Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-09-09
Horace Greeley.
NEW ANECDOTES OF THE TRIBUNE SAGE
HIS LATE SICKNESS AND IT'S CAUSE.
Correspondence of the Springfield Republican.
NJ. w.. A -.-..-. i

NEW ORk, August 10, lotO.
No living American has been write n
about more than Horace Greeley, yet
not one-half the interesting things which
might be told of him have been related.
He is undoubtedly the most striking fig
ure which our national portrait gallery
of character can produce, and he is orig
inal in every respect. De Tocquevilles
statement that democracy tends to pro-
duce dead level of character, is refut-
ed by the existence Of such man as
Horace Greeley, tosay nothingo George
Francis Train; and the freshness and
vitality of the former, in spite of his
ags and wonderful labors, is extraordi.
nary.
| have one or two anecdotes of Mr.
Greeley which may be interesting to
your readers. In discussing the pros
pect of the success of a new paperwhich
has lately been started in this locality,
some one asked him how good editor
was to be made. Horace replied with his
peculiar drawing, whining voice, al
don't know any other way than feed him
on ink, put him in a printing-office and
let him work his way up" l do not know
whether the following story has ev 9r APP
peared in print, but it is good enough to
bear repetition. | heard it related of
well-known newspaper correspondent,
VIII IN | will call Mr.. NJ. He said
than when young man ne came to New
York, and among other foolish things,
collected some miscellaneous poetical ee-
fusions written for country papers, and
printed them in volume, a copy of
which he sent to Mr.. Greeley with the
request that he would allow him to call
and gaze on his great face. The guide,
philosopher and friend consented, and
MIR. M. went to see him. Mr.. Greeley
was kind and said, Your poems are
pretty good, but you have mistaken your
vocation you are not poet. You had
better get an axe aud stay in the G untry
chop wood or plow." Mr.. NJ mild
ly suggested that as Greeley himself had
come to New York he had thought SO
great an example should be followed
Horace felt little taken back at this,
but said, " 1t was a dispute about one
dollar week that brought me to New
York. | was working for a man who
gave 81 week. I wanted five but he
wouldn't pay it, so | left him and came
here" Mr.. M usually concludes
the story by saying that prosperity owes
grudge to that man for not paying the
extra dollar. | believe Mr.. Greeley's
greatest recreation is to chop trees, and
after that to read Browning. He is very
fond of the latter's poetry as we'll as
Swinburne's, Morris's and other poets of
the day. This seems rather odd in one
whose early favorite was Mrs. Hemans,
but it is beyond doubt.
Mr.. Greeley's power of working seems
wonderful and is apparently undimished.
Writing two columns of the Tribune and
answering half a dozen letters is his dali
ly performance, while in addition he
lectures all over the country, and writes
for dozen publications. His endurance
and strength are very great, and | think
are largely assisted by his simple and
regular habits, and though not wasting
time on frivolous things. He does not
go much into society; requies little
amusement, and concentrates all his for
ces on one thing. 1t is wonder how he
can continue to write on so many we'll
worn and thread-bare themes with so
much vigor. The explanation is that he
is thoroughly in earnest, and writes 70
convince and not for the mere sake or
writing. | heard, not long since, Of his
sitting down at i o'clock in bis Office and
not getting out of his chair until near
midnight. in order to finish some work
that had collected on his hands. Usual.
ly, l believe, he does not work at night,
which is wise measure on his part, and
is an additional reason for his former
good health.
Fanny Fern tells the following story
of her first meeting with Horace Gree.
ley He had agreed to take tea at her
house, and Mr.. Parton gave her spe.
cial injunction to have some stale bread
on the table, as Mr.. Greeley, he said new.
er touched hot biscuit. This was &C.
cordingly done, and when the great edi
tor sat down to supper, large supply oi
dry bread was placed close to his plate
He, however was not content with this
but peering across the table in his near
sighted way at the biscuits opposite ht
stretched out his arm and proceeded t.
help himself, and actually made hi.
| entire meal of them. Mrs. Parton ex.
pressed her surprise at this, and said =
"Why, Mr.. Greeley, l read the Tribune
| for SO long a time that / thought you