Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1890-03-08
GENERAL rEcUMsEH SHERMAN.
How He Wears His Seventy Exacting
Years.

How He Wears His Seventy Exacting
Years.
General Sherman does not look as he
did when he left West Point, something
like half a century ago, just ut the time
that the United States had the Florida
trouble on hand. 1t could scarcely
be expected that he should. Yet he
wears his 10 years well, and while he is
not so vigorous as he appeared few
years ago he is still sturdy old man,
who seems likely to live to celebrate
good many birthdays lWhen one con-
siders that the veteran general was In &C
tive service for nearly half century,
during which time he did his share of
the hardest sort of fighting it Is indeed
surprising that he continues SO hale and
active.
General Sherman is quite gray now.
Both his hair and beard are white But
he is still very Woodworking man. He
lives very quietly with his family at his
house on Seventy-first street west OF
Central park. He is as accessible as any
man in New York. but he has a most
direct and positive way of dealing with
bores. 1t has been stated that the gen.
eral is irascible, and 80 he is to persons
who annoy him. To persons who have
some real reason for calling upon him
he is always courteous A ring at the
door bell of the generals handsome
brown stone residence brings pleasant
faced servant girl to answer the call.
The old fighter is peculiar In one re-
spect. The girl who opens his door for
visitors never has to go and ask him II
he is in. At the first she tells ore that
"the general is in" or he Is not. II he is
in he will see you. II you are bore, as
a good many of his callers are. look out
for squalls, and under any circumstances
it is not well to be prolix. General
Sherman likes one to get to the point at
once. If the visitor is not able to do this
he is likely to be interrupted.
There is one sort of caller that is al
ways received with warmth, and that is
one of General Sherman's old soldiers, or
his .boys, as he calls them. Just how
much assistance General Sherman gives
to old and unfortunate soldiers 1t would
be hard to say. No one but himself
knows, and he won't tell But these are
among the more numerous of the visit
ors at his house. Besides them there are
all sorts and conditions Of callers at his
house.
General Sherman is methodical in his
habits and his work He is an early
riser. He eats an early and light break
fast, and afterward is to be seen in his
library at the end Of the hall on the par
Tor floor of his house He has a COM
paratively large library, not entirely
made up Of military books either. He
has ALWAYS had keen literary taste, and
there are few men who are better posted
on the literary and historical records OF
this and other lands A large amount
OF the space in his library is taken up by
the maps which were drawn by himself
and his generals during tho civil war.
He has the original copies OF the maps,
and there is scarcely day when he is
not called upon to settle by reference
some dispute as to a military vancouver
made by himself or some other general
These maps are his hobby, and very valu-
able they are, too, viewed from any
standpoint.
The correspondence Of General Sher-
man is simply enormous He has in the
first place thousands of members Of the
Grand Army who write to him with ref
erence TO all sorts of matters. He has
more invitations to.speak before Grand
Army posts than any other man in Amer
lea His receipts of begging letters daily
is simply enor nous. There are many
letters asking him for literary contribu-
tons for everything from the big reviews
down to some church fair Journal
Whenever the general does dip into the
scribbling business it is usually for the
North American Review.
To call man of 20 man about town
may seem fiippant And yet General
Sherman is a man about town in the best
sense of the word He is to be seen at
the clubs and the big dinners, such as
that of the New England society. for in
stance he shares the oratorical honors
with such stars as Chauncey M. Depew
and General Horace Porter. Almost of
the big social events the tall form and
grizzled face of the famous soldier is to
be seen, and he is a general favorite with
all.
In short the old general is passing
through the evening of his life in calm
and quiet manner, liked by all. He is
happy in his home, is admired in public,
and as one of the most unique of our
historical characters, as well as one of
the last, he is a figure that stands out
prominently in the crowded, busting
metropolis.