Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-05-02

rewards
How tender was the scene in the
early dawn Of an April day when all
thought the long-expected end had
come; when he gave her his watch and
chain and, tenderly caressing her hand
said: This is all | have to give you
And the dying hero whispered: Il
: did not have you wait upon me because
L knew 1t would distress you. but now
the end draws nigh" 1t was this love
for her that lifted his intellect above
the ceaseless tortures of a malignant
disease and threw oblivion over the
scenes Of excruciating pain that he
might write his personal memoirs that
she should not want when he was
gone.
He thought not of himself but of her.
To his son he said: L hope mother
will bear up bravely." To quiet her
anxiety he said: DO as l do; take it
quietly. | give myself not the least
concern. If | knew the end was to-
morrow [ would try just as hard to
get rest in the meantime Go to sleep
and feel happy; that is what | want
to do; | am going to try for it. I am
happy when out of pain. Consider
how happy you ought to be. Good
night"
When she sought to divert his mind
from his suffering by recalling the vic
tories Of the past, he briefly replied:
''This is the anniversary of the battle
of Vicksburg. [ hadn't thought of it
before. 1t has been an important date
to us on two occasions. One when our
only daughter was born, and. subse-
quently, when we had a grandson
born on that day"
One of the saddest and tenderest of
all these scenes which I witnessed
during his long months of suffering
was one night on Mount McGregor
when all supposed the end had come
The pulse was gone: the brow was
cold; the eyes were closed; when sud
denly he aroused himself and called
for pencil and paper. What great
Thought did he desire to communicate?
What memorable victory to recall? 1t
was an expression Of deathleSS love
out from the swellingS of Jordan, :"
life to write this tender messag e to
his son: Wherever [ am buried
promise me that your mother shall be
buried by my side" 1t is all wife
could ask; it is all a husband could
wish.
Days of Adversely.
If from this brighter picture of the
life of General Grant we turn to the
darker, to those long and weary
months of adversely and suffering, the
better character of this illustrious man
will be revealed. 1t fell to my lot to
pass behind the curtain of his domes-
tic life, and often converse with him
in the privacy of his quiet home.
was with him when the financial crash
came. 1t seemed to crush his brave
soul, which mighty armies could not
daunt
When, on the morning of May 6,
1884, he left his home on Sixty-siXth
street, New York city, for his office on
Broadway and Wall street, General
Grant thought himself a millionaire,
but in an hour thereafter he found
that his fortune had been swept away
as it were in a night. On his return
from his tour around the globe he es-
timated his wealth at 100000, the in
come from which was just enough to
pay the expenses of himself and Mrs.
Grant at the hotel where they lodged.
His habits of life were simple He
had no extraordinary expenses. He
kept no carriage. Finding that his in
come was Inadequate to a residence in
New York. he turned his attention to
other portions of the country where
he could live at less expense.
His second son was a banker in
New York, in company with Ward &
Fish, and solicited his father to invest
his fortune and become Il partner in
the same firm. This proved the blum
der of his life. He was nothing more
than Il silent partner, and was never
actively engaged in the business af-
fairs of the company. He loaned his
name and invested his money, but
others did the business. In reality
Ward acted for the firm; made all in
veStmentS, drew all checks, received
all deposits, and disposed of them.
vestments were proper and, unaccus-
toned as he was to business, he in
Quired little farther. The apparent
returns from the business We're enOr-
nous, but no larger than other bankers
and brokers around him, and the "a
pidity of his fortune did not surprise
him. He had put all available capital
into The bank. One Of his sons was a
partner, another became an agent of
the firm and third had intrusted
$4,000 20 the company for investment.
During all those years of his connec-
ton with Ward he was buSily occupied
in great national measures. He had
been appointed by the government to
prepare a commercial treaty with
Mexico: he was in correspondence
with China and Japan to adjust their
difficulties and prevent a war; and he
accepted the presidency of the pro-
posed worlds fair in the city of New
York With these great measures to
| occupy his mind. he was content to
believe that the banking house was
prosperous and that he was growing
| rich
Pleasure in Writing.
In those apparently happy days he
! seemed to me the most cOntented man
on earth. At peace with all the world,
/ crowned with honor and glory, sur
| rounded with his happy family, he had