Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-05-24
Miscellamy.
From the Rutland Herald.
Poultney-Horace Greeley.

The candidate nominated for Presi
dent at the late Cincinnati convention
furnishes an occasion for giving wha
the people of Poultney know about Hor
ace Greeley.
| He was born in New Hampshire, tina
suppose everybody knows. He remov
ed with his fathers family to Westhaver
in 1921 when he was about ten years o {
As he grew older he became anxious tC
learn the printers trade, and in 1926
seeing an advertisement for an appren
tice in the Northern Spectator, a paper
then published in Poultney, he asked
and obtained permission of his father to
go there and see if he could find EN-.
ployment. His father assented, and
Horace. on foot and alone, went to
Poultney and found Mr.. Amos Bliss, one
of the proprietors and general manager
of the Spectator establishment, planting
potatoes in his garden. Horace inquir.
ed:
"Are you the man that carries on the
printing Officer"
The appearance of the boy (Horace)
was such that Mr.. Bliss coul2 hardly re-
strain himself from laughing, but he did
aud replied.
"Yes, am the man"
"Don't you want boy to learn the
trade %
"Well," said Mr.. Bliss, eve have
been thinking of it. Do you want to
learn to print?"
"I've had some notion of it," said
Horace.
Mr.. Bliss, now deceased, gave the fore
going as the instruction, and adds: "that
he was at first surprised that such a fel-
low as the boy looked to be, should think
of learning to print, but on entering in
to conversation with him and having a
partial examination of the qualifications
of my new applicant, it required but a
| little time to discover that he possessed
mind of no common order, and an ac-
quired intelligence, beyond his years
He had had but little opportunity at
school, but said he had read some, and
what he read he we'll understood. In
addition to the ripe intelligence manifes-
ted in one so young, and whose instruc-
tion had been so limited, there was a
single mindedness, truthfulness and
common sense in what he said, that at
once commanded my regard"
The applicant for place in the Poult-
ney printing office, was successful. Nj.
Bliss after consultation with his foreman
took him in, and Horace Greeley took
his first lesson in type setting in the
building now occupied by Zebediah Dew
ey, as dwelling house, in East Poult-
ney. He remained in that office four
years and two months. He soon became
the best printer in the office and during
the latter part of the time, did good
deal of the editorial work. The writer
is some six or seven years younger than
Mr.. Greeley, and never saw him but
once while he was in Poultney. But
there are a goodly number of persons
still living, and still residing in Poult-
ney who knew him well when here learn
ing his trade. Among them are Mr. and
Mrs. Harlow Hosford: Joseph Joslin
and Olcott Sherman. Mr.. Hosford kept
the Eagle Hotel in East Poulney, at the
time, and Mr.. Greeley boarded with him
the last two years of his stay in Poult-
ney. They all agree as to his personal
appearance which is the same as has
been given to the public over and over
again, and his dress which was made
Of plain and cheap material, and cut
and made without regard to elegance OIL
fit They all agree too as to his remark
able industry and studious habits. Mr.
Hosford says he never in his recollec
ton lost a day from his work except
once or twice he visited his parents and
that all his leisure hours were spent in
reading and study. If he came into
the house five minutes before his dinner
was ready, that five minutes would be
occupied in reading some newspaper OF
book that he always carried in his pock-
ct. Evenings he would sit in the bar.
room and read no matter who or how
many were present, or what was going
on. He would never engage with other
boys and young men of his own age in
any kind of games or amusements ex,
cept now and then at game of chess.
Mr.. Joslin says that he heard Mr.
Greeley make his first public speech. Il
was at meeting of debating society
in the school house in East Poultney.-
He astonished every one who heard him
with his remarkable intelligence-ht
seemed better informed on the subiec
debated than any other person engaged
in the discussion, although be was mer,
boy, and the others ripe in years. Mr.
Joslin also says that he did not attend
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