The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-13

Incidents Illustrative OF His Simplic-
ity Of Character.
Cb;oo 60 Times Hay.ald

have some new Grant stories.
For several years there was much said
about a railroad from Gaiena to Janesville,
the idea being, when once there, TO arrange
with the then Milwaukee & Mississippi,
now the Chicago. Milwaukee & st. Paul.
to run a line TO GAINESVILLE from Milton
junction, and thus secure a Milwaukee con-
nection The line was built from Milton to
GAINESVILLE but from Galena to GAINESVILLE
the road is still an air castle.
been induced to interest themselves in the
project. In 1860 several of these gentlemen,
Including the banker, Harry Corwith, who
lumbermen from thirty to forty years ago,
being of the number, drove overland to
GAINESVILLE for double purpose-to see the
character of the country through which the
proposed road was to run, and to consult
with A Hyatt Smith and other GAINESVILLE
men concerning the contemplated enterprise
Mr.. Corwith and his party were met by Mr.
Smith and several others. There was car
rage ride in the afternoon. One OF the
Galena party had not been provided with a
seat. He stood in front of the hotel watch
ing the delegations preparing for the trip
of pleasure and business.
Mr.. Corwith, that gentleman is OF your
party, is he not?" asked Hyatt Smith.
Eyes, he came over with u.s..
"well. well. I'll sit with the driver and he
Never mind him. Mr.. Smith. Presume
he does not care to 60. He Is our driver"
1t was not exactly a banquet they had
that evening, after the GAINESVILLE people
had shown their visitors the town and told
them as much in its favor as 1t would
bear, but il was spread something be-
yond the average for the little town Of two
or three thousand inhabitants.
"Haye YOU registered?' asked the land
lord of a man he saw sitting near the stove
soon after the visitors and their entertain
ers had been located in the dining room.
Going to stay with us tonight"
Are you of the Galena party?"
The landlord stepped into the dining
room and said: MIR. Corwith, your driver
is in the barroom. Shall he come to supper
Some one suggested that he wait.
mo, let him come in. Yes, landlord. tel
the captain to come in.
So it happened that Captain Grant did not
have to wait and eat with the servants
even if he was the teamster.
How little anyone at the GAINESVILLE table
thought that within n four Xears fhn o Sn,e
military chieftans--that he would stop driv'
ing railroad delegations about the country
long enough to serve eight years as Presi
dent; that he would have place In Ameri
| can history that well enough belongs by
| the side of Washington and Lincoln? Fol
| that matter, who in all the wide world hao
+ What astonishing things time and oppor
| tunity will do. All the ''teamster" needed
| was an opportunity. A cluster or hot
! him the opportunity, and God gave TIT
| Widow Washburne. of Maine, the wisdom
| heart brain and desire essential to bring III
| a family of boys to a type or MANHOOD no
| often surpassed one of whom saw TO II tina
| the opportunity was not wrenched from tn
| teamster One OF the widow Washburnei
1 sons lived in Galena when Grants oppor
| tunity came, and his good bringing up ha
| taken him to Congress and made him one o
| the most useful and influential members o
| the House Who can tell what Grant and tn
| Nation would have lost II Elihu Il. Wash
| burne had not been chose to and in the con
| fidence OF another Illinois captain-a soIdie
in the Black Hawk war-Captain Abraham
| Lincoln? Washburne and Lincoln save
| Grant more than once. Who from! NeVe
| mind, now.
| CAPTAIN Grant used to drive throug
| southern Wisconsin selling leather. A youn
| German opened a shop at Lancaster. Gran
| called upon the German. After trying agai
| and again in vain to make the young mai
| understand he asked friend to direct him I
| some one who could talk German. "A Mrs
| Cox was named. Captain Grant, re-enforce
by Mrs. Cox renewed the attack on IN
| Young German, and made a good customer
| That is the way Grant 1ought IL out o.
| the Lancaster line.
| Mrs. Cox is still living and delights II
| talking about the times when she was Gen
| eral Grants interpreter.
'"The first time saw General Grant
| said Major Ross, twas at Spottsylvania, i
| 1864. I saw two horsemen and an orderly
The two men proved to be Grant and Meade
| orderly. His uniform was dusty coat unbuf
| toned hat like a tramps. Looking up
saw General Burnside, staff and a body
| guard of one hundred, riding past. / mea
| no reflection upon Burnside. The tnciden
illustrates Grants simplicity"