The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-24
LUCK IN THE CUP.
A Flask of Whisky that Influenced the Des-
tines of a Nation.

tines of a Nation.
Chicago Tribune.
At private house on the West Side, the other
night, some men chatting about the vicis-
STUDIES of presidential elections and the part
played by luck in every persons life. An Incl
dent as trivial as a shower of rain has turned
an alliterative sentence and the des-
tiny of a nation is perhaps changed,
and history hangs upon silly phrase.
Cleveland's alleged luck was particularly
touched upon, and while it was under discussion
the host said: by the way, sometimes flatter
myself that l made Grant President. The year
the war broke out / was drummer for the old
grocery house of Smith 81 Williams on Lake
street l frequently visited Nation, ILL.,, and
the last time did SO was during that eventful
year. I knew the firm of Monroe Bros. at Mat
toon consisting of Frank, James and Bird Mon
roe. This time l went to the store as usual and
want to see Them was the reply, you
must go out to the camp. They have joined
the army AS 1 was about to start some
one in the grocery store said that the boys
would appreciate little good whisky, as they
couldn't get anything of that sort in camp l
walked over to Grifin's bar and got two fat quart
TASKS of his best liquor, putting one in each
pocket l made my way to the camp all right
and soon ran across my two friends. While we
were chatting | told them what l had in my
pockets, and asked where | should unload
Come into the Colonel's tent said one of them;
che is an old officer, and he appreciates adrop of
something as we'll as anyone"
1--WE went to the Coloners tent, and l was in
trodueed to a red faced, sturdy looking man who
struck me as typical soldier. He was a man of
irascible temper, as l afterward learned, but he
had done good service in the field having served
with distinction in the Mexican war. Well, we
all sat down and began drinking The time
quickly slipped away, and one quart-tiask was
empty. We began on the other. | soon felt
that had taken enough, and that the best thing
l could do was to go out of camp and attend to
my business. So said good-by to the boys, and
left them.
early the next morning was on my way to
Chicago. On the train 1 bought copies of the
Chicago papers, and was surprised to see, hgur-
ing in black head lines the name of my colonel
l read beneath a dispatch dated the night before
from Nation, Ill, giving an account of serious
trouble in the camp that had visited. 1t seems
that the colonel became violently drunk, en-
gagged in an alteration with one of his officers,
and drawing his sword, severely wounded the
latter. Such an occurrence. of course, made
terrible scandal and the colonel was per-
emptorly discharged from the army
'iAt this time U. S. Grant had his hands in his
pockets waiting for job. He had high recon,
mendations to the Governor. and was promised
the first vacancy that would occur The colo
nels discharge made vacancy for him IN the
regiment at Mattoon. He took the place, and
from that day he followed fortune from one VIC
tory to another until he entered the White
House as President of the Nation.
81 met the Monroe boys afterward, in Ken
lucky, during the war. remember one OF