Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-04-25

year Inter although time hung dreary with me-
| would have been sorry TO have seen 1t succeed.
Woodward quotes a letter which Grant wrote 10
his cousin In which he declared that he was very
fond of West Point and enjoyed the life there,
n statement which the biographer doubts serious
ly. or this letter Woodward says, Ut Is wholly
out of tune with Grants direct, sledge-hammer
character-and stands as a horrible example or
what rhetoric may dc for Supplemented ploW-
hoy" and adds poor homesck boy Writing
brayely of the delights Of West Point to keep up
his courage and scanning the neWspa-
pers In hope that congress has put an end to the
whole affair" v
At the end of his first year cadet no one
was surprised when his name did not appear
.among those who were appointed as corporals
But every was surprised when. the command
ant made Grant sergeant at the beginning OF
his third year and the appointment was made the
subject of considerable joking The other cadets
said TINT Sam Grant was made a sergeant because
no could not keep step. AS a sergeant he would
march among the file cosers and In that position
he could not throw the column out OF step with
bis stumbling. Tint their joking was more or
loss justified was shown by the fact that he did
not make good as a sergeant. AT least. ne was
possed over In the list Of captains and lieuten-
ants at the end Of the third year and during MS
last wear he served a private.
Graduation from the acfseHiy uieahl SIMPLY hh-
other Illustration, In life Of many Illustrations,
and nm apparent failure for Grant There was
iust one thing In which he had excelIed all 9th
ers while he was a cadet and that was In horse
manshn So when he was graduated he had
hoped TO get commission she cavalry. But
he wos told that there no vacancy In that
arm Of the service, so 1.-THE finest horseman at
West Point had to be content with a commission
IN tbe Infantry and as a second lieutenant IN the
Fourth infantry he went to Jefferson Barracks
near ST Louis One other frustrated hope oc-
CURED Mt this time. Next to his iorsemanship his
ability In mathematics had been about the only
note OF distinction In an otherwise insgnihcan'
career at the military academy. So he applied
for n nosItion as teacher Of mathematics at West
Point and was told that there WIS no opening a
4tbat time He was promised nfnce when mex
n vacancy occurred. But 1t never did occur, 81
far as Grant was concerned.
perhans It was just as WE'LL for as WOODWARD
h.s sad "He would have been q failure
teacher without the charm OF personality which
every successful teacher must possess his wor
would have become before long an inefectiv
drudgery Undstingushed and unpromoted h
would have gone aboring on for years-and the
the world would have heard no more OF him.
Fate had something different In store for hiT
than a return to "these gray walls as teache
of aanres. Ii was to lead him through nearly
score Of years of adversely and apparent failur
before promising him any measure OF success
Then his fellow cadets who had jokingy tram
lated 4.tJ. 81 Grant" as 'unce Sam Grant" wer
to soc !. nation thrilled by Its tranlntfon into "Ul
condlRcnn, Surrender Grants and a few year
#futer Wcst Point was to welcome Cadet u. !
Grant back as general OF the army aud Pres
j. ,isf4- Of the United Suites. The cnly graduate
has ever had to hold both Of these positions