Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-07-31
THE MILITARY AUTHOR.


Grants Literary Methods and Ambitions.
1Ae Neu York Go,snsercias AdDsrtssey
Of june 8 published some interesting
gossip about Gen. Grant and his liter
airy methods. IT decribes him as COM
pletely dominated by the desire to
finish his book, that he maYleaye it
as a legacy to5 his family. He some
times Wakes up in the night, calls for
q light, jots down some remem brance,
and then gees to sleep again. He
stops in the midst Of conversation to
record a "Reminiscences. I'll &.
Once on awakening, after dose Of
morphia. and when his attendants
thought that he could not stand. he
walked over to chair, sat
down, and in his deiirium said, as if
in great surprise: '.W eli, this is funny.
Here are my books, papers, pictures,
and furniture, yet I am in Illinois.
Harrison, how did I get ont here2
Someone has brought me here. i
wonder what for. am away from
my book and no time should be lost in
its completion. IsuppDse I shall have
to make the best OF it. But, BY the
way, Washburne and Morton are com
j.. ing to dinner with me, and I have no
clothes on
"You are not in Illinois, said one
of those present. FL ~ Z
That's all right; know what am
doing. Can't / see the old barn? I
know every inch Of this ground. - s5 e
1t was the action Of q mind weighted
witt: one subject, and to this day the
general does not know what occurred.
Not long ago in the middle of the
night he aWoke. '|2 II - AS
Harrison, Harrison, light the gas!n'
he exclaimed. H.
The man servant did so. sE
Bring me the paper and pencil" HI
They were brought; he jotted down
an idea, and then ordered the lights
to be extinguished. He was recently
asked: .-- H..
"What about that story Of the sur
render Of Gen. Lees sword?'' 81 ~
II didn't take his sword,' replied
the general, "because didn't think it
would be right. Nothing was said OF
thought Of it." A..
1T is usual to take the sword, ism t
itp''
Eyes: but wouldn't do it IN that
case.''
To the writer of this article the gen.
eral said in the course of conversation:
II have read good deal in my life,
but | know of no grander man than
Gen. Robert E. Lee.''
Ills usual habit is to rise early,
breakfast at s O clock, and get to work
oy 9 or $50 o clock. He works steadi-
" until II or o'clock, and then takes
luncheon. Until recently he had
short ride in the park almost daily.
Later in the afternoon he sometimes
! works tor two hours again, and some
times even at night for a little while
He writes in his own room, on the
first floor above the parlor. His writ
ipg-table--an ordinary card-table--is
set about the middle OF the room. He
sits with his back to the bay~window
at East Sixty-sixth street. At his right
is the bureau, and further on the fire.
place. On the opposite side is his bed.
He wears slippers, vest, trousers, and
dressing-gown. On his head he has a
black silk cap, or a mixed worsted
one, as he is subject to attacts of
neuralgia. He uses Il large, old
fashioned pair of hard rubber spec
tacles. He generally writes with
lead pencil on common manila paper.
The general composes with great
rapidity, and but seldom interllnes.
When trying 10 express an idea Just
right he often gets up and walks
around the room, althoug IA his locomo-
ton is strained and slow, his leg still
being lame. 1t is thought by some
that the leg which was injured when
he fell on the slippery pavement was
broken and wrongly set, g..
LII an adjoining room there isa steno-
grapher, to whom, when the general
wishes to record an idea quickly, he
dictates, the stenographer taken it
down, When debating the general
talks very rapidly, but the swelling on
the ueck is so large that it interferes
considerably with the clearness and
distinctness Of his speech.
The general keeps by his side many
records from the war department. at
Washington, and in handling them
Col. Fred is of great. service to his
father. The general has great deal
Of confidence in the ability of the colo.
mel. He said some time ago: "For
an ordinary looking man Fred is the
best informed, particularly on mill
tary subjects, I ever saw. When he
was in Europe he showed q great ac-
quaintance with the history of the
countries we visited"
1t was particularly unfortunate, says
the writer, that Gen. Badeau, when
Gen. Grant was thought to be diving,
should have allowed the impression to
exist that he. in great part, was the
author of the book. The family was
incensea at the report. Col Fred
Grant showed the manuscripts to a
friend familiar with Ger, Grants writ
ing, and asked whose it was. The
gentleman quickly responded: 1T is
GEN. Grants" 1t is significant fact
that nothing more is to be heard from
Gen. Badeau. He has LETT the house,
bag and baggage, and has not been in
It for some time. @..I
I When the book was completed Gen.
Grant was much delighted. He took
it 10 Mrs. Grant, and said: Il &#%
Here is your book. It's all done.
It's the only legacy have to leave
you or my family IA T..
I He invariably refers to the book
now as Mrs. Grants. The first vol-
ume of the book will appear in Deem
her, the second in March. 1t has al
ready over three hundred thousand
subscribers, which insures a handsome
income to the family ES5fs3E