Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-08-19
THE GRANTS III HOME
Long Branch Letter 20 the PHILADELPHIA
Igrnna

Times.
Until late oneevening j sat npon the
porch OF an historic residence, looking
out upon thealmost unrufiied sea and
within upon the room where the great
man who once dwelt there began the
last and most remarkable work OF his
life. Twas seated with afamily group,
recalling wildly the important and
stormy past as it contrasted with the
I peaceful yet serious present. The
conversation drifted slowly and So
berry about that past and the mem
DRY OF him whose life and associations
have filed it with wonderful play and
+! incident. 1t was the Grant cottage
where spent my evening, cordially
received by Mrs. Grant and her eldest
son, Frederick, who, with his pleasant,
handsome wife and their healthy,
merry, romping children, are residing
in the quiet-looking, simple-appearIng
dwelling. the occupation of which by
President Grant when living gave to
this place its earliest renown and made
i il the nations summer capital
When / was last here the great
soldier, and also a greater citizen,
was among us, apparently strong, and
evidently hopeful and confident OF
/ future OF quiet and digniiied usefulness.
He was honored then by all; yet he
was never so loved and reyered as
now that he was gone. The nation
I recalls the struggle of the last months
of his eyentful life, when he sought to
clear his name and yet leave those
he loved with the means OF Independ-
ence about them Mrs. Grant Is look
ing very weil-stIll hestrong, matron-
~ woman, and dignifed, yet foreeiui,
lady the American people long since
! learned TO respect. Col. Grant Is
/ quieter and easier in his manners and
/ speech, and shows a deeper thought
1 fulness and reserve force than former
Is. 1t was a quiet evening, full of
/ rober associations, that still were not
unduly sad. felt in all the talk the
I presence of a sentiment there. I'M
i touched with restlessness and bearing
a still feeling of confidence IN the as
/ sociations and memories OF the father
and husband whom they mourn and
revere The merry voices OF the happy
children filed the parlors and piazzas
/ with a sound that had evidently
brought peace and content to the lady
1 who sat there, the honored natron OF
a famous household. Col. Grant Is
working hard at various things and is
/ mindful always OF what lie deems inn
! peratiye obligations.
THE GRANT COTTAGE.
The Grant cottage stands simple
/ and unpretentious, looking like, what
! it is, pleasant summer home, with
/ out ostentation or glare. 1t stands
amid two miles or more of villas, many
OF which ale otherwise. that from the
west end line Ocean avenue. From this
/ roadway the Grant cottage is partly
hidden by a small grove OF frs and
I other shrubbery, IN the midst ofwhich
are the stables and lodges. A large
sweep of lawn. set of by few large
vases filed with brilliant-hue flowers,
bring the visitor over a gravel walk
and drive to aplain structure ofwood,
4 with sloping roof, broken by dormer
!. windows. The building is eolored IN
4 gray and reddish brown, which harm
onize well with the soft color tones OF
earth. sky and sea. Broad and
| graceful piaZZas on three sides
set OFF the plain building. The en-
trance, which faces the avenue, Is
! let in deeply, so as to form another
( piazza on the hall floor and deep bal
/ cony on the second, now all brilliant
| with mass OF radiar. flowers. The
establishment is necessarily smaller
! than in the Generals lifetime. The
stables show this, but everything is
well kept and cared for. A quickest
hedge, thick and well trimmed, runs
/ With the public walk and part of the
/! way on either side of the grounds,
below which a neat wire fence sepa-
rates the Grant place from the state
lier one of George W. Chllds to the
east and from a very rich mans resi-
| dence to the west. Gen. Grant 8 favor
lite lounge was on the side facing the
ocean, and there the family sat until
quite late last evening. Within the
residence is simply yet neatly furnish
/ ed, though there are many evidences
of the great position filed by him who
has passed away.
1t is an historic family group that
fills il land around them are souvenirs
that indicate theunique place its head
occupied in more than national al
fairs. A superb portrait of the gener-
( al, draped with the national flag, fills
the eye On the floor of hall and sa-
lon are seen number of superb robes
and skins-tigars' lions, panthers',
I etc.-trophIes probably of that famous
/ journey around the world. Other ev-
/ licences are to be noticed, but my in
/ terest conferred on the living.
! The conversation was cheerful and
not notably reminiscent. It recalled
to me more than to the family, doubt
less, my last visit to and conversation
with Gen. Grant in this home of his
/! personal choice Mention was made
/ OF the absent sons and dates were Civ
en- of the expected visits of themselves
/ and families, and there was tender
mention of the absent daughter, Nell
lie, the beloved one OF this strongly
/ united family.
/ 1--WE have Just received an interest
ing letter from sister. She writes cheer
fully her English home and surround
| inss. She draws US a vivid picture of
her new house in London, in which
she viii spend the winter. She writes
OF the delight OF her country home and
tells us that next summer she and her
husband, with their children, will pay
us a visit. She is as much American
as ever and loves to return TO her ma
tive land. But her life abroad is q
cheerful one and she seems happy in
it,
There was much relief in this simple
statement made by Col Grant in the
ease OF our evenings chat He said
much more, but this is the gist in my
own way of his reference to this family
matter. None of it was intended for
publication, but am taking the re-
sponsibility OF writing some facts
IN relation to the present life
of Mrs. Sartoris, in the hope
of arresting the wildly ex-
travagant romances OF her domestic
unhappiness, which are periodically
put in circulation. The avidity with
4 which they are read and copied shows
the strong interest which the people
take in this interesting woman. The
reports of her marital unhappiness
are without foundation. have often
thought that our people were disposed
to believe them to be true, because
they have rather resented her capture
by an Englshman. In many respects
her marriage was a disappointment.
Not to her, perhaps, but to her near
friends and the large circle without.
IL I11r,sf no ran, E,ar.sl that che No,