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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 1902)
1 1 ti. i : r. so tils vnxaon Dismuzfo ax B&lllaon, 111 MODEL WIFE AND MOTHER lift Story of ft St. Lom.ii Girl Who Became Mistreu of the White House. STIRRING TIMES IN WAR AND PEACE Hri. JiUi Dent OmBt'i EiprrlcnfM la the Civil Wa CampilvaUi with the Geaeral A Inatrno tlre Ul History. Probably no woman living bad the knowl . edge of war and the Intimate acquaintance .with ita detail that Mra. Julia Dent Grant possessed, relates the Bt. Lou la Globe Democrat. She was born on the frontier for such waa Missouri, even In the vicinity of Bt. Louia, In 1826. "Whitehaven," the country home of Colonel F. Dent, who was a typical southern plantation owner, waa not far from St. Louis. There Julia Dent waa born, and, as a child, she early be came familiar with the Indiana and the thrilling: events Incident to life amidst the oenes of those trying days. The proximity of her home to Jefferson barracks, which. In those days, waa the principal army post In the west, brought Miss Dent lato com .paratlvely close contact with military life. Later, after her marriage with Lieutenant. Grant, she followed him through the Mex ican and civil wars, receiving a letter al most dally from her husband when absent from hta side. Many times during the war of the rebellion Mrs. Orant waa at the front with the general. Throughout his career General Grant's closest confidant was his wlfo, who wm kept closely informed of everything that waa being done and all In contemplation. She entered heartily Into all the plana of the general and knew, many times before even the members of his taff. what movements were to be made. 8peaklng of her army experience, Mrs. Orant, In an Interview given some time ago, said: "I waa never very far away from headquarters and alwaya kept myself Informed of the movements of the army. My husband wrote to me almost dally, and when I waa with him would apeak of hla campaign. I was, from my first acquaint, anc with Mr. Grant, surrounded by a mili tary atmosphere. I had letters from Lieu tenant Orant, to whom I waa engaged, after all the battlea of Palo Alto. Reseca da la Palms, Monterey, Buena Vista, Vera Crus and Scott and Taylor's advance on the City of Mexico, with its battles of Contreraa, Cherubueco, Mollno del Rey, the storming of Chapultepee and the surrender of Mex ico. General Grant alwaya spoke of Mollno ' del Rey and Chapultepee with the deepest Interest, notwithstanding the many other battles In which he took part. He waa the first to get Into Mollno and at Chapultepeo scaled the rsstle to the roof with a few men, where tney capturea a numoer or Mexican officers. Campalsalaar Areaad Vlfkaaers;. "After the war Lieutenant Grant came to aee me Just as soon aa he could get away. We were married In 1848. and my aon Fred waa born In 1850. "During tb Vlcksburg campaign I re mained at Cairo, but In the land movement f the previous autumn, 1861, I waa at Jackson. Tenn.. and Holly Springs, and then at Oxford, Miss. ! also remained at the general's headquarters at City Point. "I bad an experience la the campaign after Corinth. When the gencral'a bead quartets were transferred from Jackson to Holly Springs. Miss., I went to the latter place. I remained at Holly 8prtngs while General Grant, with his army, bad pro ceeded as far as Oxford, Miss. It was early In December, 1161. The confederate cavalry had bee hovering about ua for some time. One morning X thought I. would take my on Ulysses and run dow to Oxford. There wae a military railroad. OS I went. I ar rived In the evening. The general waa not expecting me. When be beard X was there be came out on the porch. He seemed to be very busy about something, and waa much surprised to see me. I remember, after be kissed me, he said In a very atrange voice: 'Julia, what brings you here? I am very busy Just now. Make yourself comfortable!' Then he turned to my son, and, stroking him gently on the cheek, said: 'You little soldier, have you come down to helpT' "I observed," aaid Mrs. Grant, "an un usual stir; officers and orderlies galloping up, dismounting, receiving orders and then off again. I knew that there waa some thing going on, ao I kept out of the way, knowing that my husband would tell me all about It when the rush was over. After he had mado 'the disposition of his troops he came out on the porch and seated him self by my side. No one would have sup posed that the enemy had cut bis line of communication. He took little Ulysses on bis foot and bounced him up and down aa If be were completely free from anxiety, No one would bave imagined that at bis command fully 60,000 troops were then shifting positions, and new lines of cam palgn were being formed, which ended six months later In the capture of Vlcksburg. A Kunw Escape. "My husband asked me many question