The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-16
TALES OF THE TIMES.
Colonel wstrons Tells Some New Stories
of General Grant.


of General Grant.
have some now Grant storics
For several years there WAS much said
about railroad from Galena TO Janosyille.
the idea being when onco there. To arrange
with the then Milwaukee, aud Mississippi
now the Chicago. Milwaukee and ST.
Paul, to run u Emo 20 ianesylle from Mil
ton junction. and thus secure Nilyau-
keo connection. The limo was hI;ilt from
Milton 10 Janesviile, but from Galeua to
GAINESVILLE tho road Is still IN air castle.
A number OF inoueyod men of Gaena
had been induced TO interest Themselves
In the project. In 1850 several Of these
Rentlemea, including che banker Henry
Corwith, who loaned vast sums of money
TO Wisconsin lumbermen from 80 to 10
years ago, being OF tho number, drove
overland 10 Jancsvi!lc for a d1boie our
pose--to ste tho character OF the country
through which tho proposed load was to
run and to consult with A. Hyatt Smith
and other Jsnesyille ;ncn concerning the
contemplated enterprise. Mr. Corwith
and his party wcro met by Mr.. Smith and
several o,hers There was carriage ride
In the Afternoon. Ono Of tho Galcna party
had not been provided with seat. He
stood in front Of tho hotol watching tie
delegations preparing for the tr.p of pleas.
ure and business.
"Mr. Corwith, that gentlemen Is of your
party, is-he noty' asked Hyatt Smith.
Yes; ho camc over with us"
'Wcll, WELL I'll sit with the driver,
and he can takc my place"
Never mind him, Mr. Smith. Presume
he does not care To go. He Is our driver. ="
10 H., ha1
that evening after the .Iancsyille people
had shown their visitors the town and
told thcm as much in its favor as IL would
bear, but 1t was a spread something beyond
the average for the little town OF 2, 900 or
1900 inhabitantE
Have you rcgistcrcd?" asked the land
lord OF man ho saw sitting near the stove
soon after tho visitors and their entertain.
ers had boon located In the dining room.
"No, SIR"
"Going to stay with us tonight"
II guess SC"
'Are you Of tho Galcna party"
"Ycs l am the teamster."
The landlord stepped into tho dining
room and said Mr.. Cowrith, your driver
is i'm the barroom. Shall he come TO sup
per now or waltz
'No, let him come in. Yes, landlord,
tell the captain to come in"
So il happened that Captain Grant did
not have to wait and eat with the sery-
ants, even II he was the teamster
How little any ono at the GAINESVILLE ta-
bic thought that within four years the
quiet ''teamster" would be the first Of
Il. A tt. 4 n
stop driving railroad delegations about the
country long enough TO serve eight years
as president; that no would have place
In American history that we'll enough bo
longs by the side of Washington and Lin
coin For that matter, who in all the
wide world had such thoughts In 1850?
What astonishing things timo and op-
portunity will do! All the "teamster"
needed was an opportunity. a cluster of
hothoadod southern leaders in congress
gave him the opportunity, and God gave
the Widow Washhurne of Maine tho wis
dom, heart, brain and desire essential TO
bring upa family OF boys to a type of man
hood not often surpassed, ono of whom
saw to it that the opportunity was not
wrenched from the teamster. One of the
Widow Washburne's sons lived at Galena
when Grants opportunity came, and his
good bringing up had taken him TO CON
gress ard made him one Of the most useful
and influential members Of the house.
Who can tell what Grant and tho nation
would have lost If Eihu Il. Washburne
had not been close TO and in the confidence
of another Illinois captain-a soldier in
the Black Hawk war-Captnin Abraham
Lincoln2 Washhurnc and Lincoln saved
Grant moro than once. Who fromY Never
mind now.
Captain Grant used to drive through
southern Wisconsin selling leather. A
young German oponcd shop at I.ancas-
ter. Grant called upon the German. Aftor
trying again and again in vain To mako
the young man understand he asked a
friend To direct him TO sOme one who could
talk German. A Mrs Cox was named.
Captain Grant, rcenforocd by Mrs. Cox,
renewed tie attack on tho young German
and made n good customer. That is the
way Grant fought IL out on the Lancaster
line.
Mrs. Cox is still living and delights In
talking about tho times when she was
General Grants interpreter.
"Thc FIRST time I saw General Grant"
said Major Boss, was at Spottsylvania In
1884. | raw two horsClncn and an orderly.
Tho two men proved to be Grant and
Meade. Grant looked less like Il general
than his orderly. His uniform was dusty,
coat unbuttoned, hat like tramp's.
Looking up, saw General Burnside, staff
and bodyguard OF 100 riding past. l
mean no reflection upon Burnside. Tho
incident illustrates Grants simplicity. -
Colonel j. A. Watrous In Chicago Times
Herald.
Chess Chan pion's Physical Training.
Tho Brooklyn chess champion, u. n.
Pillsbury, who Is winning now laurcls at
81 Petersburg, maintains his wonderful