The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-23

in commomoratlon OF the centenar
of General Grants birth, which VII
be observed ncXt Thursday.
by PRINCESS CANTACUZENE
COUNTESS sPERANSKY, NEE
GRANT
do not think there nro many
stories told with authority OF mJ
grandfnther's childhood or OF his
youthful years. Ile himself gave n
few skotchy facts IN the first chap
ter OF his memoirs. and two or three
tales are told In other peoples books
clth,. ~ To his dlsiplincd Oht 'iour'
to his father or az 10 his exceptional
good sense IN managing horses or ih
doing other work oXactcd Of him with
quick intelligence.
At West Point his reputation for
good riding was established and
while cad at the military ncnd.
cmy ne made highhurdio iump
which broke the then world record
and which was not beaten for n
number OF years aftorwnrd He
seems to have been a good son and
was good brother but while un.
doubtodly he had fair record nt
his studies | have never been told
OF anything exceptionally brilliant
about his clasa standing nor OF any
special action which made him more
than ordinarily pOpuli with his par
onts or his brothers md sisters
For us. his grandchildren, II was
as "a youthful officer he first ap-
pealed to our attention. dashing and
beautiful according 10 our retailer of
wledgc--graudma llo rode out
from tho barracks near st. Louis,
where he lived In garrison. 10 the old
Dent farm. To which my grand
mother and her sisters drew the
young men OF tho whole country
side.
Grandma's narratives were our de-
light In our childhood, aud she
never wearied telling us our favor
ties. Also she was always ready TO
add to the series. for her fund was
ineNhaustible, her memory Of de-
tails seemed accurate and her en-
thusiasm in tho telling was charm
Ing. SO we learned of the life of
the young ladies' Mt the old farm,
how they wore printed "Organdios"
for holidays, the materials for which
were brought up from Now Orleans
and were sometimes 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, n sun
bonnet or poke" of straw or silk.
We followed with immense interest
what the. all dressed I'm. especially
when the beaus came riding out to
their place for tea. II was very
simple. healthy family life. A little
crowded the farmhouse was, of
course. but comfortable and patri-
archal. with pleasure and work well
apportioned through the week.
The young ladies made cakes.
Sister Emmy" SISTER Nelly"
grandma, who was Julia" like her
little fat namesake (myself), all
knew how to make fine cakes and
could brew punch or apple toddy or
mint 1ulep according to the season.
They made Jelly ana preserves In the
big kitchen and put up" various
good things az supplies for winter
time.
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 accomplishments. Hold
ing out the sites OF her long, swoep-
ing black velvet dress as an old lady,
she would tread n measure" also
TO show US how this was done when
a ball occurred at the old farm,
long ago In ner g!rlhood days.
The officers rode over from the
garrison and stayed the day to rest
their mounts and to enjoy the Dents
hospitality. There were lot of
beaus, and from grandmamma's n
stories II seemed that the minute
the young ladies' OF tho house were
free they put on their fresh. pretty
clothes and did their hair, adding a
roBe In belt or kerchief, and then
they sat on the broad piazza waiting
Tor callers. These never failed to
come In shoals and generally took
the girls to walk or drive. Some
times they merely sat and talked the
hours away.
One day among the officers came
Second Lieut., u. $. Grant and
from his first appearance he chose
grandmamma for his attentions. and
she liked him and afterward could
admire none OF the others who were
about. She said he was very hand
some, with splendid deep blue-gray
eyes and fine strong head and
face; she said he was well made and
elegant as well. and that he was
shy but determined In pursuing her.
She thought him wonderful on horse
back, wonderful in every way; and
from che time she saw him until he
was taken away from her by death,
no one else counted as compared to
him.
Grandmamma had lovely auc!eul
bracelet, consisting of piece of
black velvet so short 1t seemed a
miracle 1t could go around even her
tiny wrist, The velvet was fastened
by a clasp OF delicate chased gold
and the top of the clasp opened. the
lid disclosing n daguorreotype of my
grandfather, dating back to the time
they became engaged, before the
MeNiCan war. y square Jaw anc
well.shaped head, an eagle nose and
large deep eyes, with shaggy long
hair covering the ears and parted
at one side. was the picture. He was
too poor to marry before the Mexi-
can war. and went to the battle line
leaving his fiance at the old farm.
She lived on the news then
OF Monterey and i'alo Alto. of rapid
progress and great hardships, where
her young hero shonC; and from
time TO time probably, long letters
from him written at some bivouac.
brought her "A reflection Of the Of
flcer's mentality, OF the lifs of the
man to whom she was engaged. for
whom she waited. His character
and brain, which dominated emcr-
gencics, making these count in favor
Of his side in battle. brought grand
papa promotions In which she might
well take pride.
When Tho war an1ad thav ,Nsora