The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-01-17
HORACE GREELEY.
rFleming, ia Pre,.el,s weeklr.l

way. among n2S many ACCotn tnptsSnmSnS vas that of writing a very poor hand. He excelled in many things, bat in this he distanced all competitors. He vas positively without an equal anywhere. NJ living man or woman ever wrote as Greeley did. Many incidents in this connection have proven of much interest to the general reader, Tom Kelley, an old printer, who worked on cases in the F ibEns. tells the following story, which, he E avs, was never in print
 You know, says he. Greeley wrote an awful hand Them days thought could read anything. was working in Bosron, and had heard a greal deal about Greeley's awful writing. l made up my mind to go to New York and tackle it. went. As 1t happened, however. there were only swo painters on the Irs3aSs who could set his matter, and they were given all ct it to set. All went well for some days, for Greeley was engaged upon his life, | A Busy Life" i" tor Bonner's New York L<dSey. The L<dgey had no printers who could read his copy at all. Word was given out that two men who could read Mir. Grreisy's wiitilE weTe @sa;sd ss the LeaSsy. They were to apply 10 Mr. Greeley and make test. A situation upon the Ledger was looked upon as a splendid thing--a soff snap. Several printers invaded Mir. Grecleys inner den. l went in, and as stepped up to his desk, the old man looked up from his writing-and such 8 look. never shall forget it. l never saw such an innocent, happy expression on a mans face in all my life. It was the first time had ever seen him closely, and almost loved him. His eyes appeared to me like some dear old memory, so happy, cheer ful and placid.
 You want printer or two 70 work on your manuscript, Mir. Greeley said.
 "Yes," said Mir. Greeley, < two men are wanted who can read D,y writing. They tell me write bad hand."
 So they say," remarked.
 "Can you read it2' he asked, looking me squarely in the face.
 don't know. think can. have read almost everything. 1 have never yet been stumped."
 need not remark that felt very con. fident. was certain could read it. had very large opinion of my ability in that regard.
 |" will try you," he said, at the same time picking up a sheet from pile upon which he had been at work. The page was picked up at random. "Read this" he said, handing the page to me.
 took it, and read:
 horid. The menagerie swung over three murderous uneccentric Norman, who had thrown her bat at a dog"
 The next word somewhat puzzled me. 1 stopped, and after looking at it mo. ment, looked at Mr. Greeley. He was all smiles. thought he was pleased with the progress had made. At last, had figured out the word, and read on : " reseated to her most pleasant guard regrets of these lines, rocking the tym- panum, and consoling these on, and wore against it having"
 This was the end of the page. thought it was little "mixed :" that it didn't look just right; but had heard that Mir. Greeley was eccentric, and that his word- ing was always odd and profound. looked at MT. Greeley as l handed back the page. He looked at me, still smiling. He didn't say much, but finally said
 U ' conclude to take you will send for you"
 went out, feeling that had read the page very nicely.
 Several others made trials. John Ma guire, now in Boston, made an effort on the same page. We went in together. Here is his reading of i;:
 "fiends. Her magnetic sway OCT the waveless uncoffins of worms who had grown his lest dog revealed to her the worst glorious grIddle risest ot their lines, seeking her syrup and control, thereon, and wear three stitches around the hanging"
 When he had reached the end Mir. Greeley was almost wild with merrimcnt. His meriment knew no bounds. He told him what he had told me, few mo- ments before, and we went out together. waited patiently for some weeks, fully expecting call. None came.
 Several parties came in as we came out but what success they had don't know. However, printers who could make out" his writing, were found, and the articles began appearing regularly. kept an idea of that page, and in a few weeks ! discovered it, and copied the original. never knew for four months after that day hos very far had missed !" reading that page Aafter Ma guire and had compared what we had taken down, with 1t as it appeared in the Ledger, we had no more to say about our ability to read anything from Choctaw's to a Beekman street lawyers writing We were very quiet after that Here IS the original page:
 friends. Her magnetic sway over these marvellous, unaccountable women who had known her but . day, revealed to her the most jealousy g, trded secrets oi their lives, seeking her sympathy and counsel thereon, and were themselves annoyed at having"
 I haven't seen Mcguire since, but have often thought of that incident It has fastened itself to my memory with hooks of steel This is scandalous fact, believe 1t or not.