Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-05-18
STORY OF CHARLES GREENLEAF.
a Peculiar Character.


uEsM. r. Hussey Class 81 In the vassar Mscellany
The practical Maine people among
whom my hero lived at the time when
i knew him had gradually ceased to
think him remarkable, or perhaps they
had rather ceased to comment on his
remarkableness. At any rate, he slip
ped i'm and out of the homes of a hun
dred different families with the famil-
farity Of a shadow, and only strangers
remarked upon the oddly Of the little
old mans ways. Only strangers
marked the restless movements of his
slight figure, with its crown of scanty
gray hair; his small bright eyes, the
moro noticeable because the face about
them was clean-shaven, and, most of
all, from their manner of glancing up
and dropping so suddenly that it was
about as easy for Mr.. Greenleaf's acute
Yankee benefactors TO decide upon
their color as to name the precise
shade or trout cleaning in their
sBWfErunntng brooks. The benefactors
aforesaid used to say: "Well, yes, old
Greenleat is queer; but then, lie don't
cat much, and he buys his own tea"
,Thus dwelling among people who toll
Grated him chiefly for the negative
virtue OF abstinence, and looked upon
MIN with plying interest at best,
hvei the old man OF whom write.
He had apparently no means Of sup
porting himself, except the scanty sums
that be gained in teaching, whenever
he stopped long enough in one place to
org'tlize what he called a grammar
SCHOOL," but which might more prop
OF have been termed a charity school,
which the benevolence was all ON the
de Of the pupils.
My frst acquaintance with Mr..
NGreenleaf dates from that childish
period when facts are too closely
mingled with dreams to be accurately
stated. i am no more able to remem-
Der when first saw him, than am
to name the day of the month on
which i saw the sun rise for the first
time. Indeed, Mr.. Greenleaf had a
habit, like the sun, of periodical ap-
SpeGrpnce and disappearance. 1 have
Sknown him to stay so long at my
fathers house that we children had
quite forgotten any other state of
things, when, suddenly he would steal
away with Arabic stiffness, leaving us
nncsrtain whether we had ever enter
tained this fleeting guest or not. He
might be said to have a habit of foot
journeys, for he INDUCED in them with
a persistent irregularity that defied
alike mathematical calculation or
whimsical guessing. But, except when
occupied thus or In teaching, he devo-
ted all the energies Of his mind and
body 20 the compilation OF an English
Grammar. For this, his days and a
greater part of his nights were spent
in writing; on this account he allowed
himself no exercise except that con-
densed in the long walks which took
him place to place; and, although the
strongest emotion that he had, except
devotion to his work, was pride in
keeping himself independent of charity,
yet ne sacrificed even this far enough
TO beg for aid in publishing his be-
loved grammar. BE was usually
chary OF his words; but once engaged
ON lis favorite topic, he would talk
Will, a fervor which made his eyes.
usually faded and evasive, glowing and
direct.
He made, as have said, but q shad-
owy part of the family life through
which he moved. He asked only q
quiet corner for his work, and Ger.
tain studied secrecy in his ways of life
repealed all attempts at acquaintance.
But all the more did his energies, for.
hidden to expand naturally, obtrude
themselves in many queer angles
which were prominent enough for
knowing ones to hang conjectures Cd.
Reticent rs he was, a question on the
subject of his age would sting him to
q sort OF impotent fury. 1 remember
hearing how one good man, perhaps
more curious than kindly, determined.
as he said. "to see if Charles Greenleaf
could not be made to give some account
Of his foregone career" and began by
asking him how old he was. Old
Grcenleaf at once rose, walked in a
stately way TO his room, and bringing
thence grammar, placed It before his
tormentor with his finger on the fol-
lowing example: at Is not polite to ask
a person his age"
Like most fanatics who believe
themselves raised by their enthusiasm
above the trivialities Of life, he occa-
sionally evinced tastes comically al
variance with the zeal Of one whose
object 1t was to make n new departure
In English speech. Thus, at New
England dinner table, he was helped
literally to some baked beans, OF
which he was especially fond. These
he had only half eaten when marking