The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-23
TALES OF THE TIMES.
Colonel Watrous Yields to the Demand
For Moro Grant Stories.

For Moro Grant stories.
"Give Us Iaoro Grant stories," writes
an Illinois man.
Worry well, here thoy are.
While at Shullsburg q few days ago, .
town nearly as old as Chicago and which
at ono time was the center Of vast lead
mining Interest, and from whose mines
millions Of dollars' worth OF lead have been
taken during. the last so years, fell In
with several old residents, men who ware
born at or In the vicinity OF the old town,
now trim, well built, nicely shaded,
cleanly city o; about 1900 Inhabitants
One OF .hesa--A. A. Townscnd--whoae ia
thor located tharo IN 1897, told abt&s q
visit no made To General Grant In 1880,
few weeks after his defeat in the national
Republican convention which named
James A. Garfield for president. 1 will
lot him tell the story
knowing that Shullsburg was one OF
the points frequently visited by Grant
when he was driving through southwest
ern Wisconsin selling leather for Grant &
Perkins of Galena, it occurred TO Inc that
IL would please tho general to visit the
town and be given an informal reception.
So ono day j hitched up my team and
drove TO Galena, 20 miles away, called on
the general, introduced myself, told him
hnd been one of his soldiers and invited
him to visit Shullsburg and give tho peo-
plo an opportunity 10 manifest their regard
for him. The general was very sociablo
and seemed pleased over tho invitation.
He remembered Shullsburg and many OF
the people there, accepted the invitation
and said Ii would afford him pleasure TO
visit tho town and meet his old friends
again. To clinch IL ho added, Yes, Mr..
Townsend, you can say TO your people that
will come.
"The day was fixed upon and about
noon on that day carriage containing
four gentlemen, one Of whom was the gen.
eral, drove into town. The news had gone
broadcast, and everybody for miles around
was in the village TO greet the ox.prosi-
dent, and thousands of them were given
the pleasure OF handshakc. His soldiers
were hero in great numbers.
"The teachers Of the public schools ar
ranged to have the general visit them,
thing he seemed very glad To do. The chill
drcn sang and checred, and the general
was called upon to speak to them. do not
remember much he said but this do re-
member He said: Children, you can
never be too grateful for the blessing of
this country's matchless public school sys-
tenn. Make the best possible use of your
time. hope you will grow up to be good
men and women, and that you will always
have keen appreciation OF the benefits OF
this our great government that cost Wash
ington and his army so much TO establish,
and that cost the people great deal more
to preserve during the recent war, In which
some of your neighbors and myself acted a
part.
"Men who had seen him when he was a
travelling salesman who saw him that day
said, He looks and acts like the same
Grant. 1t struck me that that was saying
good deal, in view of the fact that since
they had seen him as leather dealer he
had become famous in four years war,
ending with the greatest character connect
cd with the war, Lincoln only excepted,
and considering that he had been president
eight years and been around the world.
He had seen many, many changes in those
10 years. He had held tho highest Office
his nation could confer. He had been hon.
ored by the heads and tho peoples OF many
countries, and yet he was tho same modest.
retiring sturdy gentleman"
Judged W. Blackstone is another native
Of Shullsburg From him 1 learned e
Grant story OF another character. There
lived ut Hazel Green man named John
Nagus, something of character. He had
n small business aud need ior more or less
leather. When Captain Grant ame around,
hc bought stock of him on two or three oc-
castons. 1t 1nally became necessary for
the captain 70 say to John, Il cannot let
you have any moro leather until you have
paid for what has bccE furnished. John
promised, and Grant on each visit called
OF him, but could never collect anything.
At last Nagus became impudcnt about 1t.
Finally Grant said TO him: Mr. Nagus,
the next ti,ac 1 como 70 Hazel Green 1
shall expect TINT you viii settle this bill
Now, don't forget it,.
"A few weeks later the captain called 90
John place and asked him IL he was ready
TO pay that bill. Ho said that ne was not,
and Lao did not know that he ever would
be ready, and besides ho had gotten tired
Of being bounded over that matter.
"'Wcll, 1 have got tired, too" said
Grant, and guess we will settle 10 right
now. Whercupon hc gave the Hazel Green
man so lusty kick that IL lifted h.:n OF
tho ground, and tlcn Grant quietly left
the shop and drove away.
"NaEus was very careful not to say any
thing about the affair until after Grant 30
came famous rs q soldier and president
Then he frequently spoke Of 1t In a rather
boasttul manner, saying that IL was no or
dinary thing for man to bc kicked by the
general Of an army and tho president Of the
United States. Nagus left this part OF the
country long ago have heard that he u
dead"
Plattcvillc gentlemen, John W. EvnnA
told me something about Grant / have
never seen ia print and guess IL never
has been given 10 the public.
AT the time the captain went 70 work
Eli Hill, Lumber City, Pa, writes:
NI haxa- been sufferfny-fro,n Piles for