The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-17

Once or twice he was in earnest, when he
thought matters were carried too far.
Nevertheless he conformed to many observ-
ances which at first he found irksome as well as
unusual 1t was some little while before he con-
sented to wear an evening coat, and the white
tie especially was disagreeable novelty. But
ne soon iscovered that he made himself more
conspicuous by avoiding the dress that others
wore than by adopting it, and when he ascer-
tanned the importance attributed to visits In the
Official and high political world in which he lived,
he became anxious that they should be paid and
returned punctliously. In time it was he who
urged Mrs. Grant to make her calls and those
who did not know would hardly believe how par
ticular he grew about placing people at dinner.
Not that he regarded these points as important,
but others did, whom he was unwilling to neg
lect or to offend
So, too, about his parties. He was always
willing to open his house. and wanted no one
left out whom it was proper to invite. He had
indeed a genuine liking for society; not only be-
cause wherever he went he was the chief and the
idol, though this might make any one fond of
the world; but he was social by nature He not
only had q pleasure in the company of his init
mates, and enjoyed the conversation of impor-
tant men, but he liked TO look at pretty girls and
to listen to the talk of clever women. For
long time however, he was not ready IN reply
ing; he had little small talk, and could not make
conversation without a theme; but ne observed
closely under his mask of silence, and l always
reshed his criticisms of people and manner He
gossiped very genally, and observed little
points Of behavior and their significance as
acutely as many of long experience in what is
called 1.-The world"
had great deal to do with his early social
career. l was very much at his house and his
table before he became President; | disDursed
the invitations to his receptions and went with
him to dinners and parties innumerable in half
the cities of the Union; stood by him at public
receptions when thousands shook him by the
hand, and every man put all his enthusiasm and
all his patriotism into a single grasp, until
Grants arm became swollen and lame for weeks,
and the newspapers published carcature OF
the hand we shook so often" Sometimes in
the crowd the aids-de camp thrust out their
hands and saved him many squeeze. He pos
sessed the royal" memory of faces. and when
at his own house or headquarters any of the
millions called whom he had met before he al
ways remembered the names which we who had
stood beside him were often unable to recall.
For years his unwilinCness to make a speech
was curious. When he was nominated for the
presidency he declared that he had neither the
power of public speaking nor the disposition to
acquire it. In the long series of ovations that
followed him everywhere after the close of the
war; not more than two or three words were
ever eXtorted from him in reply to encomiums
and even adulation such as few men have had
addressed to themselves [ was once travelling
Will LliIl ny uuliuS tno uclSAC VI MS
early popularity Wherever the train stopped
it was surrounded by ardent and patriotic
throngs His silence had now become cele-
orated, and woman in the crowd cried out: II
want to see the man that lets the women do ali
the talking"
At another time his youngest son. Jesse, then
boy of only seven years, came out on the plat
form when the cries for a speech" were loudest,
and his father was as silent as the Sphynx.
The lad looked first at the mass of enthusiastic
0y0!0 hnfn i'm md at he liar
by his side, and inquired Papa, why don't you
speak to them!" But Grant remained mute, and
Jesse at last cried out 81 can make speech, if
papa can't" The shouts instantly went up: "a
speech from Jesse! speech from Jesse" Then
there was hush, and the child began in his
treble voice, but without shade of the embar
rassment his father would have felt:
1.-THE boy stood on the burning deck"
Jesse made another speech during the sam
summer that was even more felicltious. Grant
and his family were 81 the farm near St. Louis,
where Mrs. Grants father resided, and one hot
day, after the O'Clock dinner, when everybody
went out on the lawn. Jesse mounted haystack
and exclaimed "Tll show you how papa makes a
speech" Grant himself laughed, and we all
wentup to the haystack Then Jesse made bow,
(which his father would not have done). and be
gan: Ladies and gentlemen: [ am very glad to
see you. thapk.you very much Good night "
Every one laughed but Grant blushed up to the
eyes. don't think he relished the imitation at
ALL it was too close. But Jesse was the baby
and we talked about something else.
Years afterward I thought of this scene in
Missouri when heard Grant at great table in
the Guildhall at London address brilliant com
pany in fellcitous language that evoked cheers OF
admiration from the finest critics of eloquence
in the world. For he certainly acquired the art
of putting one or two appropriate thoughts into
fitting language on such occasions In as high de-
gree as any one | ever listened to- His replies
were models not only of terse and modest ex
preston. but of epigrammatic force and fluent
w.t. timely in suggestiveness, personal i'll appli
cation and almost always conveying a wise as
we'll as graceful sentiment.
Indeed, the shyness and awkwardness that
apparent at the beginning of his career
had passed completely away before the end.
Perhaps little fingered until he became Presi
dent but the sense of the greatness of his posi-
ton that came to him then took away all shy
ness. He was not only the first wherever he
went but the chief of the State, and he felt
that the government was upon his shoulders.
There was no personal vanity implied in main
tanning or even in asserting such dignity. In
small things well great this feeling was
apparent He never entered the street cars while
he was President, though often before he had
mortified his staff and his family by using this
democratic conveyance. He was careful whom
ne visited, and regarded etiquette scrupuously
in this matter; he selected the company, and
arranged the precedence at his dinners. frequent
~ disappointing relatives and intimate friends
sions for public dignitaries, though in his private
life he returned to his former associates.
During the first year of his presidency spent
eight months on duty at the executive mansion,
whore, although was no longer the official sec
rotary, [ had my own room, and saw him
with much of my old intimacy. I revised
with him and for him his first annual message
to Congress. and Cabinet ministers came to me
TO have passages inserted which they did not
venture themselves to propose Thus l watched
the growth of the 7 0hcnrvad n
greater dignity Of feeling a conscious and in
territorial gravity, an absence of that familiar
almost jocular mood which once had been so fire.
quent And yet he did not forget, much less
repel his former friends. They were what they
had always been to him, just as worthy. perhaps
just as intimate as ever, and the very few were
certainly as dear; but he was the President
The great changes, however were more ap-
parent later In the second year of his presi-
dency was made consul. general at London. and