Evening star., 1922-04-23
i Memoirs of Grandpapa Grant

7 DO not think there are many
stories told with authority of my
grandfather's childhood or of his
youthful years. lie himself gave
z few sketchy facts in the first chap
ter of his memoirs. and two or three
tales are told in other peoples books.
either as to his disciplined obedience
to his father or as to his exceptional
good sense in managing horses or in
doing other work exacted of him
with quick intelligence.
At West Point his reputation for
good riding was established, and
while cadet at the Military Academy
he made high-hurdle jump which
broke the then world record and
which was not beaten for a number
of years afterward. He seems to have
been a good son and was good
brother. but while undoubtedly he
had a fair record at his studies I
have never been told of anything ex-
ceptionaNy brilliant about his class
standing nor OF any special action
which made him more than ordinarily
popular with his parents or his
brothers and sisters.
For us, his grandchildren. it was
as youthful officer he first appeal
ed to our attention, dashing and
beautiful according to our retailer of
neutrality-suspicious. He rode out
from the barracks near st. Louis,
where he lived in garrison. to the old
Dent farm, to which nv grandmother
and her sisters drew the young men
of the whole countryside.
!: Il X X
CRANDMA'S narratives were our
delight in our childhood, and she
never wearied telling US our favor
ties. Also she was always ready to
add to the series. for her fund was
:neXhaustible. her memory of details
seemed accurate and her enthusiasm
in the telling was charming. So we
learned of the life of the young ladies
at the old farm, how they wore print
ell "organdys" for holidays. the ma
terials for which were brought up
from New Orleans and were some-
times even imported from France.
How they made these gowns with
their own hands we knew: how they
trimmed them with frills or ribbons.
wore a scarf. a sunbonnet or a
poke" of straw or silk. We follow
ed with immense interest what they
all dressed in, especially when the
beaIs came riding out to their place
for tea. 1t was very simple. healthy
family life. A little crowded the
farmhouse was. of course. but COM
Portable and patriarchal, with pleas
ure and work well apportioned
through the week.
The young ladies made cakes.
"Sister Emmy" Sister Nelly" grand
ma. who was Julia" like her little
fat namesake (rnyself). all knew how
TO make fine cakes and could brew
punch or apple toddy or mint julep,
according to the season. They made
jelly and preserves in the big kitchen
and put up" various good things as
supplies for wintertime.
Apparently they could dance and
sing and they played on the piano.
After she was seventy grandma still
sang quaint old songs. playing her
own soft accompaniments. Holding
out the sides of her long. sweeping
black velvet dress as an old lady. she
would tread a measure" also to show
US how this was done when q ball
occurred at the old farm long ago in
her girlhood days.
The officers rode over from the
garrison and stayed the day to rest
their mounts and to enjoy the Dents
hospitality. There were a lot of
beaus and from grandmamma's stories
it seemed that the minute the young
ladies of the house were free they
put on their freesh. pretty clothes
and did their hair, adding a rose in
belt or kerchief, and then they sat
on the broad piazza waiting for call
ers. These never failed to come in
shoals and generally took the girls