Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-05-15
Mr.. Greeley,s Clothes.

Mr. Greeley throughout his life was
twitted with his slovenliness of person,
and many people were made to believe
that he incurred the risk of being sold
for bag of ancient rags whenever he
passed into Ann street. The fit and
quality of his clothes were not what
Granmont or D'Orsay would have rec
commended but he was always scrup
ulously eat-Beethoven himself having
no greater passion for the bath. His
linen was ever immaculate ; his boots,
though often coarse, well blacked his
face carefully shaven, and his hands as
daintly kept as those of a fine woman.
His cravat had tendency, it is true, to
assume the shape of a hangman's knot,
and his trowsers were often suggestive
of required continuance but that he
was really slovenly was palpably false.
The idle tales that he disarranged his
toilet before the looking glass, and care
fully squeezed his pantaloons into the
leg of his boot ere he appeared In the
street were purposely told to annoy him,
and strange to say they had the effect
intended. He was sensitive on the sub
ject of his dress, and seldom received
advice thereupon with becoming equa-
nimity. Oddly enough, he believed him
self very well-attired person, and that
few men, in his station went better clad.
Sartorial comments were won't to draw
from him sharp and singing replies.
When a city editor of the Tribune
once suggested the reformation of his
neck-tie, Mr.. Greeley answered, g You
don't like my dress, and /; don't Like
your department. If You have any i'm
provements to make, please begin at
home"
James Watson Webb, while editor of
the Courier and Enquirer, was fond of
criticising the costume of his neighbor,
who, referring to the fact that Mr.. Webb
had been sentenced to the State Prison,
and pardoned, for fighting a duel with
Thomas F. Marshall, made this extin-
gushing reioinder 80 Assuredly no cos
| tune in which the editor of the Irib-
| u,ae has ever appeared would create such
sensation in Broadway as that James
Watson Webb would have worn but for
he clemency of Gov. Seward.
To another journalist, noted for his
| llntidiness, and his ridicule of Mr.. Gree
ley, the latter responded, eff our friend
| of the - who wears mourning for his
departed veracity under his fnger-nails,
| will agree to surprise his system with a
bath, we may attempt clean discussion
with him."
The illustrious editor was simply care
4 less OF his attlre, Gnougn 1asbldously
neat. He was always SO busy, that,
when he rose in the morning, he put Oh
the first thing he found, and sometimes
he did not put it more than half on.
His clothes never seemed to fit him, ~or,
rather, he never seemed to fit his clothes.
The wonder with many of his acquaint-
ances was where he bought them, OF
whether they did not grow, so. unique
i often were their cut and pattern.
Clothes, repeat, were a tender theme
with him and he displayed the highest
breeding by never alluding to what he
wore. It is supposed he got his gar
ments ready-1nade q have been told hi
Iwife was IN the habit of purchasing
them), and, to save time, he took the
first articles offered. He was the onl,
New Yorker of note who repeatedly ap
peared in the street in the morning in
dress-coat. But he made ample atone
ment for this by presenting himself VI
town at formal dinners in a paletot, o.
tsome peculiar garment that defed iden
tifcation. Whatever may be thought o
Mr.. Greeley's quaint raiment, he wa
excellently dressed according to th
Brummel canon, because after being
with and listening to him one could no
remember what he had on. He coult
talk away his clothes in the briefes
| space.-Harper's Magazine.