Morning journal and courier., 1885-04-06
MIR. CHILDs, RECOLLECTIONS.
General Grants Close Friend Tells of
Some of His Characteristics.

| General Grants Close Friend Tells of
Some of His Characteristics.
| From the Philadelphia North Americana
| Not another man in the country knows as
much about General Grant as Mr.. George
W. Childs, who has been his most intimate
friend for many years. Whenever General
Grant.came to this city he staid at tine resi-
| dence of Mr.. Childs, with but few excep-
tions, when he made short stays at the houses
of Mr.. Drexe1 or the late Mr. A. E. Borie,
! Secretary of the Navy during portion of
| President Grants administration.
| 'tThe last time l saw General Grant was on
the 4th of last month, said Mr.. Chlds last
night. "He realized that his life was draw
| ing to close, but seemed to regard the ap-
proach of death calmly and without the
| slightest fear. He expressed the hopo that
| he would be able to finish his book before he
| died. While we were talking of the efforts
| of his friends to have him placed on the re-
| tired list he testified how kindly he felt to-
| ward them, and spoke of the pleasure he
| felt at the kind remarks of the newspapers
| advocating his retirement. He was very
| much pleased with number of editorials
which appeared in tho North American.
| "While we were chatting | observed that
1t was half-past eleven o'clock, and the gene
ral said I suppose tho Senate Is adjourn.
| Ing now Just then / received u telegram
from Mr.. Drexel stating that General Grast
| had been placed on tho retired list. There,
General, said l, read that A smile of
pleasure illuminated his eouptenanee, and
for moment he appeared unable to speak.
Mrs. Grant entered the room and | told her
| the news With beaming face she cried
out, They have brought us back our old
commander The scene was very affecting
| The general could nardly express the delight
| L E.1t h. ,aIt Ia1 haa
paid TO him. He bore not the slightest ILL
| will toward those who had opposed the bill, ,
| for he is the most magn animous man | ever
| knew.
"The greatest soldier that ever lived he is
| rs kind and gentle as woman. He fire.
| quently told me how much it paiped him to
be accused of butchery. He said he was al
ways overcome by feeling of sadness before
battle at the thought that many poor fell
| low would never return from the field. He
is generous to fault and has given away a
| fortune in charities. In this, like in every
| thing else, he was modest. The same mod
esty that prevented him from asking for an
appointment or promotion caused him to
maintain silence concerning his gifts to the
| needy.
| 'I remember that when he was on ono of
his visits to me during his Presidency great
| many people called here to ask favors of him
| Not caring to have him worried, l refused
4
on an errand of that kind. One day lady
who lived in the same block-in fact only a
| few doors from my house-called and asked
to see him. You may see her, General, :
said I, laughing; I guess she is not after an
appointment He came back in little while
and said: You were wrong; she was after
an appointment looked at him in aston
! ishraent and he explained that the lady
| wanted him to transfer the sister-in-law of
Edwin NJ. Stanton, Lincoln's Secretary of
| War, from the mint, where she was then en-
ployed, and where the work was too hard for
| her, to the Treasury departments. He re-
| quested me to see the assistant United States
| Treasurer in this city and ask him to give
her position. I did 30 and the assistant
Treasurer told me he had no vacancy Gen
eral Grants request is law, hewever,' said
he, and I can make room for Mrs.
Stanton by removing lady who has no need
for position here This was done and
| some time afterward I met a son of Mr..
| Stanton (the latter was dead at the time),
who thanked me for getting his aunt the ap-
pointment General Grant appointed her,
| said I. oh, no. said he, General Grant