The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-13
GENERAL GRANTS HOME LIFE.
His Love for His Children-A Leaf from a
Private Diary. 4

His Love for His Children-A Leaf from q
Private Diary.
New York Herald.
From press, pulpit and private correspondence
come words Of praise for the beautiful picture OF
domestic life and flial devotion furnished the
world by the family OF General Grant. Parents
who know not the joy of household unity have
envied the distinguished General and his wife
this consoling happiness in their later days, but
have failed to remember that the union OF
parental and filial love grows not in a day. Do
mestic history, like all other history, repeats
itself. Their home in st. Louis. in Ohio and in
Washington were the counterparts of the happy
home in New York. Mrs. Emily L. Raynor, a
LADY living in this city, said yestes1ay to a
herald reporter: General Grant was tan
derly fond of his children. He trusted
them. was thoughtful Of their pleasure and
grateful for their love. His daughter Nellie was
as an idol to the stern soldier; but all his loving
solicitude would not have secured the unity of
the home had not the mother been the guiding
star of the family. The father is as the captain
of the vessel, the mother the pilot at the wheel.
Mrs. Grant, always quiet and unassuming, is a
woman of strong character. She has great ex-
ecutlve ability and unlimited personal vitality: a
gracious manner and a reliable memory peculiar
ly lifted her for social position. She was always
a good housekeeper, a clever manager, and a
most devoted wife and mother. With an eye
fixed on duty and a heart strong in Christian
faith. she has guided her domestic ship over the
- ""A, AA|AR 4iO y
splendor, world wide worship, commercial disas-
ter, sickness and death into the harbor, where it
now rides in safety, adorned from stem to stern
with the pennants of victory.
My daily journal of 1872 unveils a pretty pic
ture of home life in the White House during
President Grants first term. and reveals the d.
vine source of Mrs. Grants strength and power
over her family. Here is the record, " and Mrs.
Raynor allowed the reporter to copy the follow
ing:
"WAsINGToN, D. c., Monday, Jan. 90, 1872.
"Dr. and Mrs. Newman, Mr.. and Mrs. Tullock
and myself spent an hour or two this evening at
the White House with President Grant and his
family. DR.. Newman is the Presidents pastor,
and Mr.. Tullock the senior elder of the Metro
politan Methodist Church, over which the Doctor
presides. A strong intimacy exists between the
three families. On entering the sitting-room up
stairs, our names were announced formally and
separately, but after that all ceremony ceased.
1T was a pretty picture of home life that our
entrance partially disturbed. In front of a
large, open CRATE fire sat Mrs. Grants aged
father, Grandpa Dent while at his side was
little Miss Nellie, who looked charmingly
piquante in a black silk dress with scarlet vest
and ruff1es.
Not far away, in q group, were the Presi-
dent, Mrs. Grant and General and Mrs. Wilson.
the large crimson covered table il the
center of the room was General Wilson's friend,
Mr.. Thomas Mast, the caricaturist of Harper's
Weekly, who was making a comical picture of
Boss Tweed in Jesse Grants copy book.
Master Jesse and Vice president Colfax were
watching his busy pencil with amused faces.
mo one else was present. The open piano,
books and papers gave a homelike look to the
cosy room, and one accustomed only to the
stirring excitement of Mrs. Grants public recep-
tons would hardly believe they were in the
White House. After our entrance the converse
ton became general. DR.. Newman is very lively
and Mr.. Tullock interesting. l was pleased to
notice that the President loses his habitual
s%ternness in his own family. l had imagined
him cold and forbidding even In private life, and
was not prepared to meet the genial, kindly host
OF the evening. He laughed frequently at DR..
Newman's humorous sallies and was quite talk
ative himself. When he speaks to his children
his voice betrays the loving father and his eyes
brighten as they rest on lis daughter. Miss
Nellie is about fifteen. She is very pretty. Her
greatest charm is her simplicity. Her manner
is modest and has the naturaluess of childhood,
combined with the refinement and culture of
maturer youth. Her hair is lovely and is worn
in large, loose curls, confined carelessly at the
back: The color is auburn or dark chestnut.
Mrs. Grant is a gentle hostess, and her
guests feel at homo at once. She was quietly
dressed this evening in a plum colored eros
grain silk, with blue silk tie and dead gold cable
chain at her neck. Her hair was arranged in
low braids at the back and in curls and puffs on
the forehead. / noticed that when she spoke of
the President and Vice president she always
used their full titles, with no name. Both she
and Miss Nellie manifested a reverential affec-
ton for the aged Mr.. Dent. He is very deaf,
and they were always so anxious that he should
hear all that was said. at Mrs. Grants request
l recited one or two humorous and pathetic
poems, and they asked me to sit close beside
him, so, if it were possible, Grandpa should
hear every word. Mr.. Mast amused us with his
drawings. really wanted to beg one for my
journal, but had not the courage. About h~alf-past
nine Master Jesse retired, and the President and
Vice-president withdrew to attend the Maine
Association sociable. Presently Mrs. Grant ex-
cused herself, and Mrs. Newman told me that
Mrs. Grant always visited her boys bedside
every night, no matter how important the
social or public occasion that claimed ner pres
ence. Mrs. Tullock had brought as a present to
Mrs. Grant, from a Methodist minister-the
author-a beautifully bound book of verse and
prayer arranged for daily reading. The Presi-
dents wife accepted the book, and sent her
thanks to the unknown donor, hut said that she
had had a like book that she had used from her
g%irlhood, and would never care for any other fer
personal use.
after her return Mrs. Grant showed me her
sleeping room, and ! saw the book of service,
yellow and old. 1t looked as if it had seen
years Of constant use. Truly, our Presidents
family gives to the country a delightful example
of pure home life, and l, for one, hope that in
the coming fall the'people will not send from the
White House this noble soldier and his Christ.
ian wife"