A TALE OF TWO MISSOURI JULIA'S: ULYSSES GRANT'S WIFE, JULIA; AND HER SLAVE, JULIA--ULTIMATE AMERICAN ANTINOMY

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/14/the-two-julias/?smid=fb-share

I AM LAUGHING OUT LOUD AND WIPING AWAY TEARS, AS I READ ABOUT THE TWO MISSOURI JULIA'S. THE FIRST JULIA BEING THE WIFE OF GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT. THE OTHER JULIA BEING HER SLAVE WHO WAS WITH HER AS NURSE AND TRAVELING COMPANION. BOTH ACCOMPANIED THE GENERAL ON THE BATTLE FIELDS WHICH HE TRAVERSED TRIUMPHANTLY, OVER THOUSAND OF MILES. THIS THEN IS THE ULTIMATE AMERICAN ANTINOMY: TWO JULIA'S. ONE SLAVE ONE FREE. ONE BLACK, ONE WHITE. ONE MARRIED, THE OTHER SINGLE--UNTIL AFTER THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION; WHEN, THE SLAVE JULIA, LEFT THE SERVICE OF THE WIFE, JULIA, AFTER 37 YEARS, TO BECOME MARRIED AND FREE HERSELF. IRONY OF IRONY. A GREAT AMERICAN STORY, WORTHY OF ANOTHER MISSOURIAN, MARK TWAIN, WHO BECAME THE FUTURE PRESIDENT GRANT'S FINANCIAL SAVIOR AND BENEFACTOR!