The Washington times., 1895-01-06

the army. 1 was glad to be with him. and hs
always arranged his headquarters. il possible
20 do so, in order that l might share his lot.
/ remember when he was stationed at Nash
vile he sent for me to come. and few days
after nv arrival he was ordered away 20 an
other post. He came into the headquarters
looking very depressed. and when told him
that some OF the ladies had remarked that he
always ran away when came he said that he
had oeen planning all in bis power to remain
where he was, but that LO1gstreet's move
ments forced him TO go to the front In his
last campaign in Virginia I was with him and
lived for several months IN a log cabin on the
banks Of the James River. We had waited
long and anxiously for the surrender Of the
South and / remember how gladly he hailed
the news that Lee was ready to lay down his
sword.
ssThe general had a severe headache when
the tidings came, but he said 1t vanished in
stantly. He was glad the war was over for
the sake of the Southern people. He bore no
feeling of animOsity toward his opponents.
and often he has told me thai forths good Of
The South he wanted to end the struggle.
They are people, he sometimes remarked,
like ourselves. They are brave and patriotic,
but hot-bloodet and impulstve and led on by
fre-eaters. They have struck out wildly, and
for their own sakes i wish to bring this war
to an end-the sooner the better for both sides,
for divided nation could never live We
must be Union Aad always MS express
sions we're full OF feeling that longed 10
bring the whole nation back into harmony. A.
the time ofthe convention when he was
URGED AS A PRESIDENTIAL POSSIBILITY,
said to him, 'Ulyss, do you really want to be
PRESIDENT He was dressed at the time, / re-
member, and he looked at me and smiled,
Really, l don't believe have any say in the
matter, he aughingiy replied Bat do you
think of the responsibility OF giving salts
factory government to such vast natiOn-a
nation Of such diverse feelings and needs?
asked.
"'Well. I would feel that if my country calls
me must obey he answered gravely. I
do believe thar the people of the South know
me to be genuine friend, and they have
confidence In the kindness and justice of my
course
Few perhaps know that Gen. Grant was
stakeholder but the fact is that he had sew
eral in the State of Missouri, and these were
freed, like those in the South, by the emanei-
patton proclamation. These slaves said
Mrs. Grant, ''eame to him from my fathsr's
family, for 1 lived in the West whel L mar
rled the general who was then a lieutenant
in the Army lived in the Army then for
while and aiterward we fa-med in Illinois.
When the war broke out followed MIN TO the
field. Then followed period Of rest at Wash
ington and the eight pleasant years We spent
in the Executive Mansion.
"Then Gen. Grant was i'll he spoke OF his
last resting place and remarked that it was
likely that the people would desire to bring
him to Arlington or that his remains should
rest at the Soldiers Home but he did not
wish to be placed in either cemetery for the
reason that he wished TO lie ii death alone
where I could rest by his SIDE and ne be-
lieved there was military restriction against
any one, except soldier, being buried in
these grounds.
The tomb at Riverside Park in New York
Hal 4
prised to see how near 1t is TO completion"
Mrs. Grant has an easy, pleasant way Of
chatting and there Is
NOTHING OF CONSCIOUS PRIDE
in her manner. for she, on the contrary. loves
the quiet and seclusion of home. Rather
5 hort with plump figure. handsomely
govne IN black, her personality 3 pleasing
and she takes grandmotherS pride in the
youn generation that is growing up around
ner.
In spite OF numerous requests, Mrs. Grant
has done little literary work as Yet, but she ls
now preparing for the press what will be q
volume OF very valuable historical reading
1t is journal of her life in which she follows
up the career of her husband and step by
sep describes events as they are pictured on
her memory But this work will not be COM
pleted for some time to come and, when I'm
ished, she estimates the value OF it will reach
800, 900.
That this book will be ono OF talent Is
easily Judged from the short sketch OF her life
which was published in q recent volume of
essays OF famous women In speaking OF her
happy life she SAYS: "AlI this time I. his
wife. rested and was warmed in the sunlight
Of his loyal love and glorious fame, aud now,
even though his beautiful lie has gone out,
it is as when some planet disappears from
the heavens; the light of his lame still falls
upon me and warns me. =
Mrs Grant has found Washington much
changed from the city of years ago. Like the
Emperor of old, she found il OF brick and
leaves It now OF marble" for the Capital has
greatly improved since Grant first walked its
lonely avenues. A few moaths ago Mrs.
Grant thought OF settling permanently In
Washington, but being unable to find house
that suited her taste, she has relinquished the
idea for the present. and will make her nome
about with her many children, who are scat
tered from the Golden Gate to the shores OF
the Atlantic.
This winter she will pass IN Florida, and In
a few days she leaves the Capital for some
months in the South.