New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-02
CHAT IN PUBLIC RESORTS.
THE DRIFTwOOD OF CURRENT TALK IN
THIS CITY.


virtues of the departed In the Nations great ante
chamber OF DEATH all talk OF the Nations dead
hero The incidents OF life, the million little things
as General Sherman said the other day. are told among
the groups that gather. From many OF these stories,
told by his old comrades and Others glimpses Of General
Grants nature secured that could be obtained In no
other way General Horace Porter tells story
about General Grant that shows him In strong light
When Grant at the 10 ives. ebb of his fortunes before
he applied to his father at Gaena TOR the tanuery clerk
snip ont OF which he was eking living when the war
broke ont he sought the position OF county engineer at
st. Louis He had some hope Of getting 1t, when q
prominent citizen stepped In and recommen fed another
man. who got the place. Grant went home detected.
He has said since that 1t the darkest hour he ever
knew. When Grant President the position OF Minis
ter to Braz became vacant Porter brought him the list
OF names ono day. lie down the list until lac came to
Henry T. Blow. I" know that man." he said. :" lie Is
the right kind OF man for such place. That Is the
man want appointed. He prevented me once from
getting the position OF engineer in st. Louis presume
no never will know know the agony he caused
to experience at that time"
In brief chat with General w. T. Sherman no gave
me new suggestion about General Grant. Said hes
Grant very particular about his orders and papers,
and jealous tie Of any sccretarys attempt to write
ANYTHING for him. lie could sit down and scrlbbe Of an
order easier than he could tell another what he wanted
IL any ono came along and remarked to him, That was
a clover order Rawns put out for you to-day, Grant
would say right out, wrote that myself presume
have $50 orders and memoranda all in his own hand.
Some of them read about like ithis: Take plenty Of
shoves and picks up Rye Bend to clear the way
think that IL Just how OF them reads. He had been
the ground was 10 and get IL ready for his
troops. He knew what was wanted. and so sent me
word He may have spoken TO me about 1t before He
WAS great man for details. He remembered the most
miaute details and watched every point"
West Point life up topic OF conversation and
remarked that West Point nearer New York than
in their day Yes" sala the General, In day, II
we were good boys, We got to New-York about once
year. I was bad boy. only got to New York once In
my whole cadetship. My uncle came up from New
York where he lived. and begged mo OF. Nowadays the
cadets Of New-York than Is good for Them
fear. Grant got away TO NcwYork only once he told
me-"
General Sherman said TO mo solemnly while tho sub
ject Of General Grant was up; "ws Street killed him.
There isn't any doubt about. It, He would have been
alive to-day. he hadn't fallen into the hands OF VRrd
and those follows. When .hereilast fall he
moping In the house. Mrs Grant said he wasn't
sick but he had just moped for weeks got at him and
found out In short order what the matter. He was
breaking down then IIe didn't take any exercise. He
didn't go oil the house. and he Just moped and moped
Tint enough to kill him. He always great
man for exercise in Washington. lie used to go
pchkng into the store Windows looking ut pictures and
pretty things all the city used to run across him
everywhere Halo, Grant, used to say, what are
you doingr Then lie would generally laughsand say,
Taking little exercise, usual and looking around
Well trouble OF that kind and lack OF active exercise
the brain and the body oil out Of order. will develop
cancer they say. But 1t Wall Street that began
It."
Captain Walker. formerly Of the United States Army
To Pm in
1860 relates interesting things concerning General
Grant Mount Pleasant, where Grant was born, Is In
Bro Countyo which Georgetown IA the seat Grant
lived for long Georgetown. before going to St.
Louis Ho always had fondness for the place. and the
people. because many Of them befr.ended him IN his
early days. While he trying TO get commission
from Governor Yates of Illinois he became dependent
OF success. md one day took tho and down
Cincinnati and to Georgetown His mission was to
get influence there TO him something to do In con-
nec,on with the Ohio troops Captain Walkers father
who was citizen. went with Grant to Colum
bus where he tried vainly 10 get contract as baker to
make bread for the troops at Camp Dennison. From
some cause. which Grant always attributed TO regular
army stationed there he unable TO get any
foo,hold OF auy kid and returned to Illinois empty
handed Ho never forgot the kindness Mr. Walker
aud In many ways showed his gratof,uness.
Captain Walker was at Long Branch in the summer
Mrs Grant engaged with tho architect In looking
over plans for alterations She came out tho porch
with them. where sthe party was Joined by c. w. Chds
and ex-senator Chanee. The General glanced In
differently over plans "How much will It all costl"he
asked and was told sl' 900 Turning to the captain no
sod with vein OF humor could 80 to Brown County,
wakor and buy tho best farm In 1t FOR sl5oOo yet here
4, Julia ready spend II all Ia mere alterations be-
lleye I'd rather have the farm myself
,., tr.i,ror baa corrrctcI version NJ an anecdote
TINT was circulated By OF General Grants detracors
both before and during for the Presidency To
the that when boy his father sent him To tho
country from Georgetown, to buy horse giving him
certain sum Of money and instrucng him to offer tho
owner "a Mr.. Ralsonl certain sum. and no would not
take that then to offer him much more. Tho story
runs as told by dctractors aforesaid that Lys,
tho General has always been called at Georgetown
went and said to the farmer. Mr. Raston father told
me 20 oaer You much for tho horse. and II you would
not take that then much more" specifying the
amount That OF would have set Young Grant
down very stupid. and II tho boy was stupid how
could the man DO diferonti But tho true story. ac
cordlng Captain Walker Is that Ulysses was always
coed Judge OF horses and upon seeing the colt which
was TO be Ais own II bought he sad "Mr. Ralston,
told offer you much for tho colt but he ia
worth more and VIII give you so much. naming the
price he the colt worth This Captain Walker
thinks Is illustrative OF tho character OF tho man all
through lfo He not higgler aud sharper but be-
eved In an honest price for everything not excepting
days labor ,, ,
the metropolis and Is still here looking for passage TO
the Argoatne Republic with lyo or ten OF his small
family heard OF his saying the other days begin
70 think shall have to go round by Liverpool Tn In
mortal fear II do some OF these newspaper chaps
will nick IL up and say am doing 1t for pleasure trip"
Mr. Uannas relation OF his collision with tho Persian
mission Is interesting He says "Whon went to see
Mr. Cleveland about n foreign appointments this
Mace IA Minister to ths Argentine Republic was
IA ked over. IIe asked mo how would ike II, and
that wonld like to 60 anywhere that could
Ia az service TO the country and his Administration.
What Ia your idea OF the duties OF Minister from this
country n Lo asked me, and | said I may not have
yiews spending TO your own on that subject Mr.
and state them with hesitation and defer
ancs In INV View 1t is the duty OF foreign Minister to
the interchange products In every possible
~ bc veen his country and tho In VIII ich