The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-03-07
LOVER AND HUSBAND.
MRS. GRANT TELLS SOME NEW
STORIES ABOUT THE GENERAL.
The True Story of His PrOpOSal-MiSS
Dents Father Reluctantly Gave
His Consent to the
Marriage.

UTdnt laSt WEEK aShiiS iile w SoiieSe Soiie
of the many ridiculous stories which are
now being printed concerning General
Grant. Some of these stories are published
by the very best magazines and newspapers.
They are given out by parties who pretend
to have had close association with the
general and Mrs Grant, but who, on the
contrary, hardly knew them, or, if so, only
in the most distant way. | called on Mrs.
Grant at her home on Massachusetts avenue.
l here referred to a story which L had
heard concerning the generals courtship.
1t described how Mr.. Grant, who was then
a young lieutenant, had met Miss Julia
Dent at wedding, and, according to a
custom which was prevalent in Missouri,
had taken her home on his horse behind
him, she holding on as best she could.
During the journey the two had to cross a
stream. and while in the water and fighting
their way through the waves, as the writer
stated, Lieutenant Grant proposed and was
accepted The couple then went on to the
Dent farm, where Lieutenant Grant found
Miss Dents father a rough-looking old
farmer, sitting on wood pile and whit
Ting a stick He was asked to sanction
the match, and in rustic language con-
scented. knew this story could not be
true, for | was always aware that Colonel
Dent was one of the wealthiest planters OF
Missouri, and that Mrs. Grant had been as
we'll educated, perhaps, as any girl III the
United States at the time Grant proposed
to her When asked her as to the truth
of it, however, Mrs. Grant replied:
''Of coulse the story is not true. | was
very indignant when | first heard it, and
especially so as it put my father in the
light of an uneducated man. This he was
not. He was one OF the prominent citizens
OF the state. He had IA plantation OF eleven
hundred acres very near st. Louis, upon
which we lived, and he owned lands in
different parts of Missouri. This story
puts me in the light of an uneducated
farmers daughter. The truth is that had
spent seven years at Prof Moreaus school
in st. Louis, which was one of the most
famous finishing schools of the South and
West. was 1s years old at the time and
had Just come home from school.
''The story is only correct in that MIR,
Grant proposed to me the day we attended
a wedding together. One of my friends
was about to be married and the wedding
took place in the morning. Lieut. Grant
was among the guests invited, and he came
to the plantation to accompany us to the
wedding He came to our house on horse
back, but before we left for the scene OF
the festivities he asked my brother to take
his horse and to allow him to use the
buggy and drive with me. To this my
day was beautiful one. The sun shone
out in all its SPLENDID, but the roads were
rather heavy from previous rain. 1t was
some distance from our house to that of my
friend, and in going there WE had to cross
a bridge that spanned little river When
we came to it was surprised and some
what alarmed to find that the stream had
risen and that the gulch was filled with II
rushing current, the water reaching almost
to the bridge. Lieut.. Grant was very quiet,
and it seemed to me that he was afraid of
the bridge. 1t was an old one, and was
by DO means certain that it would stand
the strain. AS we neaIed the bridge |
asked Mr.. Grant several times if he thought
it would be dangerous for us to cross, and
| told him that | would rather 90 hack
ever, that it was perfectly safe, and he said
it so quietly that | believed him. AS we
came to the bridge, however, said Now,
Mr.. Grant, if anything happens remember
| shall cling to you, no matter what you
may say to the contrary Mr.. Grant
simply said all right. He gave the horse
whip and we were over the planks in less
than minute. Shortly after we left the
bridge he asked me to be his wife, referring
to my threat to cling to him to break the
way. That same afternoon he wanted me
to set the day, but to this | would not
consent. | told him that it would be much
nicer to be engaged for time than to be
married, but he did not seem to approve Of
this sentiment. We decided, however, not
to say nything about our engagement that
evening. Mr.. Grant was rather afraid to
speak to my father for he feared that
father would refuse. He left the house late
in the evening to 90 back to his regiment,
and Il few days later General Taylor sent
him to Camp Salubrity in Louisiana.
Before he went however, he wrote to my
father, asking his consent to the marriage
My father was not willing to give this, and
he did not answer Tie letter. lie told me
that he did not think ought to marry an
army officer. He said my husband wvu,u
be away most Of the time, and that he did
not consider the marriage u desirable One.
He told up that was too young and that
Lieutenant Grant was too poor, and that
Lieutenant Grant hadn't anything to give
me. | then told father that ] was poor,
too, and that | hadn't anything to give
him y