The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-25

so many American girls of today who
marry Englishmen have aroused. It
was because, still like her soldier ia
Their, Nellie was so unassuming Like
him, too she never talked, true daugh-
ter to the father who was called the
silent man. But Nellie Grant owns
frankly that the happiest days of her
early life were those spent in the White
House at Washington when her father
was president, from 1869 to 1874 the
year she married the Englishman, Cap
tain John Algernon Sartoris. and went
off with him across the water to be at
once none too happy wife and the
light of her old father-in-law's eyes, as
she had been the light of her own IA
theirs eyes in Washington. In that
merry girlhood time Nellie Grant had
pair of black ponies and a little yellow
basket phaeton. She herself used to
drive the ponies and load the phaeton
to overlooking with her girl friends
Often the carriage load of girls went
like the wind over the avenues and
roads in and about Washington, Nellie
holding the reins and urging the small
horses faster and faster. Once going
thus the girls met the carriage of the
president, General Grant
"Hello, papa!" cried the girl and
whizzed past. The silent mans face
lighted with the rare smile that came
into it when he saw his daughter, and
he said to one with him:
THAT was my Nellie. She loves
horses as well as L do
Had Nellie Grant been a man army
generalships. ambassadorships to for
eign lands, official posts the highest and
most important, would have been hers
without even the asking. But being
only girl, she could just be the re-
cipient of affectionate good will from
the American people and to her father
the best beloved of his children that
was all. And when she took a girls
romantic fancy at the age of seventeen
to young Englishman, this child who
| had always had her own way, there
was nothing to do but allow her to
marry him and let her go. Mrs. Julia
Dent Grant, her strong willed mother
was disappointed that Nellie chose the
| Englishman. She had hoped she said
| that Nellie would marry some nice
young army or navy officer here at
home" Not only Nellie's friends, but
| the acquaintance of the young man,
wondered what Nellie could see in
him" As a proffered husband he was
| the leavings of one American girl al
ready, it was said. having been refused
| by a merry miss of Oshkosh.
Nellie married him and "dreed her
| weird" On his mothers side he be-
| longed to the handsome dramatically
gifted Kemble family, being a grand
nephew of the splendid Sara Siddons
and own nephew of Fanny Kemble,
well known in this country for her
magnificent talents as we'll as for her
magnificent ebullitions of temper A
person said of Algy that he had some
OF the genius of his Grandaunt Siddons
| and all the temper of his Aunt Fanny
| Kemble. President Grant was fairly
| broken hearted for awhile after the
wedding day. when Nellie went away
| and left him.
In England the elder Sartoris was a
wealthy man. and he took good care of
his American daughter-in-law and her
| children. Nellie Grant has, above most
the power of attaching people to her.
! The affection of her father-in-law was
manifest when at his death it was
found he had settled 10000 good dol
lars year on her and her children.
| In 1893 her husband slept with his