Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-01-07
How Prominent Men Read.


"Do you know there is good deal OF
character shown in the way men read
the papcrsp" said wellknown hotel
clerk to the reporter. '0f course, You
don't see it, any more than an ordinary
observer sees character in the way men
eat; but there is, nevertheless. l have
seen all the prominent men in the coun-
try read the papers time and again, and
not two in thousand read alike. NV
attention was first called to the subject
some years ago by Horace Greeley, who
was an omnivorous reader of the papers.
have been q constant observer ever
since. Horace was the queerest reader
you ever saw. He would begin at the
first column and read every line down
to the advertisements. According as he
read he would crumple the paper up in
his hands. When he got through, the
paper would be rolled up in bah. Aft
er he left the hotel in the morning to 90
down town to his Office all the papers
would be strewn around the floor like
SO many paper balls. 1t used to amuse
the guests of the house, and was the oc-
oasion of many bottles of wine. Some
folks said it was affectation. like Gree
ley's great white coat; but l never
thought SO, To me it indicated an un-
conscious, sturdy character which looked
straight ahead for results, while paying
very little attention to details or circum-
stances
''Oh. yes; General Grant also had his
peculiarities. He usually read one pa
per through and through. He would
stop in the middle of an editorial and
reflect. Grant was slow reader, but
when he put down paper he could tell
you all the news and discuss a question
with great discrimination. He used to
say that one paper was all he had time
to read day. Whatever was worth
reading in his estimation, was worth
digesting and remembering. People
who knew Grant will recollect what an
exhaustive memory he had for detail.
He could relate every circumstance con-
nected with any important event that
occurred long before the war. He used
to say he didn't remember all about the
war, but he knew more than any one
else about the great events in which he
had personally figured. There is no
doubt whatever that General Grants
predominant characteristic displayed it
self in his manner of reading He was
slow, patient and painstaking in every
thing, but when he once arrived at
conclusion there was no dislodging
him.
Lincoln never cared for the news of
the day--that is, he never cared to read
it. He usually had his private secretary
tell him what was in the papers. He
would read editosials, though, by the
hour. When he stopped at the hotel he
would read the editorials in every paper
the first thing in the morning. He used
to say that mems views were all
he cared about. 1t made no differ
ence about the details of how thing
happened. If he knew the causes of If.
and the bearing it would have upon
matters in general, that was all he
wanted to know.
General Mcclellan was Just the OPP
posite. He cared more about the cir
cumstances of good story than about
the result Ii he knew that a certain
bill was passed or defeated in congress
he would read all about its career, and
then form his own judgment. McCiel-
Ian. OF course. respected the opinions of
others, but he always made it rule to
be self-reliant in thought as well as in
action. On certain occasion. few
years before the war; Mcclellan and
Greeley were both staying at the hotel.
They were fast friends. One evening
the conversation turned upon the slay-
cry question, and Air. Greeley who was
an ardent admirer of Wendell Phillips,
called General McClellan's attention to |
an attack made against his character in
leading New York paper. 1t had
grieyed Horace so that he almost shed |
tears. Mcclellan burst into a hearty |
laugh. and, turning to Mr. Greeley, |
rather pontedly, asked him if he hadn't |
had experience enough to know that it
mattered little what any newspaper said |
about a man. Horace was shocked at |
such an unexpected remark, and |
couldn't be made to believe that the
general meant it.