Page images
PDF
EPUB

that is where he was in the habit of receiving his friends.

"As for the society side of his life here, Miss Sherman and her father had regular weekly receptions during the season in the large drawing-room. "General Sherman was exceedingly particular with reference to financial affairs. There never was a more honest man born than General Sherman. He was particular to pay his bills of every sort in full and to pay them promptly. He could not bear to be in debt. It actually worried him to have a matter stand over for a day. He knew just exactly how his affairs stood every day, and he could not bear to owe a man anything for twenty-four hours. And he was just as honest and frank and faithful in speech and in every other element of his character. He carried his character right on the outside, and it was true blue.

"When he went to his house at No. 75 West Seventy-first street, we kept up our relations with him, and we would occasionally send up some little thing to him. Soon after he moved we sent him a couple of packages, and in acknowledgment he sent us this letter:

[ocr errors]

"75 West Seventy-first street, Sept. 28, 1888.

Messrs. HITCHCOCK, DARLING & Co.,

Fifth Avenue Hotel, N. Y.

“Dear sirs: I am this moment in receipt of two boxes, the contents of which will, I am sure, be most acceptable to self and guests. With profound thanks for past favors, many and heavy, and a hearty wish for your continued prosperity, I am and always shall be, your grateful debtor, "W. T. SHERMAN."

"Whenever the old General would come to this part of the city he would drop in. If he was going to the theatre he would call in before or after the performance-at all hours, in fact, he would come, and between his engagements. He used to sit in this office and chat. He was in this office just after Secretary Windom's death, and was asking about that sad occurrence. The last time he was here was only a night or two before he was taken sick with the fatal cold which was the beginning of his last illness. I went to the door with him and bade him good-night, and he turned and said cheerily, 'Come up, Hitchcock, come up.' I said, 'I'll be up in a few days,' and off he moved in his quick way.

"The General was, as everybody knows, a splendid conversationalist. He had a wonderful fund of anecdote, story and reminiscence, and was a capital story-teller. He was never at a loss for a ready reply.

"This was one of his comments on a story that he was not quite ready to believe. 'Oh, well, you can tell that to the marines, but don't tell it to an old soldier like me.'

"I think there was one very striking peculiarity, about General Sherman. Of course we have seen it in different public men, but I think it may be said of Sherman fully as strongly as of any other public man either in military or civil life, that he was as brave as a lion and as gentle as a woman. When anything touched him it revealed the sympathy of his nature. He was wonderfully kind-hearted.

"If there was an uncompromising patriot anywhere in the country it was General Sherman, and he manifested that in every walk of life, every expression, every look. He was a true hero. He was not only one of the great men, but one of the purest men of his time."

A

BY ADMIRAL PORTER.

DMIRAL PORTER, in one of his books, gives a racy account of the meeting and a good portrait of Sherman. They had never before met. "Thinking," says the admiral, "that Sherman would be dressed in full feather, I put on my uniform coat, the splendor of which rivaled that of a drum major. Sherman, hearing that I was indifferent to appearances and generally dressed in working clothes, thought he would not annoy me by fixing up and so kept on his blue flannel suit, and we met, both a little surprised at the appearance of the other.

Halloo, Porter,' said the General. 'I am glad to see you; you got here sooner than I expected, but we'll get off to-night. (They were preparing for the second attack on Vicksburg.) Devilish cold, isn't it? Sit down and warm up.' And he stirred up the coal in the grate. 'Here, Captain,' to one of his aides, 'tell General Blair to

« EelmineJätka »