WHAT I KNOW ABOUT GARDENING. 79 



House, until it did seem as if he should go dis- 

 tracted. He said, no man could stand that kind 

 of sentence hammering on his brain for years. 



The President was so much pleased with my 

 management of the garden, that he offered me 

 (at least, I so understood him) the position of 

 head gardener at the White House, to have care 

 of the exotics. I told him that I thanked him, 

 but that I did not desire any foreign appoint- 

 ment. I had resolved, when the administration 

 came in, not to take an appointment ; and I 

 had kept my resolution. As to any home office, 

 I was poor, but honest ; and, of course, it would 

 be useless for me to take one. The President 

 mused a moment, and then smiled, and said he 

 would see what could be done for me. I did 

 not change the subject ; but nothing further was 

 said by General Gr nt. 



The President is a great talker (contrary to 

 the general impression) ; but I think he appre- 



