William A. Crafts, Life of Ulysses S. Grant: His Boyhood, Campaigns, and Services, Military and Civil.

[6] else. He once or twice balked a tricky showman by safely riding a mischievous pony which was trained to throw all venturesome boys who mounted it, but was completely mastered by young Grant.

He not only loved a horse and knew how to tame, ride, and train him, but he early learned to know the points of a good horse, so that he could, even at twelve years old, judge of the quality and value of one. This love for and power over a horse, manifested, as in young Grant's case, in useful and practical ways, show both a genial side to his nature and a power to dare and to command.

His love of a good horse now is well known, and it is one of the homebred affections of his boyhood, which, with homebred habits and virtues, have adhered to him through all his life. He can “talk horse” with any-body, and has often evaded the questions of too inquisitive visitors, or concealed his plans and purposes, by a ready resort to that fruitful topic of conversation.

Another of his traits, which was early developed, was his perseverance, which was shown not only in his mastery of horses while yet a mere child, but was abundantly illustrated by labors which would have discouraged almost any boy of his age. When but twelve years old, and small for his age, he gave a remarkable example of practical application of his observation and of patient and persistent labor. He had gone to the woods expecting to find the men cutting timber and ready to load; but they were not there, and the young teamster had no idea of returning with an empty wagon if he could help it, though it required several men to lift the huge logs he was to carry. He looked around,