12/21/2023
This is a sweet Christmas story that shows the loving relationship between Ulysses and Julia Grant. Thanks to our friends at the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site for sharing this story.
December 21, 1878: Ulysses takes Mrs. Grant to Tiffany’s in Paris. She sees “an exquisite jeweled butterfly, with diamond wings, ruby eyes, and body of glittering topaz…fastened to a hairpin of gold by a golden spiral wire, the butterfly quivering and flashing at every motion.”
She first thinks it costs too much, then decides that she really would get her money’s worth out of it. By that time, Ulysses is leaving the shop and refuses to turn back reminding Mrs. Grant of his superstition about never turning back and her own about making purchases on Saturday.
Of course, Christmas morning she found that Ulysses had bought it for her.
Image: Ulysses "Santa" Grant, pictured in his characteristic red hat. (LOC)
