CHAPTER XI 



GRANT, HAYES, AND GAEFIELD 1871-1881 



AT various times after the death of Mr. Lincoln I visited 

 j\ Washington, meeting many men especially influential, 

 and, first of all, President Grant. Of all personages whom 

 I then met he impressed me most strongly. At various 

 times I talked with him at the White House, dining with 

 him and seeing him occasionally in his lighter mood, but 

 at no time was there the slightest diminution of his unaf 

 fected dignity. Now and then he would make some dry 

 remark which showed a strong sense of humor, but in 

 everything there was the same quiet, simple strength. On 

 one occasion, when going to the White House, I met Pro 

 fessor Agassiz of Cambridge, and took him with me : we 

 were received cordially, General Grant offering us cigars, 

 as was his wont with visitors, and Agassiz genially 

 smoking with him: when we had come away the great 

 naturalist spoke with honest admiration of the President, 

 evidently impressed by the same qualities which had 

 always impressed me his modesty, simplicity, and quiet 

 force. 



I also visited him at various times in his summer cot 

 tage at Long Branch, and on one of these occasions he 

 gave a bit of history which specially interested me. As 

 we were taking coffee after dinner, a card was brought 

 in, and the President, having glanced at it, said, &quot;Tell him 

 that I cannot see him.&quot; The servant departed with the 

 message, but soon returned and said, &quot;The gentleman 



1-12. 177 



