The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-01-03
Tho Apprenticeship of Horace
Greeley.

Tho Apprenticeship of Horace
Greeley.
The following chapter, in the life of
this distinguished editor, is from The
Life Of UoraceGreelcv. By James Par.
tom which has just been published by
Mason Brothers. New York.
1t was fine spring morning in the
year 1926, about ten o'clock when Mr..
Amos Bliss, the manager. and one Of the
rroprieiors of the Northern Spectator
might have been seem in the garden be
hind his house planting potatoes He
heard tho cato open behind him. and
without turning or looking around, be-
came dimly conscious Of the presence of
a boy But the boys Of country villages
90 into whosesoever garden their wan
dering fancy impes them and suprosing
this boy to bc one Of his own neighbors
Mr.. Bliss continued his work and quick
ly forgot that he was not alone In a
few minutes, he heard voice close be-
hind him. strange voice, high pitched
and whining
| 1t said Are you the man that ear.
rics on tho printing Office 2'
Mr.. Bliss then turned. and resting up
on his hoe. surveyed the person who had
thus addressed him. TIo saw standing
before him boy apparently about fifteen
years of age. Of light. tall and slender
form, dressed in the plain. farmers cloth
Of tho time, his garments cat with an ut.
ter disregard Of elegance aud fit. His
trousers w.rc exceedingly short and
volnminous he wore no stockings his
shoes were Of the kind denomna,cd
high lows and much worn down; Ills
hat was Of felt, Que nf tho old stamp,
with 50 small hrim, that it looked more
like two quart measure inverted than
any thing else and it was worn far back
on his head his hair was white, with q
tincc of orange at its extremitics and it
lay thinly upon bread forehead and
over head, rocking on shoulders which
seoned TOO slcudcr to support the weight
of n member SO dsproportioned to tho
general outline. Tho general Office, of
tie figure and its costume was s, outrc.
they presented such a con. Lination Of
tho rustic and lulicrous, and the appari-
tion had come upon him SO saddcnly.
that the amiable gardener could scarce.
ly keep from laughing
! He restrained himself, however, aud
replied Yes. lm the man
Nhercuron the stranger asked Don't
you want boy to learn ths .rado ~
Well said Mr.. Bliss, we have been
thinking of it. Do yo~ want to learu to
print 2
I've had somc notion Of it, said tho
boy IL a true Yankee fashion. as though
ne had not been dreaming about it, and
longing for it for years
Mr. Bliss was both astonshed and
puzzled -astonishod that such fellow
as tho boy iookcd to be- should ever have
thought OF learning print, and puzzled
how to convey to him an idea of the alb
surbiiy Of the notion. So, with an cx
preston in his countenance such as that
Of a tender hearted dry goods merchant
might be supposed to assume if hod-
carrier should apply for place in tho
lace department, be said, We'll my boy
but you know, it takes considerable
learning to be printer Have you
been to school mucn p
No. said the boy, Il havnt had much
chance at school I've read some
What have you rcadp asked Mr..
Bliss.
We'll. I've rend some history, and
,omo travels. and liltlo Of most every.
thing
Where do you livo7'
At Wcsthaven.' !
How did you come ovcrl'
came on foot
What's your name p
Horace Greeley
Now it happened that Mr.. Amos
Bliss had been for the last three years
an Inspector of Common Schools aud
in fulfilling tho duties of his oiHce-cx,
aiming and licensing teschers-he had
acquired an uncommon facility in asking
questions, and fondncss COR that exer-
cise which men generally entertain for
any employment in which they suppose
ihemselve, to excel The youth before
him was-in the language of medical
.tudcnts--a fresh subject and the In
'pector proceeded 10 try all his skill up
IN him advancing from easy questions
10 hard ones. up TO those lnotty problems
with which he had been wont to stump
candidates for the Office Of teacher. The
10Y was a match for him. II answered :
,very question promptly, clearly and
lie could not be stumped
u the ordinary school studies, and ofthe [
books be had read ho could give COM
1lete and correct analysis. In Mr. Bliss
,wn account Of tho interview, he says,
On entering into conversation. and
partial examination of the qualifications
If my new applicant, it required but lit
10 time to discover that he possessed a
mind Of no common order, and an no
Iuired intelligence far beyond his years. |
lie had had but little opportunity at the
ommon school, but he said he bad read /
ONE and what he had read he we'll un |
erstood and remembered. In addition '
o the ripo intelligence manifested in ono /
o young, and whose instruction had G
eon so limited, there was a single mind i
dness, a truthfulnoss aud common sense h
D what he said, that at once commanded /
ny regard
After half an hours conversation with n
he boy, Mr.. Bliss iutimated that ho i
hought lie would do, and told him to 60 a
ato the printing Office and talk with the f
oreman. Horace went to the printing b
flee, and there bis appearance produced i
n effect on the tender minds Of tho {
hree apprentices who we're at work /
here, which can lie much better imagin. t
d than described, aud which is most a
ividly remembered by The two who sur 1