The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-10-24
brooklyn Eagle.l
Some Autographs.
Peculiar Signatures Of Statesmen, SOL
diers, Journalists and other Celebrities
"A Collection Of Representative Names.

Hundred and Seventeenth street, has very
interesting collection of autographs, number
ing over three hundred and composed almost
entirely of the signatures OF American celebri-
ties.
Those which he prizes most highly, and
which are of the most interest at this time, are
the names of the dead President, of his success
sor and of the Cabinet. The many people who
have admired the free, bold yet graceful hand
writing of President Garfield, as displayed in
hundreds of fac similes, will be glad to learn
thathis.original authographssare quite as fine as
any copies of them ever made. In the speci-
men owned by Mr.. Noonen the 81" is as per-
feet letter as could possibly be made, while
the others are as clear cut as if drawn by the
tool of the engraver.
General Arthur writes large, careless,
heavy hand, with no particular inclination. IL
looks precisely as if the writer could not spare
even the time necessary to execute 1t. There
is strength in the writing, however, and both
these signatures compare favorably with the
inflated, shapeless, balloon capitals OF General
Grant, or the little cramped hand OF President
Hayes, which likewise appears among the
rest.
Secretary Robert t. Lincoln, by the way,
writes hand strixingly like that of ex-Presi-
dent Hayes. Secretary MacVaugh's signature
resembles some of those affixed to the Declara-
tion-that is, it is large, bold, antique and dis
tinguished looking Kirkwood and Window
are neat and legible penmen. Postmaster
General James writes prettily, with several
graceful little fourishes. Secretary Blaine's
hand is large, bold and distinct, all letters and
words being connected throughout.
If ever signature could be received as in
dicative of the character of its owner it is that
of Roscoe Conkling-"G Grand, gloomy and Pc
culiar" 1t stands out in the relief of the black
est ink from the paper. Scarcely two letters
at the same angle, with intricate and grotes-
que fourishes everywhere, it certainly gives
expression to the mental ramihcations OF the
great unknown, so far as they can be guessed
at. 1t seems to say: ''My master writes like
no one else; stand alone among signatures"
Directly below, as is fitting, appears the re-
spectacle and5business like chirography OF Mr..
Thomas O. Platt, which is above invidious
criticism. Colonel George Bliss signs his name
in bold, dashing, running hand, every stroke
Of which is cleanly cut, without particle OF
affectation.
General John A Logan inscribes his name in
a series of coarse black, upright characters.
Senator Pendeton's style is somewat similar,
the letters are better joined and better formed.
Hon. Thomas T. Bayard's hand is q study.
Plain, neat and angular, it resembles the bold,
English manner of writing SO much aftected
by ladies' General Joseph Il. Hawley's ele-
CANT and graceful autograph is familiar from
its appearance on innumerable diplomas and
other documents issued by the Centennial
Commission in 1876. Alexander FL. Stephens
writes hesitatingly, in small tremulous
hand
General William Malone, the greatiVirginian
Resdiuster, is the possessor of what may be
termed lateral handwriting, II handwriting
is proper term to apply to sea OF broad, nor
izontal dashes extending from one side OF the
paper to the other, with here and there slghl
ripple of short, upward stems. Hannibal Ham
lin apparently wastes as little time, INK and
paper as possible in signing his name, yet
there is no need OF second glance at tne WrIS l.
ing in order to interpret it. Senator George Z.
HOar of Massachusetts, writes quite as plainly
but in a pinched sort of hand, like that OF a
New England ''school marm," who sets copies
to her pupils prettily, in the style OF former
days. Wade Hampton wells his ferocious per
sonality behind rather pretty lady's hand,
which some of his fair constituents might en-
w. Don Cameron appears to have entirely
forgotten that one of the objects in writing al
all is to convey ideas to the human m1ndi al
not even the profound handwriting exper'
who figures in so many courts, could confront
the scrawl described as his signature without q
feeling of awe.
