The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-04

offer him money at that time. Mr.. Daw-
SOM 7 asked.
Il don't know that there were many per-
sonaI offers Of assistance" replied Mr..
Dawson. His richest friends were full OF
suggestions and plans for raising large
sums. but I don't know that they made
offers TO relieve his immediate necessities.
Stin there were many kind things done and
many offers made which were not accepted.
i remember one case was that OF Senior
Romero. the present minister from Mexico.
As soon as he heard of the failure he came
10 New York and called on General Grant.
After he left "A check for $1,000. payable-to
Grant. was found on the table where he
was sitting. Mr.. Romero had offered to
loan him money. but. Grant refusing to ac-
cept. be left the check. l believe the gen.
craI returned it
When did Grant first realize that he was
going 10 die. Mr.. Dawson
1t was before / went 10 write for him.
After we came back from Mexico / had a
position as stenOgrapher at the Capitol,
though / told him that whenever he really
needed me that / would come back TO him.
he had already begun his book before ]
came. and had written the first half of tile
frs. volume He penned this with his own
hand, and before he realized that death
WAS staring him in the face. I think this
part Of the book is better written than the
last IL Is more freely told. As he went
on with the work he saw his strength fail
Ing, and after he learned that he had TO
die he sent for me to help him. 1t was
through me that he dictated the most Of
the book and he wrote very little after L
came
What kind of d man was Grant at home
during those last days." / asked.
General Grant was always the soul OF
simplicity" replied Mr.. Dawson. You
would never imagine that ne thought him
self a great general or a noted man. / doubt
whether he felt that he was so. There was
no self-assertiveness about him. He put
everyone on the same standing with him
self. and he never acted as though he
thought he was better than others. He
was kind TO everyone. During his last
days he was in the greatest of pain. but
he Kept his agony as far as possible 10 him
self. 1 remember. during our dictation.
looking up suddenly at times and finding
his face contOrted with pain. As soon as
ne saw that / was looking he would force
himself into cOmposure and he would not
permit his family 10 know how he was feel
ing. He loved his family as much as any
man L have ever known. and they all loved
MIN. lie was proud of his boys. He liked
10 have his family about him, and il was
the greatest comfort of his last DAYS that
they were with him. i have a photograph
winch was taken of General Grant and the
idmlly at this time. Copies of il were
mace Tor the family, and when the general
gave me mine nearly all the family were
present. and / had them all write their
autographs upon it. This was during the
very last days OF Grants life. and others
seeing my photograph were anxious thar
Grant should write similar autographs for
tnem- He was too weak, however. 10 do
So and so / have the only autograph copy
in existence"
HOW THE GENERAL WORKED.
How did the general work."
His work was varied" replied Mr.. Daw-
son. When / first came he dictated quite
a great deal and wrote somewhat on slips
or paper which he gave to me to copy. As
ne grew weaker he had to do his dictation
early in the morning. 1t was at that time
that he felt stronger. At the last he seldom
dictated more than an hour at a sitting
This was enough to tire him out. As the
days went on and death came nearer his
throat grew weaker and weaker. / had TO
move closer and closer to him until at the
last the dictaSion was given in a whispe,.
I'm my ear. and 1 had TO listen irtently 10
make the shorthand notes of his conversa-
ton After the dictation he would rest a
while. then from time to time during the
remainder OF the day his daughter and
oauShter-in-aw would read TO him the
different accounts of the battles about
which he proposed to write on the morrow
He did this 20 rf-o~L II.
hit him for the work"
Did he revise the manuscript of tho
book"
lie hoped to be able to do so all along
but concluded TO wait until the book was
done. He longed for the time when II
would be completed, and was so anxious
about it that L told him one day that il
was ready for him, and that he could have
IL the next day. IT was not quite finished.
but i could see that it could be given to
him along from time to time fast enough
10 make him think that it was so. Nv
statement that the book was done de-
Aghted him. and he called in Mrs. Gran,
and told her that he had finished the book.
and that he would have il all there the
next day. But when the morrow came he
was not so well. He grew worse and the
result was that the notes of the last volume
were hardly revised by him at all. l wrote
them out. and Colonel Fred Grant and 7
went over them before they were pub
hshed. Tn first volume the general re-
vised and also a part of the second"
Was Grant an easy writer"
Yes" replied Mr.. Dawson. HE thought
clearly and wrote easily. He dictated well.
He could say what he thought in the sim
plest~ language and still round out his ideas
in complete form. His military orders were
so worded' you kDow' that no one could
misconstrue them"
Did General Grant have many letters
and private papers about him while he
was working at his book"
He had some military papers, but no
private letters. He did not keep letters. 1t
was his custom 10 read his letters and then
direct me to say so and so in reply. not
fully debating the answer. After the let
tiers were Wen they were burned. He
was very careless as to his private mat
tiers. 1t was different. however. as To pub
lie papers. Everything connected with the
army was carefully kept. His orders will
be found TO be perfect, and his clerical
force had TO keep them Just so"
Did he have the satisfaction of seeing