ana tnen tola roe that I baa made a very narrow escape; that Van Dome had at tacked Holly Springs; that Colonel Murphy of the Eighth Wisconsin hsd surrendered with 1,506 men without a fight, and that all of our supplies had been destroyed. He censured the officer In command, but not the troops. "Van Dome captured all my baggage, horses, carriage, and left me without any thing but what I had with me. I think they expected to capture me, too, for I bad noticed aome very suspicious movements about the house where I waa quartered. I afterward heard that, after the surrender, my quarters were the first searched by the confederate cavalry. We were cut off from the north for a whole week, and It was two weks before we received supplies. My husband said it only demonstrated the weakness of a long line of communication. The land route of attack waa at once aban doned and the Mississippi route adopted. In eighteen days after crossing the MiBstc stppl and fighting Ova or six battlea Gen eral Grant had hie whole army In the rear of Vlcksburg. snd. after a siege of forty seven days, the city, with 55,000 troops and hundreds of guns, surrendered." Julia Dent first met Grant In 1843, when the coming commander of the union armlea was a brevet second lieutenant of the Fourth Infantry, thee stationed at Jefferson barracks, south of St. Louts. At West Point Grant had for a ciaaaroate and room mate F. T. Dent, a brother of Julia. The cadets became great friends, and, after graduation. Dent visited Ulysses Orant at his home In Bethel, O.. exsctlog the promise of a return visit to "Whitehaven Thus It waa that Lieutenant Orant and Julia Dent came to know each other. At that time there were rumors of war with Mexico, and the drilling and preparations In anticipation of the conflict made Jefferson barracks a busy place. It was between drills that the young soldier waa wont to make bia visits, riding to and fro between Jefferson barracks and "Whitehaven" on horseback. Julia Dent was then a girl of IT, the eldest of three sisters. She was at the time of Grant's first visit at school la St. Louis. The Old Haseestead. "Whitehaven," the Dent home, was aa unpretentious two-rtory farmhouse, with the wide galleries that southern dwellings THE OMATIA fAn,Y BEE: SUNDAY, DEO iru were noted for. Its surroundings wsre beautiful. Miss Julia's father, Colonel F. Dent, did not at first take kindly to tbe young officer, who seemed to blm quite commonplace. While tbe father's dislike Increased as It became evident that Julia was not averse to Ulysses' attentions, Mrs. Dent was cordiality Itself. She showed ber liking for the rather reticent young man in a motherly way and seemed to read bis true cbaracter. Whitehaven, which waa ten mllea or more St. Louis, was tbe scene of numerous gatherings of young people, the families near by, among them the Sappingtons and Longs, participating, with officers from the barracks. Hops at the barracks took tbe young people there, and between the two places Ulysses and Julia had many oppor tunities of meeting and form Id the friend ship that later developed Into love and re sulted in a nappy marriage. But this is anticipating. Lieutenant Grant had se cured a twenty-day furlough and was on his way to visit bis parents In Ohio when hla regiment waa ordered to move to Fort Jessup, La. For a Wet Holiday Originality In the choice and making of drinks Is very rare. There are few habits, If any, In which people are so conventional. The Invention, or rather the discovery, of a new and successful drink la an event. The number of new drlnka which appear in the course of a year and live may be counted on the fingers. Some persons will say that drinking is a lost art; in other words, that men nowadaye drink carelessly, without proper regard for tbe artlstlo and the consistent In choosing drinks appropriate to the hour and occa sion. To be an artistic drinker requires both a wide knowledge of the history of beverages and a cultivated taste, together with wide experience. Drinking Is, there fore, likely to be merely the gratification of an appetite Impossible of any delicacy of expression and with the danger that It be vulgarized by excess. It Is evidently a task requiring consider able experience to plan original drlnka. There are many complex conditions to sat isfy. The day Is probably taken up with three regular meals, breakfast, luncheon and dinner. The problem, therefore, is how may drinks be so selected and proportioned that the appetite may be excited In turn for each of these meala and the aenses all satisfied without at tbe aame time In any way impairing tbe appetite for the dinner at the end. There Is the danger that the drinks may prove too robust and seriously Impair tbe appetite for some one of these meals, thus endangering the real business of the day, which Is to thoroughly enjoy the dinner which crowns It. The