Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-11-27
General Grant IN PiatfevilIe-C COM
ing to Lancaster next sprLg.

Last week Maj. RountIee, of Pat:eyilIe,
wrote an invitation to the General and Mrs.
Grant TO visit Platteville the latter part Of
tbs week. General Grant received the in
vitati On Friday and immediately .elegraphed
Major Rountree that he would go himself
and see him at Pla,tevile the next day (Sai-
urday); that except for that day his move
meats were all ordered. Accordingly, at
1890 Saturday morning General Grant ar
rived at Major Rountree's, in patteviie and
dined there before / O'clock. From one IN.
Ill past two the Majors house was open and
probably thousand people called and shook
hands with General Grant The Major justly
feels proud of being the first in Wisconsin to
entertain in his own house, the most dis
tinguished man of the age. At about half
past one O'Clock, supposing that General
Grant would be all the afternoon in Platte
vile, we telephoued Major Rountree that
like all the rest of the world we would like
to speak with General Grant and if he would
take him to Capt Beebe's Office during the
day we would try and have some of the Gen
ERALS old Lancaster acquaintance on hand
at the HERALD Office TO talk with him. Ma
lor Rountree received our dispatch when
hundreds Of people were crowding to shake
hands with his guest and il was near train
time. Then when the General was in the
carriage with Harry Rountlee to 20 to the
cars our request TO the Major was read 10
him. Harry drove him over TO Beebe's Of
fee and on responding TO our telephone bell,
Capt. Beebe answered, general Grant is
here to speak with you.n OF course we
were embarrassed and hardly knew what TO
say. Ii We were TO have the honor of speak.
ing through the telephone with General
Grant We expected to h re due warning Of
The fact, and when this word came we didn't
half believe it. We thought Capt. Beebe or
''the boys" 10 his Office were endeavoring TO
make US the victim of sell. But !rue enough
General Grant was there and the converse
ton between him and the HERALD man,
sixteen miles apart was about this:
General Grant.--In response to your sug.
speak lew words with you. ave but
moment 10 spare.
Herald Man. Who is talking Is Gen.
eral Grant coming?
General Grant.-Yes, General Grant is
talking to you now.
Herald Man.-Oh, indeed Well, am
hsppy TO have the privilege of speaking with
you, General. But mean to have other
friends OF yours here 10 talk with you. Shall
send and have them come?
General Grant.-No, am glad to meet
you but have only moment TO speak as it
Is train time now.
Herald Man.-You have old acquaintance
here. You remember Hon. J. Allen Barber,
I suppose?
General Grant.-Yes. very we'll, and |
would like TO speak with him but my time IS
too limited.
Herald Man. Before you go say when
you will visit Lancaster.
General Grant. Say goodbye 10 the peo-
PIE OF Lancaster and tell them | will call
next Spring. Goodbye.
Herald Manhood. bye, General.
Had we been right sure of the reality of
the honor we were enjoying, We had few
words in mind for this conversation, but the
surprise took away our breath. We meant
to ask him, What, in his journeyings around
the world, among backward people and ad-
vanced people, with princes and potentates,
in old countries and new countries, was the
most wonderful thing he met with And we
thought as likely as anything else he would
answer, 1t is this little telephone with which
persons sixteen or more miles apart may
converse with each other in their own Ian
guage and in their own natural voices.
General Grant has some appointments in
the States yet and in Washington city end
then, we understand, intends going to the
West Indies or South America TO spend the
winter.