Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-12-20
THE MATCH FAILED.
NELLIE GRANTS ROMANCE WHILE
 VISITING AT WEST POINT.

Her Father Had n Few Months Before Been
 Inaugurated President of the United
 States. and she Was In Consequence the
 Belle of the GatherinES-
 It was the closing week of commence ment exercises at the military academy in June, 1869. and historic West Point had never appeared more brilliant. Dis tinguished guests from all over the country were assembled to witness the ceremonies, and the wealth and fashion 'of New York. Brooklyn, Boston, Phila- delphia. Baltimore, Washington and other cities crowded Roe's and Cozzen's hotels and the private cottages to their fullest capacities. First and foremost of all those there was the newly inaugu- rated president of the United States, Ulysses 5, Grant, then in the splendor of his fame. Then there was General William T. Sherman, his successor in command of the army; General Rufus Ingalls,, General Quincy Gilmore and a host of lesser military chieftains and also the officers of the academy resplen- dent in uniform. besides many civic dig nitaries.
 Mrs. John A. Dix and Mrs John Bige- low occupied cottages at Cozzen's, and the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher was present to deliver the sermon to the graduates. The glories and the chivalry of West Point still clung to 1t and made it an attraction to the fair sex Benny Haven's. with it's many legends of clan destine cadet revelries, vet remained at the rivers edge. The faculty were all nnfal I4,T,.,.l z. l. been engaged in tutoring future military heroes for half a century, some of them. Their dean was Denis Mahan, professor of mathematics, who was afterward to seek a suicides death in the Hudson river
 President Grant was accompanied to the academy by Mrs. Grant and their daughter, Nellie Grant. The presidents son, Frederick Dent Grant, was q cadet in the third class, and for that reason the exercises had d special attraction for the members of the Grant family. Gen eral Thomas G. Pitcher. the superin- tendent of the academy; Colonel Henry NJ. Black, the commandant of the cadet corps; Lieutenant Colonel John NJ Hildt, who was wOoing at the time Miss Jerome, daughter of Leonard Jerome, and whom he afterwarl married; Ed ward C. BOynton, the adjutaut of the post, and the rest of the officers had pre- pared an elaborate and interesting pro gramme for the commencement, and during the week or longer that President Grant and his family were at the Point there was mortar practice, signal service movements, the building of poutoon bridges, cavalry maneuvrrS and other object lessons in the art of war. with parades every afternoon on the plateau by the battalion of cadets. and q concert afterward by tue government band
 Among the junior officers of the su- perintendent's staff was John E. Hosncr. a lieutenant of infantry, who was as signed as escort to the president and his family during their stay at West Point He was q native of Massachusetts, of good family and attractive personal ap- pearance. The daughter of the White House, Miss Nellie Grant. was new tc society i'll the east, and the young lieu tenant devoted much time to her enter tainment. He was her daily cha,rl-u,l over the military grounds and explained to her the many points of historic inter est there. He arranged private tLttr- talnment5 and parties in her honor at the houses of the professors while old dow agers, with little else to do than watch passing events, noted the growing iuti- macy Uf the daughter of the White Hous- and the junior lieutenant, looked On inc young couple approvingly and said tc each other, "A match, sure"
 The commencement of the academy terminated on the evening of Saturday, June II, with tine ball of the graduating class at Roe'S hotel. IL Was a brilliant gathering, and in the opening quadrille there was conspicuous set composed of President Grant and Miss Srrothe- ui Washington, General sherman and Mrs Grant, Lieutenant Ho>mer and Miss Nel- lie Grant and Colonel Audendried. chief of General Sherman's staff. and Miss KinZey. southern belle. The grizzled hero of the march to the sea had his eyes open to what was going on, and in one of the pauses of the dance said to his partner Mrs Grant. i'll his quick. abrupt way, what the dowaEers had previously remarked, Looks like q match" uOi- ding with his head towarl Miss Grant and her lieutenant escort Mrs. Grant had her eyes opened.
 The next day Sunday Nellie Grant re- mained in seclusion in H.. hotel. ard bright and early on the following Mon day morning was hurrie,l away by her mother to Washington. while the presi- dent departed for the east i'll response to public invitations. Lieutenant Husmei quilted West Point few days later and went to his home in Massachusetts. where he died in few months. Afterward the presidents daughter was married tn the T,,rr5n1,,,,,-, I in Italy.-Brooklyu Eagle