fashionable holiday dinner nowadays Is not served before 7 o'clock In the evening, or even later. It is therefore necessary to make the entire round of the clock with the bartender with out a break. Tbe whole problem is, of course, not to be either too late or ahead of time with one'e appetite at any hour of the day. According to tbe very inviting program arranged by a drink Inventor the day should be commenced with a concoction which he designates as a "salutatory." It Is a short drink, aerved In a email wineglass. This first drink Is not advised atrongly, but only if the oocaalon seems to demand it. The "salutatory" may be prepared In aeveral waya, although the general spirit and In tention of all the aeveral recipes sug gested are the same. It may constat, for Instance, of vermouth with three dasbas of Established 1323 Recalled to bis command, Lieutenant Orant decided to bring the courtship to an end and declare bis Intentions. On hla return to St. Louie the young officer Imme diately went to Whitehaven, where be found tbe Dent family on their way to a country wedding, to which Lieutenant Grant accompanied them. He rode In a buggy with Julia Dent, and It was while crossing tbe swollen Oravols river over a rickety bridge that he had an opportunity to put the vital question. The young lady asked ber escort If be thought the bridge safe. On being assured that It was, she Is reported to bave said, "Well, Ulysses, I shall cling to you If we go down." Tbe Proposal. This she did, notwithstanding they crossed In safety, and then Grant made use of the Incident, by saying: "Julia, you spoke Just now of clinging to me, no mat ter what happened. I wonder If you would cling to me through life?" Tbe answer was satisfactory, but the young folks did not make known the engagement until Just before the breaking out of the war with orange bitters, or of some light wine with bitters, orange preferred. f Another drink suitable for the same hour, but with more body to It, may consist of vermouth, gin or whisky, with three dashes of orange bitters and one dash of absinthe. Tbe drink should be taken If it must be be fore breakfast. It Is claimed for it that it will be found appetizing, soothing and re freshing. A light "conversation punch" ia sug gested for the hour following breakfast. As its name suggests, this beverage is meant to fill In the interval when the company gathers about the fireplace at the home or the club and in the Interval before tbe real business of drinking for tbe day has com menced. It should be taken slowly, and several glassea may be drunk without In consistency. To prepare-It first 311 a gob let with cracked Ice and Into this place tht Juice of half a lemon, add a little sugsr and a dash of water. The ingredients should consist of one-fourth port, one-fourth whisky, one-fourth Burgundy and one fourth light wine. This should be well shaken and then atralned into a fancy glass. After breakfast again tbe need is, of course, felt for a drink which will serve to prolong the appetite and Insure Its condi tion for luncheon. To meet this particular need tbe "life prolonger" Is suggested. In mixing this first bresk aa egg In a glass and add sugar to suit the teste. To this add two pieces of Ice, next one-third port wine and one-third of some lighter wine; then shake unusually well and atraln Into a gob let. Nutmeg may be added If desired. It Is especially recommended by Its Inventor that the drink be sipped slowly snd not swallowed In bulk. By prolonging the pleasure tbe delicacy of the blend may be better appreciated. Following the luncheon again a drink Is suggested bearing the ambitious title of a "symphony of moist Joy." It should be mixed in a fine wine glass filled with shaved Ice and should consist of one-fourth maraschino, one-fourth Sauterne, one fourth Chartreuse snd one-fourth brandy. This should be covered with ice cream vanilla for choice and one atrawberr) placed on top. Still another drink of tbe same general nature may be substituted if desired. It consists of maraschino, creme de rose and brandy In equal parts. It ia claimed for these drinks that they will In duce a state of gladness and aoft hilarity. .The "anticipation." whiea should imme EMBER 21. 