The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-27
TALES oP THE TIMES.
Colonel yvatrous Yields to the Demand
For More ,Grsnt Stories.

more Grant stories. Only one of these let
tiers was written by an ex-soldier. One is
from high school boy, one from a min
lister, one from farmer boy and the fourth
from an ex-soldier whose service did not
give him an opportunity Go see the old
commander during the business days OF
the war. These four letters possess deep
meaning for me. They tell that more than
ex- soldiers are reading these sketches and
stories. am glad of that. There is vein
of history in most of these letters-history
that in the main has been overlooked.
The country around Galena and through
southwestern Wisconsin abounds in Grant
stories. Find a man who lived in that Sec
ton from 80 to 81 years ago and it is not
difficult, If he be properly shaken, to dis
cover a Grant story. met an ex-south-
western Wisconsin man, who had also
been a Galena boy, last Tuesday-Colonel
Nicholas Smith, editor of the Fond du Lao
Commonwealth-and 1 tapped his MEM
DRY. Here is the result:
s'When I lived in Prairie du CHEN, rs
years ago, picked up several Grant sto-
les. I have just time to tell you the best
one before taking the train.
''Grnnt & Son had sold large bill of
goods to Prairie du Chen merchant and
manufacturer. A few weeks later it came
to the knowledge of the company that the
merchant had taken a suspicious step
that he had made out a bill of sale of his
stock-his object being to get the best of
Grant s. Son. 1t was decided to send the
captain to Prairie du Chen with authori-
ty to protect the company. Upon reaching
there he discovered that matters were seri-
Gus. He called upon young lawyer for
help. The young lawyer was o. B. Thorn
as, afterward a captain in the war, several
times a member of the legislature and
three OF four times in congress from the
Seventh Wisconsin district. After Grant
and Thomas had talked the matter over
somewhat, Grant quietly asked, Mr.. Thorn
as, what is necessary to be done in order
to get possession of those goods, or pay for
theIn?'
"tThe best way is to attach Them
every well; make out the necessary
papers
''When the papers were ready, it was
discovered that the sheriff was out of
town, but there was a deputy sheriff, L.
G. Brunson, somewhere about the village
Grant had long hunt, but finally dug
him out, put the papers in his hands and
both went to the store, which they found
locked. There were no signs of life inside.
"'Well, now, this is bad, said the dep
uty sheriff, known as the boss What
shall we doP'
papers, to be sure, said Grant.
But how can we, with the door lock-
edq'
"Grant looked his contempt at the Off
cial, and asked, Can't you get into this
store, Mr.. Deputy?'
g I don't think cam
Then I suggest to you that you depu-
tize some one who can get in
Well, sir, deputize you
"fI accept the office
f'Then moving back two or three steps,
he advanced rapidly, threw out his right
foot against the door and it. flew open. A
man was standing inside with gun.
Drop that gun, said Grant and as
sist in taking these goods from tho Shelves
And he assisted, for Grant was in command
and knew how to do it successfully.
''That is the way Grant moved on the
enemys works at Prairie du Chien-the
way he collected bad account
ssThat deputy sheriff and the man he
deputized to get into the Prairie du CHEN
store met at Chattanooga about four years
later. Brunson had charge of force un-
loading army stores from a train. Grant
recognized his Prairie du Chen coworker,
withdrew from his staff, rode up to Brun-
son, and asked, Are you from Wisconsin,
81 am, sir; from Prairie du Chen
''s Are you the man who assisted me in
getting into a store in your town a few
years ago?'
.''Good heavensI Is General Grant the
man who was my deputy on that COCA
sion?'
f''The same, sir
"'Well, General Grant, was your boss
then, but you are my boss now
1.-The deputized deputy sheriff was
lieutenant general, or about to be made
lieutenant general, and the deputy sheriff
was the sergeant who later became lieu
tenant"
Colonel Smith continued: Before the
war I went to learn the saddlery trade at
the establishment of W. W. Vanable 81
Co., Galena. Their establishment was
next to Grant & Sons leather store The
custom with the saddlery people was to
send the cub Chat is what the newest ap-
prentice was called in those days. to some
other store in search of strap OIL The fore
man said to me the morning after l reach
ed Galena, Smith, you step into Grants
and get some strap oil.
f'What shall l get it in, and how
mueh?'
% They will give you something to
bring it in, and the right amount
81 went into the store. There was only
one man there. 1 walked up to him and
asked, Are you Mr.. Grant,
% Yes, sir
"'The foreman of our shop sent me
here to get some strap OIL
''Grant looked me over deliberately
sized me carefully. 1 was as large as am
now, and had plenty of muscle you tell
your foreman that we haven't any to spare
today, said Grant,
There was a parade of soldiers in Mil
waukee on the occasion of the state re-
union in 1880. General Grant was in
carriage. A halt for the carriage division
occurred when the general reached the cor
ner of Milwaukee and Juneau avenue. As
the men marched past their old command
er they cheered, tossed their hats in the
nil nd ntI r1a1r ScallnIls