Welcome to Erin Mankie's Cabinet of Curiosity's, a production of I Heart Radio and Grimm

and Mild.

Our world is full of the unexplainable.

And if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display,

just waiting for us to explore.

Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosity's.

In 1650, English theologian Thomas Fuller coined the phrase,

it's always darkest before the dawn.

It means things often seem hopeless or their bleakest just before they turn around for

the better.

Ulysses says Grant, for example, quit the army in 1854 when he was only 32 years old.

He went off to Missouri to become a farmer and a leather trader, but he couldn't cut

it.

His family suffered, he'd drink heavily, and almost lost everything.

Then in 1861, America became embroiled in a bloody civil war and grant, with few other

opportunities, decided to rejoin the military.

And he proved himself to be a strong leader, winning battles against the South and working

his way up until he was promoted to lead the entire Union Army.

Eventually he was even elected president of the United States.

A far cry from the failure, he almost became.

History is full of stories like this, with people in dire circumstances on the brink of

disaster until the tides turn in their favor.

...