Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-05-08

The following account of an interview
with General Grant by Rev. DR.. George
B. Spaulding, Dover, N. H., formerly of
Montpelier and of Vergennes, Vermont,
is taken from the Manchester Mirror:
Upon the wall of my study is little
drawing made up of dozen or more rude
strokes and dashes of a lead pencil. At
the end of one line Is the name of Long
street, and at the end of another the name
of jackson. Here, in a kind of wilder
ness of short, irregular scratches, appears
the name of Porter, and on the opposite
side, surmounting a double column of
heavy marks, is the name of Pope. IN
derneath all is the bold signature OF U. S.
Grant 1t is crude military map, Drawn
and signed and presented to me by the
General himself / count this simple
contents of my library, for it is not only a
sketch and q personal gift from hand
that struck the mightiest blow of the cen,
tury, but its every line is associated in
my memory with personal interview
with this man, in which some most in
teresting facts, of history and some of his
own great'shining qualities, were brought
before me-
In January of 1882, while in New York
city, was invited by friend to accom-
pany him in call upon General Grant
| His office was in the famous Fort Sher-
1
shot up to the seventh story in the eleva-
tor. The black servant ushered us into
the inner office, where the General sat at
his desk, busy with his mail. AS he arose
to receive us | took" the outer man.
had seen Grant before. He had changed
His form of medium height had become
more compact, his heavy shoulders stoop-
ed, his hair and beard, close clipped We're
well-sprinkled with gray there was the
broad, square brow, the clear, mild eye, the
heavy, set jaw, the finely cut mouth, into
which came both sweetness and strength.
The face was plain and serious and severe
ly honest. AS he had occasion to go into
another room and return, my friend call
ed my attention to the Generals walk
saying II have often thought as have
seen him that he was the handsomest gait
ed man ever saw" But it was not alto.
bearing and fine proportions, as well as
his elastic step.
After few commonplace remarks had
passed, the General became almost silent
He sat there with his eyes fixed upon a
Inquire in the carpet, patient, receptive,
taclturn. 1t flashed upon me that the
General had taken our measure and had
decided that we had come to ask his infiu-
ence in our behalf with the administra-
ton. He evidently was meekly waiting
for us to begin. / know that one of the
party felt uncomfortable, and heartily
wished himself on the paving stones be-
low. That face was setting itself into the
rigidity and selfconcealment of an Egyp-
tian sphinx. My companion, striking out
in blind way, said General, should
think that you would prefer to spend the
winter in Washington" The answer
came slowly and with low voice "No,
not while this administration Is in power.
! am afraid that nothing could be done by
1t without its being said that had inter
ferred for that end. | am satisfied with
New York" This remark rather confirm
ed me in the feeling that the general was
regarding us as place-seekers and so
ventured to say, as preliminary to retir-
ing: 1--WE have no axes to grind ; we