events we have not yet reached, it may be said that Lucretia Garfield’s education and culture made her not the wife only, but the sympathetic friend and intellectual helper of her husband.  Her early studies were of service to her in enabling her partially to prepare for college her two oldest boys.  She assisted her husband also in his literary plans, without losing the domestic character of a good wife, and the refining graces of a true woman.