The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-17
GENERAL GRANT,

Grant was able to find someone who
condescended to take the letter of in
PRODUCTION from Mr.. Washburne to
the governor, and after awhile this
messenger returned, saying that the
governor would see Captain Grant as
! soon as he had leisure. The governor
must have been very busy, for leisure
did not come until another hour or two
had passed. Grant went into the gov
ernOrS room with what seemed to be
/ almost a timid manner, and the gov
ernor casting a quick glance at him
! and perceiving that he was coarsely
/ dressed and also shy, clearly made up
his mind that he would make the in
terview short one. SO he said: 'Ah,
you are Captain Grant. What can !
do for your
''Well, governor, I have come to see
/ if I can be of any service to you, and
l hope that by and by you Sill be able
! to give me a commission. He added
| that he was willing to do anything
that would help the governor in those
trying times, and then very briefly al
luded TO his experience as an officer in
/ the regular army.
When he had finished Governor Yates
said: well, don't know that there
is anything you could do. You might
stay around for a day or two, or per-
haps the acknowledgement may have
something that he can give you to do.
Supposing. you See him."
Secures n Petty CIerkship.
Upon him the acknowledgement also
put the critical eye, and seemed like
all the others to be disposed to meas
ure this unassuming man by his
clothes rather than by his record and
his intelligence. He, too, said to Cap
Z Ill
there is anything you can do to help
US. We are pretty well organized.
Hold on, you must know how to rule
blanks for the making out of such re-
ports as we make up; you certainly
learned how to do that when you were
in the army
'Oh, yes" replied Captain Grant.
81 know how those blanks should be
ruled"
tant-general, I'VE are rather short of
these blanks. The department at
Washington cannot forward us the
printed blanks as fast as we need them
because the demand is very great. l
guess I'll set you to work ruling
blanks. You may come around tomor
row."
The next day Captain Grant called
at the adjutant-generars office and
paper, INK anu pen Will IuISI WGIS
given to him. But he was not permit
ted to have a desk in the great room
where the subordinates Of the adult
ant-generars office worked. In that
room were handsome desks, convenient
furniture comfortable carpet, and in
fact it was a well-appointed Office.
Just outside of it was a little ante
room The floor was bare. Its furni-
ture was a plain table and a hard bot
10, f.af,1
Grant and set him to work ruling
blanks. and thus in that almost mental
work of ruling blanks he who twas a
few wears later to rule the nation be-
gan his formal service in the war. a
day or two later Captain Chetlain had
occasion to go to the Acknowledgements
ais office, and to get there he must
needs pass as everyone did through the
little ante-room. He saw what he
throughout was a familiar figure
What are you doing, captain?' said
Chetlain.
"Oh, I'm ruling blanks and some
other work upon minor reports such
as any clerk can do. l can't do it any
longer There's no place for me here,
no chance, and I'm going back to Ga
lena"
mo, I would not do that, captain"
cried Chetlain; "be patient Everything
UP this work, don't go back TO Galena.
I am sure some chance will come for
you very soon."
Saving nothing Grant turned back
to his work. That evening he met
Captain Chetlain and told him that
he had decided to remain in
Springfield a little while longer. but
that he had got to practice the strictest
economy in order to support himself.
r. 10 q cllcrorpCfinn Said he
st can't live at the hotel any longer;
it costs too much. But I have found
a room right across the street. 1t is
of good size and has a double bed in it.
The price is SO a week. Now, if you
will come and share the room, it will
cost us only a dollar and a half a week
apiece and we can get our meals
where we can find them"
Grants Money Gives Out.
Captain Chetlain agreed to this
proposition. and that evening he be-
came Captain Grants roommate and
remained with him until the company
was mustered into the service and
Joined it's regiment. Captain G ant
must have lived very plainly at that
time. He did not complain, but there
is some reason to believe that he now
and then skipped a meal, and when he
did eat he bought the plainest food.
He went to the tate capital every day,
and returned every evening more and
more respondent. Twice he decided to
go to Galena. Once he determined to
go by the next train and it was only
after the most urgent pleading Of
Chetlain that he changed his mind and
decided to remain a few days longer.
At last one day he came to Captain
Chetlain in camp and said to him:
''They have asked me to go down to
NATION to look after a regiment
which is going into camp there and
then he also confessed that his money
had so completely given out that he
would be unable to take the trip unless
solue friend would advance him no