The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-05-12


superior mind; consequently when her fin
gers are well trained l shall expect to see
her thoughtful and brilliant pianist.
HORACE eREELEY's YOUTH.
Here is a conversation between Miss
Gabrielle Greeley, the youngest daughter of
Mr.. Greeley, and Mrs. Cleveland, the moth
or of Miss. Cecilia: "Auntie, is it possible"
said Gabrielle, Indignantly running into
mamma's room. with an open volume in
her hand, 'that papa was as homely and
awkward when boy and young man, as
the writer describes him? 'Tow-head,'
'gswky,' plain, and 'clownish,' are some of
the most complimentary epithets applied to
HIM. He is described as having white hair
with tinge of oran ge at the ends and as
eating as if for wager while grandpa,
the writer says, was so poor that papa had
to walk barefoot ed over thistles, without a
jacket, and in trousers cut with an utter dis
regard of elegance oft, and twas remarked
that they were always short in the legs,
while one was invariably shorter than the
other. Was it possible that grandpapa could
not afford an inch more of cloth to make
poor papa's trousers of equal length, and
was it true that papa never had but two
shirts at a time until ne came to New York,
and that he never had any gloves? When
he was apprentice in Portland every one
used to pity HIM, Mr.. - says, as he
walked shivering to The Spectator Office on
cold winter days, thinly clad, and with his
gloveless hands thrust into his pockets to
protect them from being frostbitten!"
"My child, you overwhelm me with your
questious,n said mamma. "Let me take
al civ nd will 40 INV haat To of
this writer's unpleasant statements.
"First, as to personal appearance. You
say he styles your papa plain a boy.
That is absurd, for his features. like mothers,
were as perfect as piece of Grecian sculp-
ture. 'Towhead is also a misstatement.
Brothers hair never was at any time tow
color, and the tinge of orange at the end ex-
listed only in the authors Imagination. Tow
color, you know, is sort of dirty white or
gray; whereas brothers. hair, until he was
thirty year old, was like Raffies, pure white.
After that time it commenced to change to
pale gold color, which never, however, deep
ened into orange. What was your next
question, my dear?"
"About papa's wardrobe" said Gabrielle,
her cheeks still flushed with excitement,
"were you indeed so miserably poor, aun-
tie?n fsstss
I'VE were certainly very poor after father
failed" said mamma, firmly, "but we were
by no means reduced to abjectness. / can
never remember the time, in our poorest
days, when the boys had not, besides their
brown linen working shirts, cotton shirts
for Sunday, and father his fine Shirt to
wear to church and visiting. Your papa
was dressed suitably for our station in life
neither better nor worse than the sons of
neighbors in our circumstances. AS for
going barefoot, all the country boys at that
time did so during the summer months,
your papa was not an exception. You speak
of his gl0veless hands. never saw pair
of kid gloves worn by farmers
Pennsylvania; and certainly they
would have been very inappropriate
for boy farmer or printers apprentice to
wear; but brother was always, both at home
and at Poultney, supplied with warm WOOL
en- mittens, of mothers knitting. AS for the
cut of his trowsers, am surprised that any
sensible author should use so unfit word as
elegance in speaking of poor farmers
l told you the other day that our
wardrobe for every day wear spun,
woven, and made by mother, and it is not to
be expected hat home made coats and trow.
sers should have the cut of fashionable
New York tailor; bnt they were at all events
warm and comfortable. That brothers.
were always short, and especially
in one leg, is absurd fabrication. The |
story may perhaps have risen from some one
who remembers his lameness in Poultney. |
when he acquired the habit of dragging one |
leg little afIer the other, and that style of
walking may have apparently shortened one |
Of the trowser legs. Have you anything |
else to ask, little one?'
"Yes, auntie,n said Gabrielle, smiling at
mammals methodical way of answering;
was papa an awkward boy, and did he eat |
II have told you DEAR" mamma replied,
how we were brought up. Inever saw your
D spa eat ravenously while he was at home;
or father was a desPOt at table, and any ap-
at gluttony would have been
quickly checked by the dreaded descent of
his fork upon the table. 1 think it probable /
hat later in life, when your papa became
man, and every moment was |
IF value, he did eat quicker than was con- |
,istent with the laws OF etiquette, but not
when he was a roy.
igine that a boy so intensely preoccupied |
would not appear in so favorable a light |
20 strangers one who would seek the |
society of people rather than books, and |
, superficial observer might have mis-
taken his air of abstraction for rustic |
You know that he was al /
ways absorbed in book from the time he
was three years old. Father would often |
send him to do an errand-to fetch wood or /
the like he would start very obediently,
but with his eyes upon his book. and by the
time he had reached the door he would have |
cOupioIoly IOIBOLIcn everything Ouboluo VI /
the page he was reading, and 1t was neces-
saryto send some one after him to remind him
of his errand. He certainly was very unlike
every day boys, not only in appearance, but
In habits and moral qualities. Never did
hear a coarse or profane word pass his lips |; |
the purity of his soul was radiant in his |
beautiful, modest countenance while his |
slender boyish figure, with the ponderous |
white head poised upon his long, slim
neck, always reminded me of a lovely sway |
ing lily" Il
II have seen recently in some book }" said |
chat uncle was never at ease in |
polite society. To be sure, he had not the
manners of dancing master, butt
EYES," interrupted mamma, "this state |
ment is another of the usual exaggerations
current about brother. AS you say, he had
not the manners of a dancing master, and
when importuned and annoyed by shallow
people, may often have been abrupt with
them, but when in society, have always