The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-10-22

ttrom Il photograph taken Just before Mnrriage.)
Little Miss Nellie did not take kindly to
books, and her father would not allow her to
be worried about them, or anything else. So
she grew up without any of the accomplish
ments of fashionable girls except dancing She
loved to dance, and could dance most gracefully,
SO was always a favorite partner at balls and
germans.
Her parents never allowed her to have any
other chapcrone than one of themselves, and
President Grant would patiently wait at ball
for his daughter to be ready to quit dancing,
no matter how much of bore he found it to
remain until o'clock in the morning.
When it was decided to send her to boarding
school, when she was about Is years old. her
father told her, on leaving her at Pennington,
Conn, where Secretary Fish's youngest daugh-
ter-MisS Edith-was then pupil, that if she
felt homesick she must not fail to telegraph
him. This she literally obeyed, and not
waiting until the first feeling of strangeness, at
being for the first time away from home with
out either Of her parents, wore of, Miss Nellie
telegraphed very soon after her arrival to
her father, who at once had her come back to
the White House, and she had no more school
ing after that.
Not long afterwards an opportunity offered
for Miss Nellie to take trip to Europe so she
sailed under the charge of ex-Secretary of the
Navy BOrie and his wife. carrying letters which
assured her most favorable introductions every
where.
Gen. Schenck was then Minister to England,
and he made arrangements to secure her mark
ed attention in London. She was presented at
Court, and the Queen gave her garden party
at Windsor Castle. No young lady of royal
birth could have received much more attention
than she did then in England.
When she went to France special houors
were accorded our Presidents daughter in its
gay capital, and all the fountains at Versailles
were made to play especially for her benefit, an
exhibition which is both costly and rare.
Wherever else she went on the Continent hon
ors were accorded her.
1t was on her return on the Russia from her
brilliant European tour that, as ill-lack would
have it, Mss Nellie Grant met Mr. Algernon
Charles Frederick SartOrs, who was travelling
with his father, Mr.. Edward Sartoris who was
en- route to Wisconsin to look after some lands
he owned there.
Up to that time Miss Nellie had thought Of
more simple pleasures than beaux and love-
making; her amusements had led her more to
the mpanionship of girls than young men,
except her own brothers; and one never heard
her name associated with that of any of the
other sex, even in school-boy and schoolgirl
Irritation. Besides dancing her favorite pas
time was, until her marriage, driving pony
phaton about Washington, with Miss Annie
Barnes as her chosen companion.
Young (she was then not quite 1S) and i'm.
pnlsive. while gentle and modest, she was easily
flattered by the attentions of the young Eng
lishman, though he was not of very progresses
ing appearance, who sought her in the close
companionship so naturally brought about on
an ocean steamer. He, knowing her to
be the daughter of the President of the
United States, who had then entered upon
a second term Of his high Office, and that
she had received many honOrs from royalty
in his own and other foreign lands, was
disposed to avail himself of the opportunity to
cultivate the acquaintance of one with whom
it was a distinction for him to be seen, and
from this began to show her lover-like atten-
tions, which, being the first she had received of
that kind, she unthinkingly encouraged. By the
time the couple separated, after the voyage,
matters had advanced far enough for the young
girl to imagine that her affections were per-
manentiy conferred on her new acquaintance
The courtship had indeed begun, and Mr..
Sartoris, though incapable Of approaching the
simple and lovable traits of character Miss
Grant possessed, was too well aware of what
golden opportunity he had found in an easy
road to social distinction. and possibly fortune,
not to followit up. He kept up a correspondence
with her after her return to Washington, and
the following Winter, which was the first that
Miss Nellie Grant passed as a young lady
regularly in society in Washington, it was
known that she was betrothed to q young
Englishman, and soon it was formally an
nounced that she would be married at the
WDlte II OuSe 10 BIZ SartOrlS In MAY. vi course
many inquiries had been made by all acquainted
with her as to the bridegroom elect, but no one
seemed to learn any thing which created
predisposition to like him. The Western rural
press. especially that of Michigan and Wiscon-
sin, in which States he had been since he |
arrived in this country, very frequently con- |
tanned sneers at him as an English boor whose |
appearance, manners and dress made him the |
laughing stock in the small towns he visited (; |
and it was published and proved to be true that |
he was not only leading the life of sporting |
man, but was actually, while engaged to the |
Presidents daughter, counting at least one |
other girl; but worse than ALL it was known that |
he had shown the affectionate letters written
him by Nellie Grant to persons in the West when !
boasting of his engagement to her, his word as
to that being doubted and he desiring to verify |
it. For about two months before the marriage |
he spent most of his time in Washington, and |
his appearance here only increased the preju-
dice against him. which his demeanor while in
the city proved TO be only too well founded. It
was many times said that it was strange that