Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-10-11
THE BATTLE FIELD.
GENERAL GRANTS oouRTsAlp.
now He Won tho Heart and Hand of
Mise Julia Dent,


now He Won tho Heart and Hand of
Mise Julia Dent.
1t was an oventful day in the life OF
Julia Dent, young Missouri girl, when,
in 1874, her brother, cadet at West
Point, brought his friend, Lieutenant
u s. Grant to her fathers house on
visit. And there is charming bit of
mai vAte in Mrs. Grants description of
thai visit, how the dashing young Lieu
tenant lost his heart, how she found
it, and how he asked the question which
linked hcr name with his eventful
life and career.
l may say that Mrs. Grant recently
told the subjoined facts to me specially
for tho readers of the Ladies' Home
Journal and it is the first time she has
ever narrated them for publication.
"One summer day we were going to a
morning wedding, and Lieutenant Grant
was also invited" says Mrs. Grant. "He
camo for us on horseback, and asked my
brothers permission to drive me, in ex-
change for his saddle, to which he glad
ly consented. The day was beautiful,
the roads were little heavy from
splendor. We had to cross little
bridge that spanned ravine, and,
when we reached 1t, was surprised and
little concerned to find the gulch
swollen, q most unusual thing, the
water reaching to the bridge / noticed,
too, that Lieutenant Grant was
worry quiet, and that the high
water bothered me. / asked several
times IL he thought the water danger
GUS to breast, and told him would go
back rather than take any risk. He as
sured me, in his brief way, that it was
perfectly safe, and in my heart relied
bridge said, Now, If any thing happens,
remember | shall cling to you, no matter
what you say to the contrary He sim
ply said, All right and we were over
the planks in less than minute. Then
his mood changed, he became moro So
cial, and in asking me to be his wife,
used my threat as theme. After din
ner that afternoon. Lieutenant Grant
asked me to set the day. wanted to
be engaged, and told him it would be
much nicer than getting married a
sentiment he did not approve. We were
very quiet at the house that evening
and neither said a word OF the secret
After supper he went back to the regi-
mont and a few days later General Tay-
1or sent him to Camp Salubrity, in Louis
lana. Ho was too shy to ask father, so
no waited till he was stationed and
wrote to him. Father never answered
the letter. / was his favorite daughter,
and he thought army life would not suit
mo.
Besides,' said father, you are too
young and the boy Is too poor. lie
hasn't any thing to give YOU
Il rose in my wrath and | said / was
poor, too, and hadn't any thing to give
him.
"The next year he came back on a
leave of absence, and | can remember
just how he looked as he rode up in his
new uniform. Father was going to
Washington on business, and we were
all on tho front porch kissing him good
bye and stutiing his pockets with notes
of things he was to buy. Lieutenant
Grant asked for my hand, and he, in q
hurry to get off, consented.
MY soldier lover was in and about
Mexico for four years, including the
war. Every mail brought mo letter.
Every ono of them full of sweet moth.
ings, love and war, and now and then
some pressed leaves and flowers. Some
were written on drum-heads captured
from the Mexicans and others on sheets
of foolscap, folded and sealed with red
waters. / read each one every day un-
til tho next one came. l have them
all"
At tho close of the Mexican war they
we're married, and loved and loving
couple they were all through life. Dur
ing the rebellion Mrs. Grant was as near
tho General as it was safe for her to be
She was his partner in trial as we'll a:
joy. 1t isn't given to every woman tc
have great hero for husband, tt
spend eight years in the White House
and to make tour OF the world, the
guest of Kings, Queens and Princes, ant
have every body trying to make life
pleasant for them, nor is it given t,
every ono TO know how poignant grie
is.
81 do not complain" Mrs. Grant says
"Mine has been happy, happy life.
have drank deep from the cup o
JOY and from the cup Of woe
Tho Lord knows best" And then
as she sits alone in her big hous'
in the twilight thinking of the olt
days, it would be strange-and sh,
would not be human-if the tears dix
not start unbidden to her eyes. as sh,
turns back the pages of her life.-Foste
Coates. in Ladies' Home journal.
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
Some of General Bussey's Experiences Re