table perseverance, however, enabled him to perform his tasks surely. When he was seven or eight years of age, the teacher gave out an unusually difficult lesson in arithmetic.

"I can't do it, and I won't try," said one of the scholars to another.

"I shall try," answered the pupil addressed; “but I have no idea that I can master it."

"Lyss will put it through," remarked another boy, casting a patronizing look upon him. "His forte is in arithmetic, and he will dig away until he has got it; but I can't do it."

"Can't! can't!" responded Ulysses quizzically. "What does that mean?" and away he rushed to the teacher's desk to examine the dictionary. The boys looked on silently, awaiting to see what was up. "Can't!" exclaimed Ulysses; "there's no such word in the dictionary," as he closed the volume. "It can be done."

His companions laughed; for their decided little schoolmate was unusually demonstrative for him. It was not exactly surprising to them; but it was rather unexpected.

"That is so, Hug," added one of the scholars, who admired Ulysses' pluck.

His usual nickname was "Lyss"; but sometimes the boys called him "Hug," from his initials "H. U. G." There was something in the boy's nature which caused them to think that the nickname "Hug" was appropriate. At one time he was called "Texas," because his father visited that far-off part of the country, and when he returned, published a long account of his visit.

The discussion of the boys about the lesson occurred at recess, and the teacher heard it. So, when the recitation had proved a failure with most of the class, Ulysses

and one other pupil excepted, he called attention to the conversation which he heard.

"No, there is no such word as can't in the dictionary," he said. "Ulysses is right; and he never would have mastered the lesson if he had believed with some of you boys-that he could not do it. Believe you can, and you can. It is half the battle to have confidence in your ability to accomplish a task. To try and fail, is vastly better than it is to fail without trying."

Ulysses was an illustration of a remark of the famous teacher of Rugby, Doctor Arnold. "The difference in boys is not so much in talent as energy." He meant that the boy with five talents and unconquerable force of character will make his way in the world, when a boy of ten talents and lack of energy will prove a miserable failure.

When speaking of nicknames, we should have mentioned another by which Ulysses was sometimes known, when a party wanted to be facetious. It was "Useless," and it originated thus :

His mother sometimes indulged in dry wit; and when counselling him concerning the improvement of his time, in his early school-days, so as to make an honoured man, she added,

"I hope you will never give people a reason for calling you Useless, instead of Ulysses, Grant." His playmates derived some sport at times from the use of the nickname.

As we have said, Ulysses excelled in arithmetic. He was deficient in some branches of study,—perhaps below the average. He was a good speller and a fair reader. He engaged in spelling matches with considerable enthusiasm, and with credit to himself; but he shrank from declamation and debate. At one time

there was a debating society in the school, but he could not be induced to participate. It was the same with declamation. No amount of persuasion could coax him upon the rostrum. A Methodist minister relates, however, that once, when he was stopping at Jesse Grant's house (this was the home of ministers who came to town), he remembers that his mother asked him to "speak a piece," and the boy responded by stepping into the middle of the room, making his bow, and reciting, with much force and fluency,

"You'd scarce expect one of my age

To speak in public on the stage."

Ulysses was nine or ten years of age when his father invited a nephew in Canada to a home in his family, that he might attend school. The lad had no opportunity for schooling in his native place. In due time John came, and was duly entered as a member of the Grant family. He was about the age of Ulysses, and the two boys became attached to each other, although their mutual attachment did not prevent one serious collision.

Ulysses had read the life of Washington, and admired the great man's character. He had heard much, too, about the American Revolution, and the French and Indian War, because some of his ancestors were engaged in those contests. People of that day, throughout the country, rehearsed much more than now the heroic deeds of ancestors. The scarcity of books was made up by tradition, and lack of reading matter was supplied by talk. A military spirit prevailed at that day-the laws of the country requiring that it should be fostered. Military companies were familiar to Ulysses, and he often witnessed military drills. To attend the annual

military muster, with its grand display of all the companies in the region, was his chief delight. In addition. to this, townships and institutions around him were named in honour of famous military characters; Scott was named after Gen. Winfield Scott; Ripley after General Ripley; and Brown County after Gen. Ethan Allen Brown; all of whom distinguished themselves in the war with England, in the year 1812.

In these circumstances, it was perfectly natural for Ulysses to talk much about Washington with his Cousin John. No doubt that he supposed his cousin was in full sympathy with him in his loyal spirit, although belonging to the British dominion; and it is quite evident that John was disposed to tolerate his patriotic deliverances until they became annoying; for John was loyal to his country also. He was a genuine patriot, and possessed courage enough to defend his government whenever it became necessary. He surprised Ulysses one day, by replying to his praise of Washington,

Well, your great Washington was a rebel, anyhow. He fought against the King."

"What is that you say?" Ulysses inquired, with some earnestness, as if not quite satisfied that he heard correctly.

"I say that Washington was a traitor to his country, because he fought against the King."

"You say that again, and I will thrash you if you are my cousin," answered Ulysses, in patriotic anger. "I am not the boy to stand by and hear Washington called a traitor."

"I do repeat it," rejoined John, whose loyal spirit was now fully aroused. "Washington was a rebel, and you can't deny it and keep truth on your side."

More quickly than the incident can be related

D

Ulysses took off his coat, and grappled with his cousin. The latter withstood his ground like a faithful subject of the King, and held his own readily for some time; but the dogged perseverance of Ulysses proved too much for his English bravery, and finally he lay sprawling upon the ground.

"There!" shouted Ulysses, "call Washington a traitor, will you? I wouldn't submit to hear my own mother call him so."

John was not inclined to prolong the controversy, and Ulysses cooled off rapidly, so that the two cousins were soon on good terms again. But the affair was reported to Mrs. Grant by some one.

"How is this, Ulysses," she said, calling him into the house. "After all that you have heard me say about fighting, is it true that you have been fighting with your cousin ?"

"I thrashed John," answered the lad, modestly.

"Your own cousin, too," continued his mother. "You know that I always promised to punish you for getting into a quarrel with any one."

"But John was to blame," pleaded Ulysses; "he called Washington a traitor, and I wouldn't stand it." And he proceeded to rehearse the affair in detail, showing that he did not administer the thrashing from revenge or malice, but on patriotic principles.

His father stood by, and was evidently delighted with his son's conduct.

"I don't think you ought to punish him," he finally interjected. "He did not fight because he loves fighting; he is not that sort of a boy. No one ever knew him to quarrel with a schoolmate before; and he did it now in defence of his country; and, to tell you the truth, I should not think much of a boy who would