The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-10-01
JESSE R.--REDIVIVUs. r.

Jesse r. Grant, the author Of Ulysses
s. Grant, being incontinenily chOked off
from writing ''the life Of my SON. in the
New York Ledger, had consoled himself
by writing his own life In the New York
Shoe and Leather Reporter. We thought
at first glance it was a burlesque, but on
reading few Sentences, the style, which
defies competition or counterfeit, convinced
us Of its genuincness,
jesse commences his life at the time he
was born, and eat mush and milk, until
he was fourteen years old, at which age
he went to reside with Judge Tod. We
quote:
s'Tlc first night / was at Mrs Tod's
was put in the little log kitchen to make
my supper, of mush and milk, with the
judges children. But that was all right
with me, for, as have said before, had
never thought Of anything better to feed
children on. There an incident occurred
that fixed my destiny for future life, and
perhaps had something to do with the
taking of Fort Donelseu. But as | have
not room for that now, / will have to
make that incident the subject of another
letter"
The next is published in the game pa
per, and commences as follows:
SAT the close Of my las. letter your
readers left me eating mush and milk with
Mrs. Judge Tod's children, in their little
log kitchen. The mush and milk were
not new TO me, but the spoons and bowls
used were entirely new to me. The spoons
were the finest and incest ] had ever seen
and the bowls were fine, pure and trans
parent thought | had never tasted
anything so excellent. When | became
little better acquainted, ventured to
ask Ingersol, the oldest boy, who was
about six years Of age, what those spoons
were made Of "Of silver he replied
That astonished me still more, for had
never heard that silver was used for any
other purpose than to make money, and
L had never seen but little Of it in that
form. The bowls, he said, were china
l told him when / had children TO feed
(and did not doubt but | would havc) !
would have such bowls and spoons for
them to eat their mush and milk with
then asked him what such spoons cost,
and he went into the house to ask his
mother after drawing a full explanation
from him, she told him to tell ''Jess," a
person must be very rich to get silver
spoons-they cost eighteen dollars That
was larger sum of money than | had
ever seen, but thought could and would
obtain it,
1t will bo seen that the great generals
father is a little obscure in MS explanation
OF the incident which fixed his destiny,
"and perhaps had something to do with the
taking of Fort DOnelson" In fact the
only part Of the letter l,at can possibly
have any relation to the reduction of that
formidable earth-work is the sentence in
closed in parcnthesis. 1t is possible that
this great and good man, while eating his
mush and milk with such astonishment
and satisfaction, not only planned the
siege of Fort Donelson but the hero who
was TO take it.
Jesse concludes as follows:
''Now, with. these four objects in view
-to-wit, the silver spoons, the wife at
25, the entire profits of my own labor,
o'u 'HS PiNASSO W IctlIe al W, started
out on the great journey of life Well, |
succeeded III the other but for the inter
vcning hand of Providence. That was
delayed two years-and that no doubt
had something to do with the taking of
picksbUrg, and opening the navigation of
the Father of Waters. But in my next
letter will fully explain this matter
We wait with trembling curiosity and
fear for the appearance of the next letter.
We are curious to know why the einter-
yening hand Of Providence was DELAYED
two years, and fearful that this promise TO
explain will be forgotten as was that in
the first letter.
We earnestly hope not, however, for it
is possible that Jesse L. NAV throw some
light on the taking of Vicksburg. and re-
heve Gen Pemberton of the odium which
still attaches to him for his remarkable
surrender of that stronghold. i LouisuiNe
Courier