The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1868-10-22
Grace Greenvyood about Grant.

The following is an extract from let
ter written by Grace Greenwood and pub
lished in the London Star of the 26th
ultimo
II lately met eur probable next Presi-
dent, General Grant, in an informal way,
at the studio of an artist, who was model
ing bust of him. This sculptor, Mrs.
Ames, .ofBoston, lady of extraordinary
genius, has executed the only fine bust of
Mr. Lincoln We have. 1t has lately been
purchased by Congress for Its Capitol. /
wish there were higher endorsement of
It's artistic merit But art is slow where
society is fast There be many who find
the character of General Grant a battling
and impenetrable mystery-who imagine
something Jesuitically dark and subtle in
his imperturable quietude and reticence-
in the impassive face, from which all
merely curious looks glance off. There be
others who, seeing but the remarkable
simplicity and straightforwardness of the
man, pronounce him commonplace and
ron, of which the water was so crystal
clear, so utterly translucent, that it seemed
to me could, by reaching my arm over
the side of the boat, clutch the shining
! pebbles at the bottom yet they were
some fifty feet beyond my reach. Still,
/ there is something in first meeting with
General Grant that strikes one aback-in
the steady, infexible, steel-blue eye
! in the strong reticent mouth-in the Gaelic
jaw, firmly, but not fiercely set-in the
indescribable air of selfpossession and
| self-reliance that envelopes the man
something as far as possible removed from
| pretension or hduteur, but more effectual
defence than either could be- He is a
small man, who never is guilty of the
disastrous mistake of seeking to make the
most of himself by stretching up or swell
ling out not in manner, walk, voice, OF
speech does he overstep the modesty OF
nature. If stranger were seeking fol
him in a group Of our most distinguished
men, | should say fix on the most silent
plain, (not usly,O undemonstrative mar
present-it is Grant.
''There should have been sign of the
Rose, and the wise Ulysses should have
been born under it. His good angel ha.
always had her finger on his lips-lons
may she keep it there! 1t viii be pleas
ant to have "a few flashes of silence from
, Presidential candidate. The gentleman
from Pekin hit upon a National vice-toc
much talk The most fatal of gifts is tha
) which is vulgarly called the gift of tn,
| CAB Yet so accustomed ar,
our people. to speech-maling candidate
that they hardly appreciate the man o
, few words. They prefer the silver
speech of the demagogue to the 'goldel
silence of the hero Whenever a crow'
: calls out for Grant, he only replies witt
soldierly brevity, I thank you, gentle
: men, and / bid you good night The
t Justify cheer the retreating form on tn
S balcony; but they feel aggrieved, depri
: ved of their 'inalienable rights Were
: not for the memory of Vickshurg and tn
/ Wilderness, they would have seriou
! doubts of the greatness of the man VIII
n cannot, and the patriotism Of the man VIII
r will not, make speech. kg g
s ''Appropos of the Generals persister
e silence before an expectant crowd, L latel
s heard from Mrs Grant charming ane,
dote of her youngest boy, fine little fe
Y low the special darling of the tendere.
: domestic affections. The Grant famil
= when travelling year or two ago, stoppe
is over night in a large western city. Yer
7. soon a crowd gathered before the hot
it with shouts for Grant. Reluctantly,
y last, he-stepped on to the balcony, MAJ
Z his usual brief acknowledgement, bade b
d friends good night, and retreated to h
is parlor. But his disappointed admire
y were more than usually persistent an
r clamorous, shouting, "A speech a speech
,r Give US a speech I Papa, papa WI
N don't you go back and speak for them
" cried little Jesse, catching his father
% the hand, and trying to lead him out
n, ! why, my boy / cannot make speech