my memories of eighty years-第15章

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in　public　speaking。　　He　paused　a　moment　until　I　was　seated　and　then　said：　　〃If　Chauncey　Depew　stood　in　my　shoes；　and　I　in　his；　I　would　be　a　much　happier　man。〃

I　immediately　threw　away　the　speech　I　had　prepared　during　the　six　hours'　trip　from　Washington；　and　proceeded　to　make　a　speech　on　〃Who　can　stand　now　or　in　the　future　in　the　shoes　of　General　Grant？〃　I　had　plenty　of　time　before　my　turn　came　to　elaborate　this　idea；　gradually　eliminating　contemporary　celebrities　until　in　the　future　the　outstanding　figure　representing　the　period　would　be　the　hero　of　our　Civil　War　and　the　restoration　of　the　Union。

The　enthusiasm　of　the　audience；　as　the　speech　went　on；　surpassed　anything　I　ever　saw。　　They　rushed　over　tables　and　tried　to　carry　the　general　around　the　room。　　When　the　enthusiasm　had　subsided　he　came　to　me　and　with　much　feeling　said：　　〃Thank　you　for　that　speech；　it　is　the　greatest　and　most　eloquent　that　I　ever　heard。〃　He　insisted　upon　my　standing　beside　him　when　he　received　the　families　of　the　members；　and　took　me　home　in　his　carriage。

From　that　time　until　his　death　he　was　most　cordial；　and　at　many　dinners　would　insist　upon　my　being　assigned　to　a　chair　next　to　him。

Among　strangers　and　in　general　conversation　General　Grant　was　the　most　reticent　of　men；　but　among　those　whom　he　knew　a　most　entertaining　conversationalist。　　He　went　over　a　wide　field　on　such　occasions　and　was　interesting　on　all　subjects；　and　especially　instructive　on　military　campaigns　and　commanders。　　He　gave　me　as　his　judgment　that　among　all　the　military　geniuses　of　the　world　the　greatest　was　General　Philip　Sheridan；　and　that　Sheridan's　grasp　of　a　situation　had　no　parallel　in　any　great　general　of　whom　he　knew。

I　was　with　General　Grant　at　his　home　the　day　before　he　went　from　New　York　to　Mount　McGregor；　near　Saratoga；　where　he　died。　I　learned　of　the　trip　and　went　immediately　to　see　him；　and　was　met　by　his　son；　General　Frederick　D。　Grant。　　I　said　to　him：　〃I　learn　that　your　father　is　going　to　Mount　McGregor　to…morrow；　and　I　have　come　to　tender　him　a　special　train。〃

After　all　the　necessary　arrangements　had　been　made　he　asked　me　to　go　in　and　see　the　general。　　Before　doing　this　I　asked：　　〃How　is　he？〃　　〃Well；〃　he　answered；　〃he　is　dying；　but　it　is　of　infinite　relief　to　him　to　see　people　whom　he　knows　and　likes；　and　I　know　he　wants　to　see　you。　　Our　effort　is　to　keep　his　mind　off　from　himself　and　interest　him　with　anything　which　we　think　will　be　of　relief　to　him；　and　if　you　have　any　new　incidents　do　not　fail　to　tell　him。〃

When　I　entered　the　room　the　general　was　busy　writing　his　〃Memoirs。〃　He　greeted　me　very　cordially；　said　he　was　glad　to　see　me；　and　then　remarked：　　〃I　see　by　the　papers　that　you　have　been　recently　up　at　Hartford　delivering　a　lecture。　　Tell　me　about　it。〃

In　reply　I　told　him　about　a　very　interesting　journey　there；　the　lecture　and　supper　afterwards；　with　Mark　Twain　as　the　presiding　genius；　concerning　all　of　which　he　asked　questions；　wanting　more　particulars；　and　the　whole　story　seemed　to　interest　him。　　What　seemed　to　specially　please　him　was　the　incident　when　I　arrived　at　the　hotel；　after　the　supper　given　me　at　the　close　of　my　lecture。　It　was　about　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　I　went　immediately　to　bed；　leaving　a　call　for　the　early　train　to　New　York。　　At　five　o'clock　there　was　violent　rapping　on　the　door　and；　upon　opening　it；　an　Irish　waiter　stood　there　with　a　tray　on　which　were　a　bottle　of　champagne　and　a　goblet　of　ice。

〃You　have　made　a　mistake；〃　I　said　to　the　waiter。

〃No；　sir；〃　he　answered；　〃I　could　not　make　a　mistake　about　you。〃

〃Who　sent　this？〃　I　asked。

〃The　committee；　sir；　with　positive　instructions　that　you　should　have　it　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；〃　he　answered。

〃Well；　my　friend；　I　said；　is　it　the　habit　of　the　good　people　of　Hartford；　when　they　have　decided　to　go　to　New　York　on　an　early　train　to　drink　a　bottle　of　champagne　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning？〃

He　answered：　　〃Most　of　them　do；　sir。〃

（Nobody　at　that　time　had　dreamed　of　the　Eighteenth　Amendment　and　the　Volstead　law。）