1002. ' Thafe'AHl Mexico, when Lieutenant Orant came back from Louisiana on leave, and secured the consent of Colonel Dent. This, it wax stated, wae reluctantly given by tbe old gentleman. Lieutenant Orant went back to his command and Miss Dent did not see blm until after the Mexican war, but she did hear from him. The lieutenant we an Interesting correspondent, relating everything that came within his range of observation. From his letters Miss Dent learned of his camp life and the cam paigns, messages of love being Interspersed with descriptions of the country, the peo ple and even with discussions of a polit ical nature. In after years, when Mrs. Grant was separated from the general, his letters that came with much regularity were a great comfort and pleasure. In 1848, when the war ended and Captain Grant was 26 years old, he was at liberty to return and marry the faithful little girl who had waited his coming so long. He had by reason of his bravery In several engagements been breveted captain. After a quiet wedding at Whitehaven on July 2, 1848, the young couple went for a visit to Drink Artist's Program for the Feast. diately precede tbe dinner. Is especially recommended. As an appetizer it Is said to be unequalled, and even after the 'jalf dozen or more drinks which precede Its magical effect upon the appetite is said to be unfailing. It should be mixed In a gob let of fine ice, and consists of vermouth, sherry and sbslnthe In equal parts. The whole should be frapped under cover for two minutes and served In a cocktail glass. The preceding program may be Inter spersed by several drinks of a lighter and simpler nature, such, for example, aa Cbablia, ale, a small whisky or even cham pagne. The special creation of a five dollar mint Julep Is also intended for the afternoon. Only wines of rare vintages are used In It. The drink Is served In a long glasa, topped with flowers and surmounted with Ice cream. The choice of drinks for the dinner itself Is also, of course, a matter of the first Im portance. Ignorance upon this subject is probably less general and dense than con cerning tbe preliminary drinks, but It Is a queatlon on which any one may read up be fore the holidays with profit. The asms authority previously quoted suggests there should be Just eight drinks In this set, and the order suggested Is, first, sherry and bitters. Moselle wine, Rhine wine claret. Burgundy, a heavy port, then champagne and afterward a cordial. The epicure who has thua tar followed tbe drlnka prescribed with even reaaonable fidelity will. It ia believed, crave Just one more drink, and this is (supplied In the great Christmas punch. The lsst beverage is Intended to serve aa a grsnd finale to the symphony of drinks which precedes It. It is called the "punch of the world at large." It la Interesting to know that It costs to prepare it about 150. The Ingre dlents consist of two qusrts Sauterne wine (1834), two quarts old port, three quarts Chateau Yquem (1874), four quarts Chi teau Montrscbet (1668), two quarts Cha teati Laflte Bordeaux (1(80) and two quarta fine brandy (1818). Since these liquors cost from 110 to liO a bottle, the expense Is. of course, unusual. Some call it the "Coast Defense" or "Harveylxed Punch.' To this base is added two glasses ef maraschino, two of Chartreuse and flvs bottles of extra dry champagne. In this should be placed two sliced pineapples, one dozen oranges and six boxes of strawber rlea. The punch should be aerved In a china bowl suxTounaed with, ice. tbe Oranta at Bethel and friends In George town, O. Those wbo saw the bride at that time de scribe ber aa a falr-aklnned and vivacious little woman. For some time Orant was stationed at either Detroit or fiaokette harbor, where be kept a very quiet estab lishment. In Detroit Orant rented a mod est little cottage near the outskirts of town, as the accommodations at Fort Wayne were not suitable for a lady. Hla tastes were very domestic and he and Mrs. Grant found great pleasure In their little home, where the captain spent much of bis time reading aloud to her. In 1851 Captain Grant waa ordered to Sacketts harbor and In the following year his regiment, the Fourth Infantry, was transferred to the Pacific coast, via Pan ama. At this time Mrs. Grant could not make the hazardous trip and she departed 1 for Bethel, the home of Jesse Orant, her husband'a father. It was while living there that their second son, Ulysses, Jr., was born. Frederick D., the first son, was then nearly 2 years old. During Captain Grant's stay at Vancouver barracks, for several months at a time, his wife did not hear from him nor he from her. This bo- came unbearable after a time and Captain Grant resigned July 31, 1854, and returned east to his wife and family. In the mean time Jesse Grant and his family bad moved to Covington, Ky., whither Mrs. U. S. Grant and her children accompanied tbem. There Captain Grant found tbem. After a short stay In Ksntucky Grsnt moved bis family to St. Louis and took up farming on an olghty-acra farm given them by Colonel Dent. That waa in 1856. The log farmhouae erected that year by the former army officer and occupied by hla family still stands In the suburbs of St. Louis. They lived there several years, tbe future genersl cultivating the land and teaming, making a somewhat precarious living. Mrs. Grant was accompanied by her husband to many of the qulltlngs and other of the neighborhood social affairs. Although Orant never took part In the dancea, he Invariably escorted his wife there. Once, It is