The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-07-28

A correspondent of the New York He
raid thus describes the Presidents visit
to Long Branch:
The President is still here, but has
done nothing of any great importance
since yesterday. After his drive in the
afternoon, he dined, and then, in COM
pany with ex-Secretary Borie, Postmas-
ter-General Cresswell and General Com
stock, he sought the shelter of one of
the summer houses overlooking the sea,
where conversation was had regarding
the depth of water, the distance of a
ship in the offing, and the reason why
the curl of breaker was white, and,
after breaking, became like soap-suds
Comstock, the engineer, answered the
latter, because scientific; Borie settled
the. ship question, because of being an
ancient mariner; and Cresswell did the
soundings. by reason of being man of
great depth of thought. The President
listened with evident interest, smoked
his cigar, and said nothing; he seldom
does. But the discussion, or explanation
rather, interested him. I could see that
by the way he looked at the horizon so
intensely. AT last another person joined
the party, and the President turned to
blul, nhNi otslu Sty, now Ola Is
that colt of yours?" The answer was
prompt. GLOW old do YOU think?"
"About eighteen" said his Excellency;
and then both broke into laugh. as if
something good had been perpetrated.
After two or three persons had been pre-
sented, the number of lockers on became
too great for comfort and quiet, and q
walk up the beach was proposed and
agreed upon, and in O short time thew
were of, the President being between
Comstock and Cresswell, while Borie
brought up the rear, on trot, the others
being rather too fast for him. Of course
I could not follow; hence, am unable
to record what was said Doubtless it
was interesting and amusing, for Grant
is very funny, they say, when among
those with whom he converses freely and
without restraint, and can get off a Joke
in an exceedingly quiet way, 'tis rumor-
ed, equal almost to the late lamented
President Lincoln.
In the evening, was seated on the
porch, listening to the music in the
drawing-room and watching the dancers,
when very dark darkey passed me. By
The light of the moon, for it was shining
brightly, he appeared to be very dila-
pidate son of Africa. His left arm was
not-there was nothing left but the
sleeve of very shabby coat; and I Won
dercd if that arm had been parted with
in crushing the rebellion, or had been
lost in corn husking machine. The lat
ter l thought most probable. Suddenly
the idea struck me that this sable indi-
vidual had not called for the purpose of
securing the position of bootbiack or
that of under dishwasher, but that he
had come to pay his respects to his firm
and consistent friend, the President. I
could not resist following him, and as /
reached the Office, Sambo was by nv
side, and, without removing his hat. he
leaned over and addressed the clerk as
follows:
81 want to see de President"
The clerk blandly replied 'There he
is, sir, pointing to grey haired gentle
man standing in the doorway.
The darkey moved in the direction in
dicated, but found the person not the
President he wanted. Nothing daunt-
ed, he returned, and repeated his re-
quest:
II want to see de President-Mr.
Grant"