The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-03-06
HORACE GREELEY.

lis reply was terse enough. No de-
criptive letters p he said " am sick
of them. When you have been there
long enough to know something, send to
me, and if there is any thing in your
letters, I will publish them" waited
nearly year, and then sent seventeen
letters, which were published. They
we're shallow enough, I suspect; but
what might they not have been without
his warming?
Toward the end of 1847, while was
engaged in the unfortunate enterprise
Of trying to establish weekly paper in
Ph@nixville, Pennsylvania, wrote to
him-fore-seeing the fGilure of my hopes
asking his assistance in procuring
literary work IN New York. He advised
me Gas / suspect he advised thousands
OF young men) TO stay IN the country.
But 1 had stayed in tho country year
too long 80 another month found me
in New York, in his Office, with my
story of disappointment, and my re-
peated requests for his favorable inhu-
ence Z" 1 think you are mistaken, he
said &" but I viii bear you in mind if
hear Of any chance"
Six weeks afterwards, to my great
surprise, Qor L suppose he had quite
forgotten me- he sent for me and offer
cd me place on the Tribune / work
cd hard and necessarily during the sum-
mer of 1913, hearing never word of
commentator or encouragement but
one day in October he suddenly came
10 my desk, laid his hand upon nv
shoulder and said " You have been
faithful but now you need rest. Take
weeks holiday, and go into New Eng
land obeyed, and found, on my re-
turn, that he had ordered my salary to
he increased.
1 think none of his associates, at that
time, ever wrote a line which lie did
not critically read His continents
sometimes seemed rough. but they were
always wholesome, and almost invaFia-
bly, inst. Once he called me into his
room, pointed to poem Of mine which
had just appeared in a literary maya
zinc, and abruptly asked: "Why did
you publish that gassy STUFF" NV
indignation was even greater than my
establishment. / retorted fercely :
Mr.. Greeley, should feel hurt by
your question, il I had any respect
Whatever for your Judgment in regard
TO poetry - He smiled a sad, forgiv-
ing smile, and said nothing. Years af-
terward ] saw that he was right the
poem was only piece Of sounding
rhetoric, for which ''gassy" was perhaps
a coarse but certainly not an inappro.
pirate epithet. In this, as in other re.
spects, the discipline to which he sub
iected me was excellent if not the re.
suit Of his intellectual perception. il
manifested an instinct even more re-
narkable.
Two pictures, illustrative of the man
remain with me from that first year
One, an afternoon in the little editoria
office under the roof; Mr. Greeley bend
ing over the yellow transfer-paper OF
which telegraphic dispatches were writ
ten. The light from the window fel
upon the top of has head, which pre-
sented it's full circumference TO as II,
leaned down. 1 was looking at it. va
cantly when saw a fiery scarlet fusl
from his neck and temples like way,
and flood the white crown. The mex
moment he rose, threw back his head
and uttered fearful shrek. For
n,inute, nearly, thought him mad
lie flung his hands mp and down, cried
1t has come II has come !" an,
laughed in half-delirious ecstasy
1t was the news of passage of the VIII
mot Proviso
Another day, his little son Arthur
whose exquisite features, blue eyes
and golden hair remain in my memoir
as more angelic apparition than an,
cherub-face which Raphael ever painte,
came into the Office to meet him. on hi
return from journey. When he say
tho boy he gave similar shrek, caugh
him under the arms, tossed him aloft
and finally clasped him to his breas
with a wordless outcry Of passionat
love and JOY, 80 intense that ] almos
ahuddered to hear it. 1 felt then tina
had caught one of the clues to cor
rect understanding of his nature tina
he WAS powered with a love of love,
which, in this reticent world, feels Il
self TO be something akin to weakness
ard often foigns its opposite in order l.
mask its presence. He did not not see
nor do the most so lowered sec, tina
strength. / have had many difference
of opinion with Mr. Greeley, but On,
oonscientiously declare that there wa
none of them which did not fnall
draw me the closer TO him. A littl
moro than u year ago he published a
article which thought unjust to a Go,
eminent Official, who is an intimate PEI
sonal friend of mine. wrote TO hiI
Mt once, obiecting to his views, an
claiming, at least, suspension of iude
ment He replied. giving his reason
Tor the unfriendly criticism, vet, as
thought, according too little weight {
my contrary representations. wrot
again. and more earnestly than befor
so earnestly, indeed, that, after I'll
letter was dispatched, ] felt that h
might have reason 10 feel offended q
SONS of the expressions it contained
But when 1 met him he stretched on
his hand, with that smile Of ineffabl
sweetness which no one can ever forge
upon whom it fell, said. lyon are still
angry with me2" patiently heard m
explanation, and assured me that, i
soon as it should be confirmed by Gil
oumstanoes, full PREPARATION would b
made
A great many instances might be co
-lccted 10 illustrate Mr. Greeley's ap
Hess at repartee I heard one exampl,
which for sharpness Of points is equll
any thing reported Of Douglass JorrolS
There used 10 be paper in New YoE