Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-03-27
Aliscellanp.
The Early Life Of Gen. Grant.


tory of his distinguished son. From one
oe these we take the following:
The leading passion of Ulysses, almost
from the time he could go alone, was for
horses. The first time he ever drove a
horse alone, he was about seven and a
half years old. had gone away from
home to Ripley, twelve miles off, went
in the morning, and did not get back
until night. ] owned at the time three
year colt, which had been ridden under
the saddle to carry the mail, but had
never had a collar on. While / was
gone Ulysses got the colt and put collar
and the harness ON him, and hitched him
up to sled. Then he put single line
on to him and drove off, and loaded up
the sled with brush and came back again.
He kept at it, hauling successive loads
all day, and when came home at night
he had pile of brush as big as a cabin.
He used to harness horses when he had
to get up in the manger to put the bride
and collar on, and then turn the half
bushel over and stand on that to throw
the harness on. AT eight and half
years of age he had become a regular
driver, and used to work my team all
day, day after day, hauling wood. There
would be a man in the woods to load, and
another at the house to unload, but Ulys-
ses would drive the team. AT about ten
years of age he used to drive pair of
horses alone from Georgetown, where we
lived, forty miles to Cincinnati, and bring
back load of passengers.
When Ulysses was boy, if circus
or any show came along, in which was
a call for somebody to come forward und
ride pony, he was always the one to
present himself, and whatever he xnder-
took to ride he rode. This practice he
kept up, until he got to be so large that
be was ashamed to ride pony.
Once, when he was a boy, show came
along in which there was mischievous
pony trained to go round the ring like
lightning, and was expected to throw any
boy that attempted to ride him. "WiIl
any boy come forward and ride this po-
ny?" shouted the ring-master.
Ulysses stepped forward and mounted
the pony The performance hegan
Round and round and round the ring
went the pony, faster and faster, making
the greatest effort to dismount his rider.
But Ulysses sat as steady as if he had
grown to the pony's back. Presently out
came large monkey and he sprang up
behind Ulysses. The people set up a
great shout of laughter, and on the pony
ran but it all produced no effect on the
rider. Then the ring-master made the
monkey jump up on to Ulysses should
ers, standing up with his feet ON his
shoulders, and with his hands holding
ON to his hair. At this there was another
and still louder shout, but not muscle
of Ulysses face moved. There was not
a tremor of his nerves. A few more
rounds and the ring-master gave it up;
he had come across boy that both the
pony and the monkey could not dismount
Ulysses had the habit of riding oul
horses to water, standing up on their bare
backs. He began this practice wher
about five years old. At eight or nint
he would ride them at the top of theil
speed, he standing upon one foot and bal
ancing himself by the bride reins. The
ground over which he used to make thes,
performances was little descending tow
ards the river; near neighbor's boy
who undertook to rival him in speed, al
though without standing up, was unfor
tunately thrown from his horse ant
killed.
He always broke his own horses.
never knew horse to balk with him
He used to get one colt perfectly broker
and then put another in by the side O
him. He had a most wonderful facult,
for breaking horses to pace; it becam
known in the neighborhood and peopl
used to apply to him to break their horse
to pace; but he had an idea it was degra
ding and would never undertake it.
One day neighbor came to me an
said f" Ulysses has remarkable facult
to teach horse to pace; / have fin
young horse; now how can get Ulysse
to teach him to pace?" Said /, "yo
must MT say word to him about it, bu
send him on q mission to some place, an
get him while he is gone to teach tn
horse to pace" Said he, al will do it.
So he came over again and said 70 Ulysse.
8" | want to send letter in hurry thin
teen miles to Decatur, and / will Civ
d. you two dollars to get on my horse an
carry il"
Ulysses was then nine or ten years c
age. He was fond of making money, an
fond of that kind of business, and he al
swered: i will CO." Just as he wa
starting off, the owner of the horse erie
out after him, " I'cdnt you to teach tht
borse fo ,.oeev Tho hose boJ ,,o.-s