The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-16
General Grants Dinner to President Diaz s=!:9:@::


| would redeem il with cash. This was
called "buck," and always stood for
$50 in settlement.
General Grant always carried beauti
| ful gold match box which was given TO
| him by one Of the royal families in
| Europe. and which we all Of us greatly
admired and would have given much 10
possess not so much for its intrinsic
value. but ms n souvenir of our honored
| friend.
1t was the generals custom when.
ever he ran out of chips TO put up this
match box as a "buck,' - which repre-
sented his debt Of $50 to whoever had
it. On several occasions when the game
came to a close the player who hap.
would say nothing about it, hoping the
general would forget to call for 1t,
though its money value was not great.
But this was never the case, for
though the holder sat in silence and no
suggestion was made as to its Tedemp.
ton, still the general never forgot, and
would look around the table In hls
iovial quiet way and ask who had his
''buck,D at the same time producing
the cash for it's redemption. It became
universal joke with us all that some
time one Of rs would get that match
box, at which the general would laugh
and say he never forgot a debt, and
when he paid the collateral must be
forthcoming.
Some Of General Grants Presents.
A description Of some of the beauti.
full presents given to General Grant on
his memorable trip around the world
may be Of interest to the reader, so /
will, as best [ can, try to describe some
Of them.
One of the most beautiful, to me,
ne T ek
twelve to fifteen inches long and seven
or eight inches wide, 1t was carved in
transparent lace pattern of great beau
ty, which, when laid out on a blank
surface or placed against the light
showed every detail of most intricate
pattern. The most wonderful feature
about this piece of ivory was that it
was so thin that it could be rolled up
like a sheet Of paper without danger of
cracking.
Another beautiful present was set
of chessmen and board. The board was
made of inlaid mother of pearl, with
the squares from six to seven inches
wide, while the pieces were carved IN
ivory and stood from twelve to eigh-
teen inches in height. These were all
carved from the solid ivory in the most
delicate fashion, the kings and queens
beng portrayed in royal attire, the bish"
ops in their clerical garb, the knights
on horseback, and the castles or rocks
were represented by beautifully carved
elephants and the pawns as court pages.
This set when placed on the table or
hoor presented the most beautiful ap.
pearance and workmanship ever seen
in this country.
l remember an elephants s su5k, one Of
The largest then N this country, on the
surface of which vas carved n descrip.
live scene of one of the battles of the
War of the Rebellion. with a figure of
ieneral Grant easily distinguishable and
recognizable. do not remember from
whom this tusk came. but Judge it was
rom some African dignitary.
The collection Of carved meersnhau,n
pipes and cigar holders was indeed in.
,eresting. / judge there must have been
rom twenty to thirty of them, and
If all shapes and sizes and of most
beautiful workmanship. l remember one
1ipe especially. The bowl consisted of |
General Grant s head carved IN meer
chanm, with his army hat On, an opeu. |
nlg IN the top Of which made the bowl |
II the pipe.
A present that took my eve, and
yhlch General Grant kindly gave to me, |