The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1872-04-12
His Early Development.
story OF Grants BOyhOOd-.H0yv Ulys.
ses came It Over the Deacon.

"A correspondent OF the New York
Sun is treating the readers of that pa
per to interesting incidents in the early
life Of the Great Ulysses, which Of
course, are certainly authentic: We
extract a single exploit as evidence of
the future President:
THE BoY's NERVOUSNESS.
"Lysess, my son, do you know how
Deacon Potter come to have some Of my
Chinee chicken aigs?"
Ulysses hesitated a moment, and
then, with quivering lips, the noble boy
CALCULATED:
"Father, it will not pay to tell lie;
I hooked the aigs and sol'cm to the
Deacon, but he hurriedly added, as
fire cleaned from the old mans eyes,
and the CAD was raised on high--"but
I billed 'em,"
"Biled emf" said old Mr.. Grant
greatly agitated.
Eyes, billed every dog-gone one Of
'em, and the old Deacon's hens can set
on 'em till the cows come home, but
they won't never hatch nary chicken. -
THE OLD MANS ADMISSION.
''Come to your daddy" exclaimed
his father, with outstreched arms. I'D
rather you would hook and sell thous-
and billed aigs than have that breed of
Chince chickens 60 out of the Grant
family"
The blushing boy advanced to his
parent, who patted him on the head and
regarded him with parental pride.
"And so you billed 'em?" the father
said, "Well, now, never! Who'd a
supposed the boy would have thought
Of that? .Lysses, my son, I'm proud of
you. You'll be President of the Uni
ted States yet, if you only keep on.
And you served the old deacon just
right. What did you get for the aigs
billed?
Ulysses cast a suspicious glance at
his father, which the latter observing,
hastily added:
The moneys your'n my son, you've
earned it fairly, and you shall have
it."
Thus reassurcd, Ulysses proudly re-
sponded.
ale gave me dollar for half a
dozen of EN-"
GA dollar for half dozen of 'em
-biled?" exclaimed the old gentleman
excitedly. "You lie, 'Lysses, he didn't
did he, thought"
THE OLD MANS 1MpoL1rENEss.
"He gave me round silver dollar
for 'em,' answered the truthful boy.
"a round silver dollar,' said the old
gentleman with an incrednlous air; "let
me see it, my boy.''
Ulysses produced a four bladed
knife from his pocket, and carefully
ripping open the lining to the waist
band of his trowsers, brought forth the
coin from its place Of ooncealment,
where he had intended to keep it until
the Fourth of July. The impulse of
patriostism manifested itself in our
President at a very early period of his
life.
The old gentleman took the dollar in
his hand and examined it carefully.
As he gazed upon it, a pleasant cx-
preston rippled over his features,
spreading and spreading until his whole
countenance beamed with satisfaction
and delight, and every wrinkle in his
venerable visage became an indiv idual
smile. Then with tears ofjoy and pride
streaming from his eyes, he said to the
boy:
Ulysses, my son, you've honestly
earned this money. There's few boys
at your age that would have thought
Of billing the aigs. The money is yours
your own. And for fear you should
lose it will keep it for you.'
So saying, the old man dropped the
coin in capacious leather purse, and
placed it in his pocket. He has been
keeping that dollar for Ulysses ever
since. s~
This little story is very interesting,
not onloy as showing the extraordinary
foresight of the older Grant in predict.
ing, while Ulysses was yet but child,
that he was destined to adorn the Pres
idential chair, but also as illustrating
the great truth that the boy is the
father of the man, and that as the
"twig is bent, so is the tree inclined. "
We charge that General Grant has
in three years appointed to Office more
persons related to himself and his family
than all our former Presidents did il