The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1896-11-04
IXANDRIA LA. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER Il 1896
GRANTS GRATITUDE.

GRANTS GRATITUDE.
He Gave His Check Open For Any Amount
Up to $4,000.
II think carry with me the finest
proof Of Grants love and gratitude
of any man living" said Colonel
William Barnard Of St. Louis. He
opened his pocketbook and drew out
two worn and creased papers. One,
a blank check signed Ulysses s.
Grant," the other few lines sorawl-
ed on torn bit from memorandum
book to the effect that the within
is good up to $50, 1000" and signed
Grant.
Then Colonel Bill told his story:
Years before he had been q rich
man, and there came a time when
the young infantrynran got into
trouble through no great fault of
his own, but through that faculty
for trusting people which never left
him in all the after years. He needed
some money, and needed 1t badly
yet he was too proud to ask any one
of his wife's relatives or family con-
nections to loan him the amount. As
he afterward expressed it when talk
ing over the affair with Colonel Bill,
who had boon one of his best friends
from the time he oourted Miss Julia,
he was lin a devil of O fix. J"
Without knowing very much
about the complications, but receiv-
ing an intimnt,on from an officer
stationed at the Same fort. the colo
mel sent tho subaltern IN untitled
check, with intruotions to use if he
needed it. Grant did use 1t and Ia
beled and filed away the little debt
Of gratitude ho was to owe for many
a long day. Colonel Bills fortunes
fell with those of hundreds Of others
in the city on the banks of tho big
river, but always, in somo unob-
trusivo way, chance was given
him to recoup, and without becom-
ing wealthy he kept Tin comfort
able circumstances. -
Parties knowing tho Intimate re-
lations existing between the success
full general and the colonel besought
him time and again to 60 with them
into certain gigantic schemes that
needed only the taoit consent and
protection of Grant to make every
man among them multimillion-
aire. Once the colonel hunted up
Grant down in the jungles" Of the
southwest and told him how he was
being "pestercd to death" by those
enterprising blockade runners. y
Grant listened quietly until the sto-
~ was done; then he swore few Of
the mighty, righteous oaths kept for
choice occasions.
"Bill, do you want to go into that
thing? If you do, I can t say word,
but
ut would have done your heart
good to have seen his face soften
and heard his voice trcmble, when
assured him that, though I didn' 7
consider myself a saint by any
means, / did consider myself gen.
| tleman, and that, though a million
or two would come in right handy,
I had no thought of making it in a
| way that would certainly roheot
upon his honor. We talked of Other
things after that, as Grant seemed
to want to dismiss the subject on
tirely. In answer to his inquiries
told him / was doing fairly well
financially, and then we drifted K
home talk and soon after left
him and went north and later abroad
Whom I next saw Grant, he was in
Washington, and upon bidding hin
good night after one of our long
talks he handed me An envelope
saying carelessly, Here is something
may fit in some time When went
to my rooms, I broke the seal ant
found the check, just as you see 1t,
and this characteristic note" =
Washington Post.