Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-04-16
WOULD NOT BE INTERVIEWED.
A "Reminiscences of the Late Gen. Sher-
man,
Especial Corre~pondence.1

man.
Especial Corre~pondence.1
NEW YORK, March Perhaps no per-
son in this country was SO eagerly sought
after by publishers as Gen. Sherman. He
could have made a small fortune each year
if he chose by writing books or for the
magazines or newspapers. But he didn't
choose to do this, and gave queer expla-
nation for his reason. 'My dear boy" he
said one day to man who approached
him for an article for a leading magazine
''you bother me. You annoy me very
much by making such proposition. I am
not a writer, not even a soldier. am only
poor old man waiting for death. Why
don't you let me alone? It's nobody's bust
ness what I think on any subject and
don't suppose anybody cares what 1 do
think. l haven't anything to say"
Naturally this upset the plans of the
urbane young gentleman who sat opposite
the grizzled old hero in his library. After
pulling himself together he finally began
again: But, general, you don't under
stand the question. Thousands of people
are eager to hear anything you may say, to
read even the briefest words from your
pen, and besides, 1 am prepared to make
you good financial offer for your serv-
ices"
The old soldier turned around like a
flash and said: "You are the one who is
making q mistake; not me. I do under
stand the question. I've told you before
I've nothing to say, and, thank God, I
don't need your money. Reporters come
here all the time bothering me for inter-
views on this, that and the other subject,
and l see them all, because no man can say
that T ever turpa6 hi N, froy,, INV door,
But / don't want to be interviewed; don't
want to appear in print. Why, if was to
consent to one interview, inside of twenty
four hours [ would have enough work on
hand in setting that reporter right and
making myself appear sane again to keep
me busy for at least six months. Besides,
the questions that he would ask are of no
Importance, probably impairment"
but, general" persisted the young man,
there is SO much of interest in matters of
great moment in which you have been con-
cerned that almost anything from you, no
matter how trivial, would be of value"
Come, come now, young man; that's
humbug, and you know it's humbug. No
body cares what have done, or what am
doing or going to do, and as for anecdotes,
etc, why it's all rot. My secretary is at
present answering a letter written by
lady asking for some humorous anecdote
of my early life. Did you ever hear of such
a thing? Why, there never was an anec-
dote in my lie. 1t was all hard fact. and
a good many times it was too hard"
"But those war days were very exciting,
general, and [ should think paper by
you, giving your personal "reminiscences of
Abraham Lincoln and your own estimate
of the man, would be very interesting and
instructive reading to the people of Am
erica today"
"Well, now, that's only your opinion,
young man, and mine is that it wouldn't
be interesting. There's ten volumes on
my shelf written by Hay and Nicolay that
tell all about Lincoln. How preposterous
it would be for me to write a magazine
article on that subject now"
Then nothing could induce you to ap-
pear before the public now as an author?"
Nothing, sir-nothing," was the reply.
'You haven't money enough to induce me
to, and / haven't strong enough lease on
life to take the job"
And the young man walked off very
much crest1allen. FOSTER COATES