Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-04-20
He slU CRIME


HE SAN SHL nv Il.
Four Interesting Jeriods IN 'he "'cot "c''-
craEs Career.
TPhiladcpha News
ain the year 1885," said Col. Peyton,
II was working, as a boy, in country
store at Flat Rock, Bourbon County,
Kv. Ulysses s. Grant was then boy
living at Georgetown o., not many
miles distance. One day Grant drove
over to Flint Rock with the niece OF
my employer. Grant was then 10 years
of age, awkward ungainly. determined,
Industrious, and very poorly dressed.
| He drove vicious horse. The night
after his arrival at Flat Rock he slept
with me in the store. 1t was cold
night, and we boys kept close to the
lee of the counter. In the morning
Grant asked me if he could assist me.
l said yes. He helped me take down
the shutters and sweep out the store
and put stock in place. After break
fast he drove Off 1 heard from him
afterwards of his drive home. Before
| he had gone far from Flat Rock his
horse ran away and finally brought up
with crash in fence corner. Moth
ing broke. Grant jumped out, seized
the trembling horse by the bride and
tied his handkerchief over the beasts
eyes. He drove the horse blindfolded
all tine way to Georgetown, o.
years passed before I met Grant
again. At last I saw him in st. Louis
in 1852. He was hauling wood to town
on rough wagon. He was wretchedly
dressed, pants stuck in the top of his
cow4hide boots, and was very poor. He
lived on little farm near the city. [
was standing with my brother-in law,
Mr.. Peterson. 1t was just II o'clock.
In st. Louis it was customary to take
drink at IL O'clock, and Mr.. Peterson
said:
Capt. Grant-he had been cap
tain in the army will you join us?
You see the hour. And he pointed to
clock. Grant nodded. He was surly.
We went and had something. For an
hour or two we talked and Grant sat
with us, in a store, but he hardly ut
tered word. At last he got his load
Of wood and drove away to sell it,
"Soon after the rebellion broke out
| was at Cairo, and heard that Grant
was there as the Colonel of regiment
[ soon saw him. He wore the hand
some uniform of his rank, and pre-
sented a far better appearance than
when loafng through st. Louis in 1852.
My brother-in-law, Mr.. Peterson. al
ways thought that Grant had remark
able stuff in him and would make re-
markable man. Mr.. Rollins, after
wards Secretary OF War, and man
who did as much to help Grant on as
any one else in the world, was at Cairo
at this time. Gen. Prentice, the COM
handing officer, asked me to stay and
see dress parade of Grants battalion.
! stayed, saw it, and helped them place
the pickets that night. Grant was a
high liver at that time, but his friends
" L Ii
make his mark
III met Grant in the Co tinental
Hotel, in this city, during the war,
when he were the three stars of
major general upon his shoulders. He
was in command of all the armies of
the Union. He and l went out the
back door into SAMSON street in order
to get to a tailor's, where Grant had
suit The crowd watching for him on
Chestnut street was enormous, block
ing that highway. The next time I
saw Grant was one year before he died,
in the dining room OF the Fifth Avenue
Hotel, New York. There were several
gentlemen with him He rose as
came in and looked at me. 1 walked
up to him.
DO you know me-? I asked.
Yes You are Barclay Peyton.'
L am not. But lam Jesse Pevton.
Do you remember where You saw me
iirst?'
At Cairo
NO. You and / slept together in
the old store at Flat Rock, Bourbon
County, Ky, in 1885
Grant grasped my hand. twas the
only time [ ever saw him express emo.
lion. We talkel together for some
time. At last I said goodbye and
heard from him no more until he died
E'W 10 W-iKE Il LORE CHARM
Ii lady comes to me and wants to
have some young man marry her 1 can
make him marry her, no matter
whether he wants to or not, and it
don't make any difference how far he
is away; he will have to come. I take