St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-12

spoke about the war, and there were some
subjects which he would never take up OF
his own accord. He would never allow me.
however, to make misstatement if he could
help it, and often got him to talking about
certain things by Intentionally stating them
in way which 1 knew was not correct,
whereupon the general would look at me in a
dispairing way and say: Now, JULIA l think
you are mistaken about that, you have it all
wrong. 1t was this way He would then
go on and tell the true story of the matter
in all its details. He grew interested as he
talked. His face lighted up at such times,
and he expressed himself in good language.
He was very well-read man. and during
most of his life he was hard student"
THE HARVARD DINNER.
THAT is different from the idea generally
held" said L
Yes. l know it is,'' the reply, but
winch are not the true ones remember
one instance in particular which shows how
such stories sometimes arise. 1t is in connec-
ton with the statements made some time
ago by the president of Harvard college to
his pupils in a1lecture, in which he referred
TO Gen. Grant, and said that, great as ne
was IN natural ability, 1t was surprising
how meager was the generals knowledge OF
books and howe ignorant he was as to mat
tiers OF literature. He then referred to din
ner which he had attended at which ne had
sat next to the general and had asked him
simple questions about books as to which ne
dld net seem to understand how to answer:
l remember that dinner very well and OF
Gen. Grants remarks to upon his return
from it. He said complainingly: Why is it
that F.! can never have any fun at dinner!
AT this dinner from which | have Just come
they wanted to do me great honor, as they
always DO, and they seated me next the
greatest man at the table. This was the
president OF Harvard college. saw that II
| engaged in conversation with him l would
probably spend the whole evening discussing
subjects as dry as dust, and concluded that
L would not stand it and that / would have
good time like the rest of the fellows.
Shortly after we sat down the president
turned to me and asked me some questions
regarding Napiers Peninsular War. / looked
as though l knew nothing about any penin-
sular war L answered something, but my
answer was evidently not satisfactory, for
the president did not bother me again for fif-
teen minutes. When he next turned 10 NE it
was with a question about one of Dickens
novels; looked very blank at this, and an
lleve L had never heard of Dickens. The re-
suit was that he left me alone for the rest
Of the evening, and really had good time
suppose, however that | have ruined
my reputation with him.
" But you ought not to do such things,
Ulys, said l. 1T gives people bad i'm
know anything
4 don't care replied the general. That
man was only a book worm, anyhow, and L
did not want to talk books
AS to Napier's Peninsular War" contin-
ued Mrs. Grant, II doubt whether the learn
ed president was nearly so well posted upon
1t as the general. l remember that he read
this during the earliest days of our marriage,
and not only read it, but made copious notes
from it. He was well posted on ali military
works and upon all kinds of literature. Why,
he has read thousands of pages aloud to me.
My eyes have never been very strong, and
during the greater part of our life he read
for hours to me every evening. While we
were at Galena he read all the speeches in
congress from both Sides and l was, per-
haps, as well posted on public questions at
that time as any woman in the country.
His reading covered wide range 1t embrac-
ed all the great histories. He has read most
of the novels of Dickens and Thackeray
aloud to me, and doubt whether there was