The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-12

| ty, General Grant was as profoundly impressed
| as any of the party. He betrayed what to me
| was an entirely new side of his nature. AT
| Chafnounix we remained three days because he
was so interested. / assembled with him the Mer
| de Glace; he was full of appreciation 1t was not
only the crevasses that he wondered at and the
/ glacier that he admired but all the stupendous
| grandeur or the scene was as apparent TO him
| as if he had been a poet. When we were up
there together, alone, with no one but the guide,
| whose language the General could not under
| stand, found my chief susceptible to emotions
| of the sublime to a degree that was revelation
of his character. l kept the alpenstock he
carried that day as memento of my surprise.
IL stands in my library now; can see 1t, as |
write. by the coat he slept in at Shiloh.
AT Chamounix st. Bernard dog was present
ed to him, only six weeks old But he could not
carry the creature with him around the world
| and ordered 1t sent to my house In London.
There, two months later, the noble brute
rived 1t has been one of my most constant
companions since; it crossed the ocean with me-
| and even went to Cuba-far enough from its
natural SHOWS; and more than once, as friend
| after friend proved false. the fond fidelity of
| Ponto has recalled the written words of De Stael
1.-THE more / see of men the better appreciate
| Dogs
ChamounIx was hung with flags for the ex-
| President and Mont Blanc was illuminated.
At night, away M at the chalet where the climb
ers rest we saw light cleaning over the SHOWS
! which told that the Swiss mountaneers greeted
| the American democrat
| We assembled, as 1 said, by the Tete Noire, and
all through the great mountain gorge the plain.
unsentimental soldier felt, sure, the grand
eur of the scene as fully as any who ever gazed
on IT. He became like every one of any suscept
| bility. imbued with the sense of sublimity.
From Vernsjay he had intended to return to
| Geneva, but after visiting the Gorge de Trienz
we went up the valley of the Rhone to Brieg
/ Then we assembled the Simplon, and again Grant
was deeply impressed and interested. He often
| left the carriage to walk, so as the better to
AwS.D 10 . 49, A.
| Simplon the Monks had heard of him. They got
/ out their choicest homemade wine and spread
| their frugal lunch for the American commander
So we went on to Italy, over the road built by
| another general, Grant everywhere enjoying the
novelty, approaching the scenery, studying the
| people. He liked people always more than seen
cry, and the common people best of ALL At ev-
| cry town or village as soon We stopped for
| the night, he wanted to stroll out with me and
watch the crowds returning from work, or in
their shops. on their farms or at play or fes-
tival. At Domo d. Ossoba there was charming
| fete, with fireworks. dances and music for Our
| Lady Of the SHOWS. He made me ask the peas
ants questions in their own language, for he was
no linguist, as the world knows; but he got at
| the people quickly. and often was himself his
own interpreter Nothing in all his travel de-
lighted or interested him more than this inter
course with the people themselves. 1t was An
tHus touching earth.
But he was sufficiently courteous to those who
thought themselves ''the great" when they came
4 means
different to the evidences of his distinction At
| charming spot on one of the Italian lakes
where We staid for day or two, one evening
after dinner Princess was announced She
came across the lake in her boat through the
| twilight with attendants and female friend,
| handsome sum tuous woman, with famous
| Russian name. She was dressed in black with
a lace shawl thrown over her head and blush
red rose in her hair. She came to ask the Gen.
erai and his party to visit her villa in the neigh
| borhood, called after herself the ''Villa Ada
The Princess was American born she ex-
planned but had married great Russian and
| was living away from home to educate her boys
The Prince unfortunately, was absent, but she
hoped to receive her great countryman at a mid
| day dinner. General Grant accepted the invita-
ton promptly, for he always availed himself of
pleasant opportunities like true traveller; bat
Mrs. Grant could not say at once IL she was dis
| engaged. With woman's instinct, she wanted
| 10 find out more about her hostess.
| We learned, however that in reality the lady
was Russian Princess, though an American by
birth, and Mrs Grant accompanied General
Grant to luncheon The villa was charming
The situation perfect scenery, sky, terraces,
| iowers-all Italian The Princess was stately;
her manners became her rank she was not
more than forty. if so DID, very handsome, and
especially amiable to Jesse. Mrs Grant always
awed even princesses if they made too many ad-
vauces to her great husband. We noticed
| many portraits of the Princess in fancy cos
tune, Lucrezia. Semiramide, Norma, and her
balls, and had been painted often after going to
one.
From the villa we returned to the hotel where
tenor singer wanted General Grant to patron
| ize the concert. The General did not think it
worth his while, and then the tenor spitetullv ex-
claimed-General Grant might as we'll go to his
concert as to the house of former prima donna
The Princess was indeed an American girl who
had come to Italy to study for the opera: had
| sung at La Scala and San Carlos, and pleased
! the fancy of the Prince, who married her. But
she could not go to court, nor be recognized at
st. Petersburg That was why she lived in
Italy. That accounted for the portraits of Lu-
creza and SeIniramde. There was no harm done;
the Princess was married, but she kept back her
story when she invited Mrs. Grant. Her com
panion had an engagement at the time at the
| Neapolitan Opera Nevertheless the villa was
beautiful, the lake was Italian and the Princess
was real, like her lace and her red rose.
| At Thusis there was another incident One
Sunday morning after the late continental
| breakfast, waiting in an arbor without
| the inn, looking up to the Via Mala
There was little gate that opened in the
arbor, and to this there came short but stately
woman OF sixty years or more, dressed in black
without a bonnet, but holding parsol. Size
walked straight up to the group, and, looking
| over the gate, asked if this was General Grant;
! then made profound courtesy, such as they
| offer Ill Europe to sovereigns. Her face and
| voice seemed strangely familiar to me- but I
could not recall where had known her. rose
however, of course and opened the gate, think
ing she might be some duchess come to ask Gen.
Grant to dine with the Queen. and the lady en-
tered. She was invited to a seat, but did not
/ tell her name. She had just come from the
Eneadiue. where she had been greatly interested
| in Swiss peasant who had served in the
American army. and she had promised if she
| met General Grant to impore him for pen
| sion for her protege General Grant
| had no more power, however. than had to OBJ
tain pension, except according to the rules and
| as q consular officer. I was familiar with the
| method | endeavored to explain this, but the
| benefcent stranger did not care for rules, she
wanted the interposition of the ex President
/ Finally, however, she learned just how much or
how little General Grant could do in the matter
| and turned to take her leave. As she arose she
Said she had had the pleasure of knowing Gen.
Grants daughter in England Young Sartoris,
! who had married Nellie Grant was her nephew
| Then knew where had seen the low forehead,