With　a　smile　General　Grant　then　said：　　〃Well；　there　are　some　places　in　Connecticut　where　that　could　not　be　done；　as　local　option　prevails　and　the　towns　have　gone　dry。　　For　instance；　my　friend；　Senator　Nye；　of　Nevada；　spoke　through　Connecticut　in　my　interest　in　the　last　campaign。　　Nye　was　a　free　liver；　though　not　a　dissipated　man；　and；　as　you　know；　a　very　excellent　speaker。　He　told　me　that　when　he　arrived　at　one　of　the　principal　manufacturing　towns　he　was　entertained　by　the　leading　manufacturer　at　his　big　house　and　in　magnificent　style。　　The　dinner　was　everything　that　could　be　desired；　except　that　the　only　fluid　was　ice…water。　　After　a　long　speech　Nye；　on　returning　to　the　house；　had　a　reception；　and　the　supper　was　still　dry；　except　plenty　of　ice…water。

〃Nye；　completely　exhausted；　went　to　bed　but　could　not　sleep；　nor　could　he　find　any　stimulants。　　So；　about　six　o'clock　in　the　morning　he　dressed　and　wandered　down　to　the　dining…room。　　The　head　of　the　house　came　in　and；　seeing　him；　exclaimed：　　'Why；　senator；　you　are　up　early。'　　Nye　replied：　　'Yes；　you　know；　out　in　Nevada　we　have　a　great　deal　of　malaria；　and　I　could　not　sleep。'　　'Well；'　said　the　host；　'this　is　a　temperance　town。　　We　find　it　an　excellent　thing　for　the　working　people；　and　especially　for　the　young　men；　but　we　have　some　malaria　here；　also；　and　for　that　I　have　a　private　remedy。'　　Whereupon　he　went　to　a　closet　and　pulled　out　a　bottle　of　brandy。

〃After　his　host　had　left；　Nye　continued　there　in　a　refreshed　and　more　enjoyable　spirit。　　Soon　his　hostess　came　in　and；　much　surprised；　said：　　'Why；　senator；　you　are　up　early！'　　'Yes；'　he　said；　'out　in　Nevada　we　have　a　great　deal　of　malaria；　and　while　I　am　on　these　speaking　tours　I　have　sharp　attacks　and　cannot　sleep。　　I　had　one　last　night。'

〃'Well；'　she　remarked；　'this　is　a　temperance　town；　and　it　is　a　good　thing　for　the　working　people　and　the　young　men；　but　I　have　a　touch　of　malaria　now　and　then　myself。'　　Then　she　went　to　the　tea…caddy　and　pulled　out　a　bottle　of　brandy。　　The　senator　by　this　time　was　in　perfect　harmony　with　himself　and　the　whole　world。

〃When　the　boys　came　in　（sons　of　the　entertainer）　they　said：　'Senator；　we　hear　that　you　are　an　expert　on　livestock；　horses；　cattle；　etc。　　Won't　you　come　out　in　the　barn　so　we　can　show　you　some　we　regard　as　very　fine　specimens？'　　The　boys　took　him　out　to　the　barn；　shut　the　door；　locked　it；　and　whispered：　　'Senator；　we　have　no　live　stock；　but　we　have　a　bottle　here　in　the　hay　mow　which　we　think　will　do　you　good。'　　And　the　senator　wound　up　his　narrative　by　saying：　　'The　wettest　place　that　I　know　of　is　a　dry　town　in　Connecticut。'〃

The　next　day　General　Grant　went　to　Mount　McGregor　and；　as　we　all　know；　a　few　days　afterwards　he　lost　his　voice　completely。



V。　　ROSCOE　CONKLING

For　a　number　of　years；　instead　of　taking　my　usual　vacation　in　travel　or　at　some　resort；　I　spent　a　few　weeks　in　the　fall　in　the　political　canvass　as　a　speaker。　　In　the　canvass　of　1868　1　was　associated　with　Senator　Roscoe　Conkling；　who　desired　an　assistant；　as　the　mass　meetings　usually　wanted　at　least　two　and　probably　three　hours　of　speaking；　and　he　limited　himself　to　an　hour。　General　Grant　was　at　the　height　of　his　popularity　and　the　audiences　were　enormous。　　As　we　had　to　speak　every　day　and　sometimes　several　times　a　day；　Mr。　Conkling　notified　the　committees　that　he　would　not　speak　out　of　doors；　and　that　they　must　in　all　cases　provide　a　hall。

When　we　arrived　at　Lockport；　N。　Y。；　the　chairman　of　the　committee；　Burt　Van　Horn；　who　was　the　congressman　from　the　district；　told　the　senator　that　at　least　twenty　thousand　people　from　the　town；　and　others　coming　from　the　country　on　excursion　trains；　had　filled　the　Fair　Grounds。　　Conkling　became　very　angry　and　told　the　congressman　that　he　knew　perfectly　well　the　conditions　under　which　he　came　to　Lockport；　and　that　he　would　not　speak　at　the　Fair　Grounds。　　A　compromise　was　finally　effected　by　which　the　senator　was　to　appear　upon　the　platform；　the　audience　be　informed　that　he　would　speak　in　the　Opera　House；　and　I　was　to　be　left　to　take　care　of　the　crowd。　　The　departure　of　the　senator　from　the　grounds　was　very　dramatic。　　He　was　enthusiastically　applauded　and　a　band　preceded　his　ca