The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-05-24
A Pen Picture Of the Presid emf.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

Though so quiet and undemonstra-
tive, President Grants manner is not
cold. Though somewhat set and quite
reticent in expression, his face is Meth
er hard nor forbidding. Though his
eyes of greyish blue certainly do not ra-
date geniality and good fellowship. /
have always seen in them a still and
steady iendliness-impartial, almost
undiscriminating, but singularly unfor~
getful. His look into your eyes on
first meeting is clear direct, but not pier
cling. He "makes no deep scrutiny
into your character, but you feel that he
reads you well, as far as he goes, and
you may be sure he will know you the
next time. His words are few, as he
has occasionally remarked and his adj
dress simplicity itself. Some one once
called it courageous simplicity" I
don't think the term suited to him; it
implies too much consciousness. Fran
klin's appearance at the Court Of YER
sailles was courageous simplicity
Jefferson's riding on horseback from
the White House to the Capitol was
dramatic simplicity. But Grant gives
no thought to effect-makes no parade
of not making parade. In walking
he carries his head-that wonderful iy
compact, evenly odeled head-slight-
ly forward; and he has in public places
an absent yet acquiescent air, as of one
being taken somewhere rather than of
going Of his own volition-which is us
TALLY the case, as he is the most oblig
ing, informal and unmagisterial Of Chief
Magistrates. To me there is something
strange in the ordinary passivity of such
will as his. He seems not only a
modest but diffldent man. Great he
roes before him have been SO. This
difidence may often be taken for indif-
ference and insensibility. I think l
have seen the sure marks of it in his in>
tercourse with children, for whom he re-
ally has the fondness characteristic Of
Mr.. Lincoln. He has no small talk for
small interviewers, but he is not above
listening to them, and I have noticed
that they never account him hard or
cold. They have, perhaps, the instinct
to understand and the grace to inter
pref that riddle for statesmen, reporters
and fine ladies-the face of President
Grant.
A few-evenings ago, as little party
of us assembled to witness some private
theatricals, of the simplest and most ju
venile sort, at the house of one of the
Cabinet Ministers, the family from the
White House called, quite unexpected
-ly. On being told what was on the ia
pis, the President expressed desire to
see the performance, ssif the children
would not object" or course they did
not, though quaking in their buskins,
but did their best before their august
audience, and were rewarded by Presi-
Dental laughter and applause. Watch
ing our President as he sat smiling
kindly at that little comedy, that bit of
childish mimic-life, it seemed almost
impossible to realize that he was indeed
the great Captain Of Captains, who,
few short years ago, was the central fig
ure in a mighty drama of battle, whose
stage was a continent, and whose audi
ence was the world. think we ought
to strive to realize this more; it seems
to me there is too much petty cavil at
this mans non-observance of some Of
the small conventionalities which we
call "the etiquette of the position" too
many newspaper piatitudes that he en-
joys his cigar, that he loves horses
(bliss him for that): that he does not
make speeches on all trivial occasions
(bliss him for that, too!); in short, that
he does not edo the department" of his
place according to the aristocratic dem
ocratic theories; that he is not the Pres.
ident of precedent.
eve had eyes and chose him.
Let us remember that God gives to
one soul genius to think and aspire;
to another, to do and to be. There is
the inspired prophet brain. which says,
81 see-I believe;' and there is the inn
periaI, compulsive brain, which says. 81
ann will!'' Who shall say which is
the greatest2 Each. by a divine law an
cient as time, gravitates to its fit period
and place. Because the night of our
tribulation is past, do not let us cease
to thank God for the strong hand that
upheld and guided us through its heavl-
est darkness; above all, let us not quar-
rel with that hand if it takes not kindly
to Paris kids, or if the grip it learned
upon the sword hilt sometimes makes
siinnery salf-seeking political fingers