Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-04
PIXIES TOOTHAcHE DROPS
CURE IN ONE MINUTE.

II St. Louis who recall with fond recol-
lection the house raisings of those old
days. When the pioneer had hewed his
logs and hauled them to the site of his
future home, he went through the coun-
tryside notifying his neighbors that
upon a certain day "the raisin' bee"
would take place. Bright and early
came the neighbors to assist the house
builder in raising the timbers into place.
There was a dinner spread on the
ground, and hard cider and ginger cakes
kept the workers cheerful.
The Grant house raising bee was not
whit different in its immediate as
pect from others Of that time, though
the historical significance was vastly
different. The neighbors, who on that
autumn day helped to put in place the
heavy timbers for Grants humble
home, had high respect for "the cap
TAIN" because he was known to them
as veteran Of the Mexican war and
as former officer Of the regular army.
They respected him also because he
was hard worker like themselves and
a good family man. They liked him
for his manly qualities.
After the logs were in place Grant
laid the floors and helped a carpenter
to fit the window frames. He also did
built the stairway that leads to the
two big, low rooms in the gable roof.
When completed, Grant moved his
family into the house, and it was their
home for about three years. His IA
ther-in-law's big white house, a man
sion in those days, bore name Of its
own. Grant gave his cabin distinctive
name. "We'll call it Hardscrabble," he
said, possibly wondering how the mas
ter of White Haven would like the
name.
And It was hard scrabbling for Grant
during the next few years. He was
tireless worker. He plowed and sowed
and reaped. He cut cordwood and sold
it on the streets of st. Louis. In the
city he sometimes met old army associ-
ates, who sneered at the shabby look
ing farmer. Grant appeared not to no.
tice the sneers. He was trying to make
living for his family. In the big log
cabin was busy housewife, surround
ed by her children, and that was home,
something he never knew when he was
in the army.
This life went on, humdrum life eX-
cept for wife and babies. Grabbing,
hoeing, hauling, Grant began to grow
old apparently. He permitted his beard
to grow, SO that he looked much older
than he was. Perhaps he felt old. 1t is
known that he made but little head
way in his farming and that he was
deeply discouraged, but he made little
complaint. His health failed, he caught
chills and fever and grew sallow, see
ing nothing in prospect but the same
sort of patient, pitiless, unremunerative
toll. He was almost beaten, but not
quite.
In 1857 Mrs. Dent died, and Colonel
Dent removed to st. Louis. Captain
Grant was placed in charge of White
Haven, moving out Of the dear old cab
in, Hardscrabble. He was in control
Of the negro slaves. A historian of the
peIiOu says. ne WAS d pOOI slave uIlf-
er, however. The negroes did pretty
much as they pleased"
Late in 1858, racked with ague, he
gave up farming altogether and went
into the real estate business in st.
Louis, in which he was no more sue
cessful than he had been as tiller of
the soil. In 1850, apparently a defeat
ed man, he went to work as clerk at
$50 q month in his fathers leather
store in Galena, III. Then came the
civil war, and what happened then
need not be here recounted.
Hardscrabble House remained the
property of General Grant until 1884,
when Ferdinand Ward wrecked the
firm of Grant & Ward, and it was
turned over to William II. Vanderbilt,
one of his largest creditors. Mr.. Van
derbilt sold it to Luther Conn, who In
1891 sold it to Edward JOY, real es-
tate dealer of this city. Mr.. Joy moved
the cabin to Old Orchard, three miles
from its original site, where it now
stands in well preserved condition.
Mr.. Blanke, who lately purchased it
from Mr.. JOY, has arranged to move
the structure to the worlds fair site
and rebuild it upon location to be
MADE permanent. S& =