The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-04-05

captain. It was sufficient that his wife
loved him and approved of his course
and cheerfully shared his hardships.
That winCer and the next spring and
summer he cut wood, plowed for
wheat, hoed corn. bound wheat behind
the keen cradles of his father-in-laW' $
darby slaves and was a farmers man
of all work. He had worked on a
farm in his boyhood and was not
ashamed of honest toll
In the late fall of 1855, the harvest
over, Grant began the work of cutting
Of the log house that was to be his
home. He worked early and late. Oak
and elm fell before his onslaught. He
fought it out on that line all the
fall and at last was ready for "the
raisin'"
There are many venerable citizens
Of 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 certain day 1.-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
a 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 a former officer of the regular army.
They respected him also because he
was hard worker like themselves and
q 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
the greater part of the shingling and
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 a name of its
own. Grant gave his cabin a 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
,ity he sometimes met old army associ-
ltes, who sneered at the shabby look
ng farmer. Grant appeared not to no.
ice the sneers. He was trying to make
/ living for his family. In the big log
,abin was busy housewife, surround
ID by her children. and that was home.
something he never knew when he was |
n the army. ....
This life went on, humdrum life ex- !
.ept for wife and babies. Grabbing.
,oeing, hauling, Grant began to grow |
I'D apparently. He permitted his beard |
o grow, so that he looked much older |
han he was.> Perhaps he felt old 1t Is |
Known that he made but little head
way in his farming and that he was
leeply discouraged. but he made little
complaint. His health failed. he caught
hills and fever and grew sallow. See
ng nothing in prospect but the same
ort OF patient, pitiless, unremunerative
oil. He was almost beaten. but not
uite.
In 1857 Mrs. Dent died, and Colonel
Dent removed to st. Louis. Captain
rant was placed in charge of White
haven, moving out Of the dear old cab
n. Hardscrabble. He was in control
{ the negro slaves. A historian of the