Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-01-24
GRANT AND JOHNSON
Sketches from the Capital-A Picture
OfGeueraI Grant-A Visit with Pres.
fdenf hnsOn-RemInlseeneesef'6I
IFrom . Cleveland Lady.l

If Washington is place where, Of al
Others. as isgenerally averred and believed
selHshness runs riot, and seheming for sci
is the rule, there are hers, as elsewhere
grand exceptions to that rule. The true
earnestIsekes after the higher, no
bier graces of life, may here find noble
natures most refreshing to meet, Will
whom to walk hand in hand for a few
short hours; exchanging thoughts and
views on oongenial themes, is worth tn,
search of many years to find. 1t has beer
my good fortune to find some such here, al
everywhere I go. A few high toned ma,
lures kindly strewing sweet Pansies anc
bright Forget-me-nots in a rugged path.
way, which but for these would be cold
and drear and desolate. ~
+, Christmas has come and gone, and
sgloomier one (externslly] 1 never wit.
messed. Rain, snow, sleet, slush and mud
were its ushers, followed by a fog ~rivaline
the famed ones Of Egypt, and battling thl
memories of the oldest inhabitants to cite
its equal 1t seenedas though the heav.
ems lay upon the housetops, 4 cloud and
smoke and darkness pressed down upon
the city for four mortal days. To add tC
the. gloom the gas went out, and candles
in ell sorts of hastily ~improvi6ed holders,
such as ink-stands, bottles, vases and tum.
blers, served as luminsries and ornament:
eftahles and drawing rooms, affording nc
small amount of merriment, as well as an
exhaustless fund of small talk. Drawing
the adverse elements, a portion Of the day
was spent with Lady Alice and her good
cousin Abbie, my companions du voyage tC
Fortress Monroe last spring, and that de-
lightful trip was lived over again, Annap'
oils revisited, and tour boys in blue
that so much Interested US then, remen-
bered. sHs r7l7eare f-e 47ar
Since the CLOSING of the hospitals herr
Lady Alice has greatly improved il
health and spirits, and is the same sympa.
thetic, self-sacrificing, christian woman
now, ministering to the fatherless and
widows of the brave men whose dying
agonies were soothed BY her gentle minis,
trations, and departing spirits claimed by
her prayers. Cousin Abbie, laboring zeal
ously for the enlightenment of the freed
men, has grown, SO pale and thin as tc
seem more a spirit than a being of the
earth, earthly. The g0rown Of glory =
laid up for such as9these,I fear, will rest
upon her brow ere another Christmas
morn shall rise.
Mrs. s., ever reminding me of murnnir-
ing brooks in shady groves, talked SC
beautifully of the Ahealingo of nations9 the
coming of our Lord" diving watera,1
and pure. gushing fountains that L thirsted
more than ever for deeper draughts at the
fountain of so much child-fike trust and
simplicity, wisdom and purity. But the
sayory oaors Of real Fairfax, Virginia,
rebel turkey waiting to be served as q
Christmas Peace offering to right loyal
hearts through hungry stomachs called
me away where in a very different and
more mixed assembly passed pleasantly
the remainder of the day.
Although Congress adjourned several
days ago, the exodus of so much wisdom
and greatness as followed has made no
p~erceptible change in the appearance of
the city, ave that over the white marble
wings of the magnificent capitol, the Ban
ner Of Beauty does not aeat as it is wont
the deliberation of these wise men
the land. Enough of these and the
great are left, however, to ave a
dozen cities, larger even than those fated
Cities of the Plains if position and titles
were the saving test.
To Mr.. Washburne, Of Illinois, 1 am
an introduction to and few min
ates conversation with General Grant, in
whom [ was most ~agreeably disappointed.
The grim, stolid warrior and unprepos-
man his pictures make him van
instantly as the living mar stood
before me. His quiet modest, almost
shrinking manner, and meek, meditative
,toop of shoulders, combined with rather
yet. compact physique, told me at
once why this man has been so generally
looking, Al Had he, even with this ply
the egotism, self-assuranee and
of some Of u distinguished
generals, or of many a dashing Lieutenant
corporal of the guard even, he would
with that face and head of his been deemed
an imposing man. To the mass of man
kind. modesty and meekness seem incom-
with greatness. They only see
Of things, and the greater that
and the more ~obtrusiye and fanei-
full the adornments thereof the higher
heir appreciation. To the mere casual
observer Gen. Grants face, 30 evenly de-
and so well balanced, is neither
particularly striking nor interesting. But
% one who has made the human face
Irvine the subject of close scrutinizing
for years, reading therein the
thoughts, motives and powers Of the soul
lnimating the same, his face is an unu-
iually interesting aud beautiful one; par
icularly as l saWit lighted up IN CONVEX
alton and OF itimss wresthed in smiles. l
,nly had view Of his front face, being
n conversation with him during the whole
the short interim, and a there
ore give you only this phase of it.
g His head, from the front view, is high,
,road and very compact, giving you the
Impression ofsgranitic asolidity, with adeep
linking, large observing, sympathetic
BROW TRANQUILITY shading a clear, steadfast,
lark-blue, almond shaped eye. His nose
S of the Greco-Roman order, fRsly
modelled and hsrmoniously contrasting
With a well rounded, Hapoleonic cheek.
His mouth and chin were SO concealed by
short wiry moustache and rather close
tut beard that / could not make out their
ines. angles and curves, and Ionly know
hat in repose his mouth closed firmly,
irooping much atthe corners into an ex-
preston Of great gravity bordering on
the smile of which was more be-
lign than mirthful. I should have said,
ooking upon that face, and net knowing
lnything of the a~ntecedents of its posses
here is a sedate, comprehensive, prac-
ical thinker, a man of deep, tender feel
ngs, even tempered, undemonstratiEe, un-
self-relying, self-respecting. just
md charitable. I thought Of the Nman
Il sorrows" as l looked into that face.
Whether it arose from g resemblance to
my pictures l had seen, or whether it was
'eally the embodiment of some ofthe ex-
llted virtues of that meek and lewfyone,
of men, l could not in that short
Interview determine. His not fresh look
ng coat and vest weTeispfinkled with me
lshes of his inevitable cigar which was
sracerny- Ue11-iu-T1arge. Eel-formed
l~olidlooking hand, a caress from which
would mean much, and q blow would be
lnything but desirable.
To Governor Randall and his beautiful
md estimable lady ! am indebted for a
Pleasant, social evening at the White
House, and a quiet chat with the President
nd his daughter, Mrs. Patterson, whom,
am happy to say I found to be a SYM
,atbetic. End-bearted, sensible woman.
~tronoly resembling her father in features
nd ehn,plexioa, and, like him, possessed
f a large fundof common sense. She
mpressedme one having little taste for
ashiopable lie, and to whom many Of
he pequirenents ofsher new position will
,sextreDely in1some. I was particularly
leased with Ter simplicity, genuineness
"A Gnann rom fhh hfilaI SE.I.-