related. tho couple went to a quilting bee on horse back, with a child perched behind each. Withal? their life on the little farm Is said to have been very pleasant. After the death of Mrs. Dent the colonel moved to St. Louis to live and the Grants took charge of the farm at Whitehaven, staying for a time In the house where Julia Dent was born. Success did not attend Grant's farming and be went Into the real estate business In St. Louts with Harry Boggs. Despite this want of success, Mrs. Grant bad all faith In her husband, over whom she had a great Influence, and she predicted a bril liant future for him. After a year's stay in Bt. Louis, during which bis earnings were small. Orant decided to moke another change. Tbe growing bitterness of those who favored secession toward everything northern probably had something to do with the move to Galena, III., where Jesse Grant was then engaged In tbe leather buslneaa with hla two other sons. Mrs. Orant, whose desire to stay near her fam ily, had kept them In Missouri thus far, consented to accompany her huabaod north when be told ber of the necessity for his going. Then followed tbe opening of the civil war, when Grant bad a bard time to secure service with tbe government. His rapid rise, when once appointed, bore out the predictions of his loyal wife, who, during the four years of the war, was by bis side whenever tbe opportunity offered. Mrs. Grant's belief In her husband was amply rewarded In after life. Her devotion to blm, In success and disaster, in health and sickness and In life and death haa endeared ber to tbe bearta of tbe American people. Tbe Family Heme. Mra. Grant, whose lllnesa recently caused as much aeoreheasloa throughout the country, lived In Washington, D, 0., where lbs bad a beautiful boms on Massaohusette avenue, beyond Dupont Circle, In addition to being one of the handsomest rnsldoncee In Washington, It la the best known In that city of magnlfloent homes. It Is built of pressed brick,- trimmed with brown stone. While It contains much of interest In the life of Oeneral Grant, the presents given him on bis Journoy around tho world nre not to be found there. In 1885 the Grant relics were presented to tbe United States and are to be seen in the national museum, where they are viewed by thousands every year. In addition to $5,000 a year received from the government, Mrs. Grant had a larre Income from tbe royalties on her husband's memoirs. This has, it Is stated, reached (500,000. Mra. Grant, before her death, was writing a book of recolloctlous, which was nearly completed, and which will un doubtedly prove interesting. Vivian and Rosemary, tbe daughters- of Nellio Grant Sartoris, and their mother lived with Mrs. Grant. Vivian was her grandmother's favorite and almost constant companion. Mra. Grant also had a summer home. It Is located In Coburg, Canada, where, sev eral months during each year were spent. It is somewhat of a coincidence that the bouse of Mrs. Grant is located next to that of Mrs. Jefferson Davis, widow of tbe pres ident of the confederacy. The widows of two of the leading characters of the civil war were the best of friends, and during the last summer spent considerable time In each other's company. PRATTLE OF THE YOUNGSTERS. Tommy (after he has been to church for the first time) What did you get out of the funny silver plate, mamma? I only got a dime. "I always do as I please when papa and mamma are dressed up," said little Willie. "Why?" quorled smaller Elmer. " 'Cause they can't punish me then for fear of mussln' their clothes." "Mamma," said llttlo Bessie, "has gov erness any right to punish me for some thing I have not done?" "Of course not. dear," replied the mother. But why do you ask?" "Because," replied Bessie, "she punished me when I didn't do what she told me to." Jack, who Is 6 years old, came home one day last week crying that another boy had hit htm. "Why didn't you tit him back?" be was asked. "I did," be answered. "I bit blm back first." It waa tbe man wbo dilates on the prin ciple of political economy and the like, heavy, ponderous subjnets, that Increase the size of the hst. But tbe speaker was his son. In knickerbockers, so hs hastened to obey. "Come here, pop," spoke the lmperator. "Hold out your hand. I'm going tc tell your fortune." Pop held out his hand with a prompt ness that recognized higher authority. "Now give a Dime to each finger." "Mary, Hannah, Louise, Carrie, Chris tina." "Now nod once to Mary." The dealer In public opinion nodded with a vigor that could not have been sur passed had bis life been dependent upon It. "Now nod twice to Hannah." He nodded twice. He nodded thrice to Louise and four times to Carrie and five times to Christina. Then be looked down upon bis progeny to hear the dictum of fate. And the anawer came: "The Indications ars that you bave pleat of rubber ia your neck-" .1 : i t
