Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-07-29

ing: eyes, my house was full Of your gen
erals last night. There was Sheridan
Humphreys, Meade, Custer, Ord, and quite
a number of others, and they were lively
set and full OF fun, and all were quite Jolly
with the exception OF one officer whom /
noticed sitting in corner smoking and tax
ing but little part in the sports in which
the rest were engaged. They all went out
of the house but this solitary, silent man,
and as | was going out he asked me where
the pump was, as be would like to get
drink. On offering to get him some water,
he said: No, sir, | am a younger man
than you, will go myself, and as l pass
ed out he came up behind me.
When in about the middle OF the hall
my little granddaughter came running to-
ward me, but the silent man, spreading out
both arms, caught her, taking her up, fairly
smOthered with kisses, said: This reminds
me OF my little GIL at home and makes me
homesck.' To the question where is your
home, he replied: Galena, H., but have
my family at City Point, ard am anxious
to get back to them Isaid: Will you per-
NIT me to ask your name, sr?' Certainly;
my name is Grant Grant, exclaimed l,
Gen. Grant?' and I stood there awe
stricken and paralyzed with astonishment
while my heart went out after this man.
thought to myself, here is a man whose
name is now in the mouth of man, woman
and child throughout the civilized world,
and yet withal he exhibits no emotion and
seems unconcerned and unmoved until the
little child reminds him of his loved ones at
home, and l fairly broke down, as Gen.
Grant had been pictured out to us as
bloody butcher, and | had looked for a man
looking as savage as a Camanche Indian.
To say was agreeably disappointed when
| saw Grant expresses my feelings but
fcebly."
HIS VISIT TO QUEEN VICTORIA.
Some OF Grants inner nature was made
evident in a conversat iOn with Judge We'll
don, of Illinois. Grant and Weldon had
been very close and had many long chat
together when the General came back from
his famous world tour. AS Weldon reports
the General allow me to quote: 81 tell you,
Weldon, l had one very happy occasion
during my tour which made me feel at
home. | was, as you know, presented to
Queen Victoria, at the Palace. When l
went in the room was filed with fine peo-
pie, but they gradually all withdrew in
state, and then drew long breath, and
| felt more at home. Well, / felt more so
when the Queen came down like any other
woman, end shook hands with me as if she
was a next door neighbor. She had me sit
down beside her, and we had a good long
chat all by ourselves. We didn't bother
about the affairs Of nations or politics. but
Oh lHCO LudOUSTS. we udu
a good family talk, and compared notes
about bringing up children, about their care
| in early youth and how to make good men
and women Of them. We talked over quail
ties, good and bad, of all our children, and
| referred to their pecuiarities. When we
had finished talking / was invited to remain
over night in the Palace, and learned aft
erward that l was the only foreigner ever SO
hOnored."
A SERIOTS GAME OF POKER
'1'll never forget the first time that saw
Gen. Grant" said William Ransom recently
to a number Of men in the Foot Guards
equipment room. ''I was First Sergeant III
Company G of the Seventh G. ", COM
manded by Gen. Hawley. At that time we
were lying before Richmond. Day after
| day we had nothing to do but lie about
the camp. On this never-forgutten day that
refer to | was sergeant OF the guard, de-
| tail OF eight men being under my charge.
Some OF the boys had snapped papers with
the Rebs, whose picket line was not far
from ours, and had given me the Richmond
Gazette. leaned my musket against the
trunk OF tree, and sitting on the ground
| braced my back against tree and read. 1T
was not long before | became deeply inter
| ested IN a story and forgot about pickets,
! duty, and even such a thing the war.
| Suddenly, heard the tramp OF a squadron
1 OF cavalry, and, looking up, saw number
| OF horsemen approaching. | saw that my
men were engaged with some OF theJ ohnnles
IN game of poker. The officers did not
stop but quietly rode past, not without
looking at me in peculiar manner. Soon
after, a single horseman rode up. He had
! on slouched hat, an old blouse, and his
breaches were stuck in pair OF old boots.
Riding up to me he said, Sergeant, what
are you doing here?'
On picket duty, / replied.
Where are your men,?
go, over there playing poker, | said,
nodding my head in their direction.
81 thought that he was correspondent
! for some paper and answered him sauciy.