The times., 1897-04-09
GRANTS HABITS AT TABLE.

About the only meat he enjoyed was beef
| and this he could not eat unless IL was so
! thoroughly well done that no appearance of
| blood could be seen. If blood appeared in
| any meat which came on the table, the sigh I
fit seemed entirely 10 destroy his appetite.
| he enjoyed oysters and fruit, hut these
could not be procured on an active cam
paign. He never ate mutton when he
could obtain anything else, and fowl and
game he abhorrcd AS he used to express
it: II never could eat anything that goes
on two legs"
Evidently he could never have been con
verted to cannibalism. He did not miss
| much by declining to eat the chickens which
were picked up on u campaign, for they
were usually tough enough to create the
suspicion that they had been hatched from
harG-boiied eggs, and were so impene-
trable that an officer said of one of them
that he could not even stick his forkthrodgh
the gravy. The general was fonder Of Gu
cuInbers than of anything else, AMI often
made his entire meal upon sliced cucum
ber and a cup of coffee. He always en-
joyed corn, pork and beans and buckwheat
cakes. In fact, he seemed to be particu-
larly fond of only the most indigeStible
dishes
When any fruit could be procured, it was
placed on the table by way OF helping TO
ornament it. and afterward used rs desert
Between the courses of the dinner the
general would often reach over to the
dish of fruit and pick out berry or a
cherry and eat it slowly. He used to do
this in sly way, like a child helping it
self to some forbidden dish at the table,
and afraid of being caught in the act. He
said one day: II suppose l ought not
to eat a course out of its turn, but l
take the greatest delight in picking out
bits of fruit aud eating them during a
meal. One of the reasons do not enjoy
dining out as much as l do at home is
because / am compelled to sit through
long list of courses, few of which l eat,
and to resist the constant temptation 10
taste q little fruit in the meanwhile to
help pass away the time"
Napoleon was famous for eating out of
the various dishes before him with his
fingers. Gen Grants use of the fingers
never went beyond picking out small fruits
He was always refined in his manners at
table, and no matter how great was the
hurry, or what were the circumstances
quireme of true polteness.
He ate less than any man in the army
Sometimes the amount of food taken did
not seem enough TO keep bird alive, and
his meals were frugal enough to satisfy
the tastes of the most avOwed anChorite.
1t so happened that no one in the mess had
any inclination to drink wine or spirits
at meals. and none was carried among the
mess supplies.
The only beverage ever used at table
besides tea and coffee was water, although
on the march it was often taken from
places which rendered it not the most
palatable or healthful of drinks. II staff
officer wanted anything stronger he would
carry some commissary whisky in Il cam
teen. Upon few occasions, after a hard
days ride in stormy weather, the general
Joined the officers of the staff in taking
a whisky toddy In the evening. He never
offered liquor of any kind to visitors ut
headquarters. His hospitality consisted in
inviting them to meals and to smoke ci-
gars-The Century.