National Republican., 1874-04-01
HORACE GREELEYs EARLY DAY.

Miss Cecilia Cleveland, a niece of the late
Horace Greeley, has written q volume on her
distinguished uncle, which has just been is
sued.
OF the early days of Mr.. Greeley, Mrs. CIeve-
land remarks:
When Brother Horace was 13 years old, he
was taken out of school, as the teacher could
instruct him no longer. was kept at home
also, and brother taught me, giving me lessons
in arithmetic and penmanship, which studies
had been prohibited me at school. = He
was the gentlest and kindest of instructors,
and was always ready to lay down his own
book to help me out of any difficulty that my
lesson presented, although it was by no means
easy to make him close his book under other
circumstances, such as the solicitations Of his
young friends to join them in a game.
When our young friends came to see US there
was much rejoicing from Brother Barnes, who
was full of life and spirits, and always readyto
play, and from Arnlinds and myself; but
Brother Horace, not at all allured by blind
man's-buff or dance, would retire to corner
with pine-knot, (for IN those days candles
were few,) preferring the companionsLip of his
book to our merry games. Coaxing was all in
vain; the only means of inducing him to join
Us was to snatch away his book and hide it; but
even then he preferred to gather US quietly
about him and tell us stories Of the "Arabisn
Nights" and "Robinson Crusoe.D This gift of
storytelling he inherited from mother, whose
talent IN that line certainly equaled that of tho
beautiful Sultana Scheherazade herself At
this time, although had never seen q COPY Of
Shakespeare, was familiar with the names and
plots of all his imaginative and many of his
historical plays, which mother would relate to
US in her own words, embellished now and then
with bits of the original verse; as she set at her
spinning wheel, or busted herself about the
household work.
1t was, l think, at this time-our last year in
Vermont-that large ball, for young people
only, was given in our neighborhcod. Much
speculation was excited among our young
friends as to whether Horace would dance at
this ball, and especially if he would fetch q
partner with him. It was the general opinion
that he would not, ,as he did not bear high rep
utation for gallantry- Great, then, was the
astonishment of all present when Horace
entered the ballroom with Anne Bush, the
prettiest girl In the neighborhood, upon his
arm. He opened the ball with her, and his
department quite siienced those who had
questioned his appearance. = =
You would be amused if were to tell you
how he used to pass the time that he spent
with these three girls Friends Of this period
ED.l A eity-bred boy of thirteen or fourteen
would have been quite capable of arranging an
elopment with the prettiest one, but brothers
style of courtship was quite unique; he used to
correct their grammar when they eonyersed,
and gravely lecture them upon the folly Of
wearing stays.
The corsets which so aroused his sire vera
different from those of the present day. At
time, you must know, the Empire dress, that
you have seen in portraits of the time Of the
First Napoleon, was all the fashion; no crino-
line, skirts so extremely seant and gored that
they clu1g to the figure ike drapery upon .
a statue, and waists finger and q half In
depth, with inch-wide ands instead of sleeves.
This style of dress was very graceful and be-
coming when worn by woman of slender
figure, and those who were not thus favored by
nature made the best Of their figures, by
wearing what was then called 'fbusks," or,
popularity, "boards." The corsets worn in
those days did not clasp in front, but merely
laced behind, and Inserted in the lining Of the
front was the 'busk, piece of steel, or
(among poor people) wood, two inches wide,
and the depth Of the corset.
This ''busk," with the addition of very
tightly-drawn lacing- strings, was supposed to
give great symmetry to the figure. No village
belle ever liked to own that she laced tightly,
or that she wore s'board;" as Il was taeit
admission that her figure could not bear un-
aided the test of the Empire dress; consequent
ly brothers remarks would be received BY his
young friends with an injured afr, and yehem-
ent protest against such a false accusation.
Brother would then test their truth by dropping
his handkerchief and requesting them to pick
IL up; If they wore . "board, /" STOPPING would
be impossible, or, at all events, very difficult;
an ordeal that would cover them with con-
fusion, when the philosopher Of IS years old
would rcsnme his moral lecture upon the laws
- a. =