there till it snapped, and off went the charge with a loud report. Ulysses scarcely stirred; but in a moment pushed away the pistol, saying, "Fick it again! fick it again!" A by-stander remarked: "That boy will make a general; for he neither winked nor dodged." It is true, such acts in childhood, which attracted no particular attention at the time, are related of distinguished men, as very remarkable, after they have become famous. Still, children usually show talent or genius, if they possess it, for any high achievement in after-life.

At the village school, Ulysses was faithful and diligent. He made excellent progress; and, if not as brilliant as many others of his age, what is better, he was "slow and sure."

Though he gave no striking evidences of geniusneither did Washington in early life-there was a beautiful resemblance to the Revolutionary leader's boyhood, in a peculiarity well expressed by one who ought to know: "There was certainly a manly, dignified modesty in his deportment, which made him at least an uncommon lad."

He patiently committed to memory the dry, hard lessons, unwilling to give up when he came to a difficult question or problem. This was evidently the leading characteristic of the boy. It is related of him, that once he seemed to be fairly bewildered with his task; and a schoolmate, who saw his perplexity, said to him, 'You can't master that."

Ulysses replied: "Can't! What does it mean?"

"Why, it means that-that you can't. There!"

This answer was not satisfactory. The young student thought he would find out the exact definition. He took the dictionary and began the search. He readily got to can, but there was no "can't." As usual, when beyond his own knowledge, he went to his teacher, and inquired: "What is the meaning of can't? The word is not in the dictionary." The explanation of the abbreviation was soon given. But this was not all, nor the best of it. The affair afforded an opportunity to impress the great truth upon the minds of the school, that perseverance in well doing is the secret of success. Added the instructor: "If

in the struggles of life any person should assert that 'you can't' do a thing you had determined to accomplish, let your answer be, The word can't is not in the dictionary.'"

His father has given another amusing little incident:

"I will relate another circumstance, which I have never mentioned before, which you may use as you think proper. He was always regarded as extremely apt in figures. When he was about ten years old, a distinguished phrenologist came along, and stayed several days in the place. He was frequently asked to examine heads, blindfolded. Among others, Ulysses was placed in the chair. The phrenologist felt his head for several minutes, without saying any thing; at length a distinguished doctor asked him if the boy had a capacity for mathematics. The phrenologist, after some further examinations, said: 'You need not be surprised if you see this boy fill the Presidential chair some time.""

Ulysses early showed his Scotch blood-the substantial, strong qualities of character for which the well-trained families of Scotland are remarkable. No people are calmer in action and more reverent in religious feeling, or surpass them in intelligence and integrity. When twelve years of age, he gave a fine illustration of self-reliance and manliness, along with the ability to manage difficult undertakings, which have marked his whole career.

His father wanted several sticks of hewn timber brought from the forest. The boy had learned already to drive "the team," and liked nothing better than to take the reins. Mr. Grant told Ulysses that he might harness and go for the timber; men would be there with handspikes to assist in "loading up.'

Soon Ulysses was on the way, whip and "lines" in hand.

When he reached the forest, no men were there: for some reason they had failed to appear.

The natural, and, indeed, proper course would have been to return, if, after waiting a reasonable time, the expected help did not come. But, accustomed to all sorts of labor, and inclined to take responsibility from which others

of his age would expect to be excused, he resolved not to go without the timber. How to get the heavy logs on the wagon was the serious question. Just then his eye rested on a tree fallen over, and leaning against another. This made the trunk an inclined plane, rising gradually upward from the ground. Ulysses saw at a glance how to make the horses do the work intended for the workmen with their handspikes. He hitched the team to each of the logs, and drew one at a time near the tree, and lying parallel with it; i. e., in the same direction, lengthwise. The next thing was to swing the end round upon the inclined plane, and slide it along, till the timbers were at right angles with it, and projecting over it far enough to admit the wagon under them. Then fastening the horses to these ends hanging over the back of the wagon, he dragged them in turn along into it; just as with your hand you could pull the "see-saw" board, with one extremity resting on the ground, over the fence or fulcrum supporting it, into a vehicle of any kind which stood beneath the end raised from the earth.

Having secured his load, the young teamster mounted it and drove homeward in triumph; again proving clearly that can't was not in his dictionary. When he reined up his team before the door of Mr. Grant, we can imagine the pleasing surprise with which he heard the story of Ulysses.

But the young woodman's prospects were not encouraging. His father's means were limited, and, excepting three months each winter in the common school, he had to assist in the work of the tannery and the home. Besides, books and newspapers for reading were very scarce.

At seventeen, Ulysses began to feel, as did his father, that decisive steps must be taken toward an education. It was often talked over at the fireside, and various plans suggested. The young man's taste for military life, the thorough instruction and economy of the Academy at West Point, suggested the possibility of getting an appointment there. The Congressmen usually controlled the selection of the candidates for admission in the several districts. Political influence and position necessarily have much to