The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-25
Col. Domains Account Of the NO
man who Seduced Nellie
Grants Husband.

The great American cage scrya,Der
vas found IN. busy as usual, bat the Ar
yus mau at once comne iced ho>tIlItles
with tins question
"Colonel. you are aware that the
country l. a asog over this SartOrls-Bu>h
flair. You have the credit of knowing
everything about everything and evefy-
BODY. Ii seems that the reports III she
cas-. state that the woman once ilvei III
Missouri, and the Argus has sent me to
ask If you ever knew anything about
her
Colonel Douan replied Il am not
wholly u~nacouaiuted with the lady who
has the credit or dissredit of having mis-
ed, or having been mi>led, by the SON
n-law OF General Grant L see that the
Washington dispatches state that she is
4 daughter of Major W. +. Melbourne,
u. w connected with the war department.
The Major. in an interview, seems TO I'd
init the re ation>hip. it grieves me TO
thlnk that there Is even a possibility oil
he truth of The sta emeut> that are be-
ing made. Major Melbourne was my 10
cal editor on the st. Joseph, (Missouril
I~indicotor, the tir>t paper | ever owned
and edited. He was an officer 10 the old
second Unitei States Dragons, the
most aristo,r { regiment 10 the old
army, the regiment with which Robert
f.. Lee. Albert Sydney Johnston, Joseph
Z Johnston, Geo. II. Thomas. Phil.
Kearney aud many other noted officers
on both sides Of the late war were ideD-
titled Melbourne is a Marylander by
birth, aud an accomplished gentleman
He served with distinction 10 the United
States army during the late war. His
wife is a niece, | think. of Gen. John \
AlcCiernand, or Illinois, and "a kiuswo-
man Of David DAVIS. and many other
distinguished people. We had. as you
are perhaps aware, a rather lively and a
rough time with the St. 10. Tnd,cdfor
in 1868, and Mrs. Melbourne was kept in
such constant alarm about her husband 5
safety that | secured him a place as clerk
to Gen. Bob Bradshaw, formerly of the
United States army, when he was elected
City Recorder. Melbourne was after
wards appointed Adjutant General of
Missouri under Hardin's administration,
and subsequently held SINE place in con-
nectiOn with the insurance department of
hat State. He now holds a responsible
position in connection with the war de
partment in Washington, and only a few
weeks & ex-Postmaster Grant, of this
city, wrote me that he was coming out
here.
His daughter inherits decided personal
attractions ard giace from her mother.
and talent II rom both sides OF the family.
She must now be about twenty years of
age, and has had an eveutful career for
one so young. She evinced decided
ability in a musical and dramatic way at
amateur pei forrDances in St. Louis. and
when about fifteen or sixteen years old
threatened to go upOn The stage, but it
was Tor the time prevented by the oppo-
sltion of her family. She figured in a
decidedly romantic engagement to a
young man III 81. Louis, IN opposition to
The wishes OF her parents, which resulted
In a good many adventures that made
her quite a heroine among her young
friends and associates. Two or three
years ago she fell from a window and
sustained injuries about the head. which
may account for any eccentricities Of
character or conduct she has manifested
since. | understand that about a year
ago she left with some friends for a Eu-
ropean tour, and since that time it seems
her family and friends have not been abe
W hCCp up Will uCl hofCulCulS.
| saw her with her father in St. Louis
about a year ago, and she certainly was
as engaging and attractive a girl as one
ever cares TO meet. Tall, beautifully
formed. with aD exquisite complexion,
and soft brown eyes, queenly in the
grace of every movement, AMI wonder
rui!y gifted 10 Conversations power aud
in all the delicate arts of a society NO
man, she was we'll calculated to turn the
head of any man. She was a universal
l~avorite among her girl and lady frieods
as we'll as among gentlemen.
For the sake OF her father and mother
aud hosts Of friends, | hope with all my
heart that the stories about her may
grove to be false, and that some other
woman may claim the dubious ho1or of
having led Nellie Grant $ foolish Eng
lish husband out of the narrow matri-
monial track. Fnrgo 4 gus.
She was trying to throw a kiss to a
good looking stranger, aud fell out OF the
81 dow, heels ov-r h.I.