LUCK TURNS AGAIN 263 
a good business-man or a skillful politician. Grant picked a 
dishonest partner and was doomed to fail. The people of the 
nation adjusted their views to the idea of a former inmate of 
the White House working as a financier to win a competence 
for old age. Suddenly, with the swiftness that Wall Street 
knows so well, Grant found his resources swept away, and he 
was reduced to selling his swords and medals to raise cash. A 
painful disease incapacitated him, and the hero of a great war 
found that former glory helps little when bad luck befalls. 
Handicapped though he was, he began to write his memoirs in 
order to produce an income for his widow after he was gone. 
Field was much distressed at the news of Grant’s condition. 
He started a subscription to raise funds for the family of the 
ex-president, as he had done for the family of Garfield. When 
Grant heard of this, his characteristic modesty induced him to 
request Field not to continue the kind action. He wrote Field 
as follows: 
New York City, January 6, 1885. 
My dear Sir,—Through the press and otherwise I learn that you, 
with a few other friends of mine, are engaged in raising a sub- 
scription for my benefit. I appreciate both the motive and the 
friendship which have dictated this course on your part, but, on 
mature reflection, I regard it as due to myself and family to de- 
cline this proffered generosity. 
I regret that I did not make this known earlier. 
Very truly yours, 
U. S. Grant. 
Cyrus W. Field, Esq. 
There was nothing, of course, for Field to do under these 
circumstances except to accede to the request and ask his as- 
sociates to do likewise. He replied as follows: 
6th January, 1885. 
My dear General Grant,—I have this moment received your 
letter of this date, and I shall, as requested in the letter from your 
son, send a copy immediately to Messrs. A. J. Drexel and George 
