Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-12-29

Concerning the personal appearance Of
General Grant, Mr.. w. A PurriugtOu. of
New lork, thus writes In private letter.
which he has kindly permitted me to u4Ar
public:
When first knew the General was
school boy, and of course felt A school
boys awe of a great man. Privileged to
kno" him for years in the intimacy of his
own nome. never entirely overcame that
iee!lng What was heroic in him grew
and did not diminish. The more saw of
MIN IN" more | felt that he wa, good a.
well as great. His face used 10 be called
sphInxllke. That was scarcely true, for
although It's expression WAS always calm.
strong, lmperIurbablt, IL was also one. of
great gentIeness. He surely was gentle
man. Perhaps his hands aided 10 Keep hl~
face serene, for We must all have some
salety-yaive. Almost the only external IN
uIcatlon OF annoyance | ever noticed in
MIN WAS nervous opening and shutting
OF the nugers, all index of emotion often
observed by other of his more Intimate
friends. A notable illustration of This
trait was told me by gentleman " no once
accompanied him TO d very large public
dinner given in his honor At its close
one OF the guests ventured upon the tell
ing OF stories which are not told pusriS
rHgthGHsQue. ! he Generals fingers be-
gan TO work; he quietly excused himself
ana MS companion, WhU knew the sigLih-
cahce OF the gesture, followed him A.
thty smoked their cigars on the streets OF
the foreign city, in which this occurred.
the GENERAL said, 4 hope have not taken
you from the table, but hayeur,er per
mltted such conversation In nv presence.
and never intend to- This was not An
HiICctatlDn ,l
some, left its imprint in his face Gross
ness or scandal gave him genuine discom-
fort He loved to think Well of his kind
This trait showed in his face, gave it be
nignlty, and was, | fancy, the secret Of hi~
huld ON the affections of men. We chauc,d
TO De alone in his room one night after the
last cruel betrayal Of his Cohdeuce hc
waking to and fro by the aid Of his crutch
Suddenly he stopped, and, as if following
aloud the train of his silent thought. lie
said, Il have always made it rule of ny
llfe 10 believe in man long after Others
have given him up. do not see how
can do SO again There was no bitterness
in his voice, not even an elevation Of tone
IL was simply an exclamation of an honest
heart sorely wounded ia its belief
As | recall his face that which | re
member Is not 50 much line and contour a.
ehS SAPicosiOH VI slTtDSlu, OF great
tience, of calmness, ard of gentleness,
and the incidents which Illustrate pure
qualities also come back freshly to nv
memory.
He had. too, a merry face; at times
merry eye. He was full of sly humor.
The twinkling of his eye and his quiet
laugh promptly rewarded an amusing
story. In his own home his face was al
ways kind and responsive. There he was
not the silent man the world thought it
knew, but fluent aud well-informed talk
er on all that was of interest to him I'm
douotedly, however, he had the gift OF 81
lence, aud when he saw lit to exercise it
his face became q mask, conversation
ceased to be among the possibilities, and
chat with craven image would have
been relief at such time He became
then, and designedly. silence corpeller.
When there Was nothing to be said, he
said nothing. From "A Collection Of
Death Masks" by LAURENCE HUTTON, in
Hdrper's Magazine for November.