The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-04-24
II singular. Political biography.

az o'feytSt"F A-OttstCNt BtOgFdphy.
The story of Gen. Grants early life, the
romance and reality of his boyish DAYS,
written by his father and published in
Bonncr's Ledger, is one of the most origi-
nal and suggestive contributions to the
political literature of the day. 1t is a
matter of some moment to know what
Ulysses s. Grant, the leader of armies,
the hero of the Appomattox apple tree,
the dumb politician who will not crafty
the curiosity of either friend or foe, was
In his bib and tucker days, and that more
advanced period of his young career when
he broke horses, reduced almost untama-
BILE steeds to discipline and did good deal
OF circus business for example, riding
on mule with monkey on bis back
All these interesting points are touched
upon by the elder Grant in a genial and
paternal fashion. AS an addition 10 con-
temporary literature this biography is
quite equal to Queen Victoria's book about
her Highland journeys, and in the cate.
CORY of nursery tales holds about the same
prominent position. The book of the
Queen of England infinitely describes her
travels mp the mountains and down glens
of Scotland, with pretty descriptions of
the scenery; tells how amiable her "dear
Albert" was, and how she impaired les
sons of morality and good breeding to
young Vic, so that she might adorn the
Prussian court, and curbed occasionally
the,somewhat unbplanced temper of 'Ber-
tic the Prince of Wales, aud praised the
fidelity of her favorite attendant, John
Brown. Ali this is immensely interest
ing, refreshing aud curious. The work
in fact, is not excelled as nursery tale
by the story of ;'Cinderella," 'Goody Two
Shoes or "Jack and the Bean Stalk -
Old Father Grant has launched himself in
the same boat He goes deliberately into
the details of his sons early life, gives us
pictorial views Of his circus feats, his
pluck and courage in the ancient Greek
virtue as a "tamer of horses" and lays
particular stress upon the exercise Of bis
indomitable will in loading wagons under
difficulties. All this presents fine les.
son for the boys of our day. 1t will teach
them how GOODNESS and courage can lead
to generalship and prospective Presi-
dency
There ought to be a new edition of Fa-
Their Grants story published Immediately,
with copious illustrations, not forgetting,
as the most prominent of them all, that Of
Grant, junior, riding on mule with q
monkey on his back. Such an illustra.
ton, although retrospective, would be
quite apt to-day; for is not Grant riding
mule, the animal sometimes represented
by Andy johnson and sometimes by Thad
Stevens and the radical party? But which,
ever animal he rides be always carries a
monkey on his back in the shape of the
politicians. What effect this literary con.
tiibution may have on public opinion or
how it may be used by the Bohemians
and other men of genius we know not
We know, however, what was the effect
of General SCOTS speeches about the
sweet Irish brogue and the delightful Ger
man accent, the delicate illusions to gar.
ment which shall be unmentionable, and
the hasty plate of soup, the fire in the
rear and all the other well-tmed yet ill
timed illusions of that disappointed politi-
clan; but we cannot conceive what the eff
feet may be of this paternal biography on
the fortunes Of General Grant.-N. Y.
Herald