Ex-senator b. K Bruce places on record
one of the mast dainty and microscopic round
hands imaginable. William Pitt Kellogg sim.
ply writes his name like other people, and not
unlike them in any marked degree. Bot
Toonibs' signatureEis an old style round hand
az much behind the age as the views OF that
venerable fre-eater. JEFF Davis has a char
acterless way of allowing little sharp letters to
straggle up and down hill, rather in accord
ance with the imaginary curved line of beauty
than with the straight line commonly regarded
as the line of beauty most appropriate to cnlog'
raphy. General Beauregard's signature IS al
distinguished and Frenchy as his three magnl
ficent names, which he gives at full length,
l Ex-Treasurer Spinner, whose autograph has
| been as eagerly sought for as that OF any other
man living, appearing as 1t has IN all lt'
strange luxuriance upon millions OF green
backs, writes from his home in Florida ia cour
teous little note, the chief interest OF which II
that it exhibits in curious manner the greal
difference between his ordinary handwriting
and his remarkable signature. The latter
however, has lost none OF its unique perIec
tion.
"yy. T. Sherman, General" appears upon {
visiting card in strong, upright Letters, VIII
L
1 emphasis to the whole effect. Sheridan
| SIGNATURE is as bold and dashing as one OF hi!
| own fierce cavalry charges. General han
| cock writes beautifully clear and regulal
| hand, which is unfortunately dishgured ano
| giyen a slight appearance of affectation by al
l Unnecessary profusion of heavy downward
| dashes. Ben Butler has great round, aWk
| ward schoolboy hand. Mcclellan shows 6
| lack of sufficient executive ability to transfer
| ink to paper in even decorous manner Gen
| eral Terry, the renowned Indian ngnser, I
| punctilious in his penmanship, writing clearl.
| and gracefully, without the least attempt
| ornamentation General Burnside contrlvet
l to make half dozen words cover who'll
| page of ordinary commercial paper, and tnl
| not by any ordinary means, as ms nuge
| scrawiing characters, plain as those on.a clreu
| poster, seemed to literally chase each othel
| down the page, or rather to be festooned owe
| it like the clusters of q wild grape vine.
| Among the journalists and "literary fel
l lerso generally, one is prepared to look Tor re
markably illegible scrawls. Ihat tnis Is no no
| collection prove. The late Bayard Taylor wa
| n fine penman. George William Curtls's sig
l nature although showing some signs OF unu
l sual care. is written in an easy, running hand
as legible as print. Whitelaw Reid, although
| NOT a fancy writer evidently gives his compos
| TORS no trouble. Admirers of Charles A. Da
ma would hardly imagine that his fine editori
/ ais are written in a small, neat hand and Will
pen dipped in violet ink. instead OF In gall
| William Cullen Bryant wrote legibly in an ole
| fashioned style, though rather neryously TO
| ward the last. That A. Oakley Hall coul'
l write well, even under trying circumstances
anpears from polite note of his, dated aDou
\ week before he thought tit to disappear SUD
denly from New York, some years ago. FL
Perkins is a better penman than any ont
,vonld believe upon his own unbacked asser
ton. Bob Burdette, of the Burlington Hawk
avs. could with the necessary knowledge o
nsath,,matics, obtain a position in any mercan
tile house as, bookkeeper. Longfellow write
IN !, rea lly beautiful Italian hand, and Whit
| tier and Holmes rival him in their own pecu
liar STYLES. George Washington Chllds has
| STYLE of penmanship which would appear
we'll at the bottom OF check as in the verse
of one of his far famed elegies Murat Hal
| stead Is certainly the worst writer in tn
whole world, and the sight OF what purports T.
| be his signature would lead one to doubt tn
| truth of this whole paragraph.
| The Chinese ambassador, whose name tn
| writer had not time to translate, could un
| doubtedly make grand success in the decora
tion of tea SETS as his writing is far better thai
aver seen in that line. 1t is exactly ike
! Chinese laundry check, in three perpendlcut,
larIv disposed characters, but written VIII
| orast nrecision and elegance IN Diack, glossy
iSnS Ike the card placards commonly dispiayea
, T.; hayond question, a work OF art, but lie
~ 40, stori for him to have had an opportunity
J;str;bnting many autographs.
His Majesty, hng haiaAaua, ~ ~