Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-01-26
STORIES AssIr eREElEY.

Mr.. Greeley VS. q man OF many pec1-
hsrIties, sHe Of which was this-nsusely.
that While be seemed obiiysoas 10 VIA,
vas going 90 around hiD nothing really
escaped his observation In s railway
ear. for instance, be might be either
reading or sleepirg mcch Of the tune
bat not one Of all his fellow passengers
At the end Of the journey could tell ss
much Of the state Of the crops N the
territory through which he had passed.
de hsd full p5ssessiop OF his powers IN
der the raos, adverse circumstances IL
be had 4fteen or twenty minutes st
mmand while waiting for tram, and
nothing better for q table than an old
barrel. be would vrits I'D important
letter or editorial to be sen. back 20 the
TS-fSsns by the first mail. really think
he could have done II equally well II be
had been out Of doors aud IN toe teeth
OF stern uorteeas,er, WITH Nothing bat
stick for pen and beilam of noises
in his ears Ii Was his common habit,
Ehsn on the way TO Washiogt n, thus
to utilize the short stop in Phils.
delphia, 10 discharge his mind
OF some pressing topic be
read mnch while travelling, and
tue bore who veniured to interrupt
him at sncb times oft<u got an arrow
from bis q1iver that made him howl
Once, on board North River steamer.
an intrusive colporteur, who bad dis
covered his identity. undertook TO talk
with him on religion. he asked him a
series OF impertinsnt Questions, which
Mr.. Greeley answered IN monosy tables
without taking his eye OF bis book.
Finally. after q pause, came this inter
.k.-. 3 L., Il A..
Mr.. Greeley, have your children been
baptized?" .No," responded the much
pestered man quickly, but they have
me OF what he said TO the clergy of New
as 3 punishment for Sabbath breaking
in the calendar coolest astical. and pro-
posed day of fasting and prayer to
avert tbs Divine displeasure. Gentle
men," he said, "the ofenses you name.
however wrong, have nothing VA tever
TO do With the cholera. Not the profan-
alton of the Sabbath, nor even that of
Gods belly name, but the profane stinks
that load the atmosphere are the cause
Of cholera. II IS net day of fasting
and prayer that the city needs, bat the
Another popularity Of Mr.. Greeley
was his faculty of hearing what was
said in his presence while he was, to all
Appearances. soundly asleep. He vas
notorious for his habit of sleeping in
church, but his pastor knew that be Was
nearer, as well as doer of the word.
and ooald tell more about the sermon
than the most wide. awake member Of
his congregation. On one occasion, for
example, went with him to hear q spe
cial discourse from Rev. William II.
Claiming. 1t was in a ball on the west
side Of Broadway, above Central street.
We occupied a front seat, directly be-
fore the preacher, Who bad not spoken
ten minutes before the great white head
began to sway from side to side, as
heads will when men are asleep. His
condition was observed by those around
him, and especially by the preacher,
Who Was not little annoyed in finding
that his most distinguished parish
Toner was apparently not hearing
a word of his discourse. When
the service was over / walked With
Mr.. Greeley to the Tribune office,
where he at once sat down at bis
desk and vrste q sketch of the sermon
for the paper of the next day, SO clear
and accurate that Mr.. Charming told
me it WAS better than any thing he could
himself have furnished. On another
occasion Mr.. Greeley vac named among
half dozen speakers to address an
anti capital punishment meeting at the
old Apollo Hall on Broadway. There
was crowded audience, and the first
SPEAKER was we'll under way wnen
Mr.. Greeley arrived and was warmly
greeted as he made his way to the plat
form and took a seat where everybody
in the hall could see him. He had not
been long in his chair when the great
head began to bow and sway after the
usual fashion. The people smiled and
nodded to each other as they observed
the spectacle. Three or four spe akers
bad been heard, when there was a
cry of "Greeley Greeley J" His turn
to speak had come. Pulling himself up
he shambled to the front OF the plat
form, and, passing his big bapdanna
from hand to hand in an embarrassed
way, opened his month in a drawing
falsetto, thus: Ladies and gentle
men. there Is one branch of the great
subject that has brought rs together
tonight to which neither Of the pre-
vieus speakers have made any allusiop,
and to that propose to oonfine my re-
marks" This observation seemed 90
ludi lrous that the whole assembly broke
out in a loud guffaw, and then in
cheer that fairly shook the old hail.
And here | my say that Mr.. Greeley,
in spite of his extreme awkwardness Of
manner, vas q favorite as well az q
foreibis speaker. What he said was 20
pertinent to the subject in hand, 30 apt
and logical, and utter, d With such sin.
oerity, that be never failed to make an
enduring impression.
Mr.. Greeley vas q Up;versalist and
master Of all the defenses Of his faith;
bot upon most Qsestisns other than
that Of future punishment he was quite
orthodox. With retionalism. as repre-
scented by Theodore Parker. hs had but
little patience, and adhered to the old
theory of the inspir alton of the Bible as
senaciously as any Presbyterian. / once
heard him tell With great gusto story
which think he derived from bis pas
tor, DIR. Chaplin: Your Uncle James"
said father to his son, "thinks the
whole hdman family will go 10 heaven,
bat your mother and hope for better
thines" / shall never forget his in
tense enjoyment Of the Wit Of Phoebe
Cary, Who on one occasion, in her evn
house, when hard pressed by clerical
advocate Of eternal damnation, retort-
ed thus: Well, cir, II God ever sends
me to the place yea call hell, know
one thing beyond doubt, He will give
me q constitution 10 bear it," The
laugh that followed this sally vas led by
Mr.. Greeley. Who said aftefvard that
Phobe's VT had illuminated the whole
| subject.
Probably no man vas ever more hAr-
assed and tormented BY bores asd
cranks of oil sorts than be Wa. and
worst of all, he did not know how TO
defend himself against their assaults.
He vas % tender hearted taat bis hand
vent deep into his pocket at every tale
| OF distress, whether real OF fictitious.
He showed me oace pile Of notes and
o Us amounting IN the aggregate 10
the nominal value Of 5000. the whele of
which Sum had been lent by him 10 men
not enc In tveaty Of whom sver expect
| ed 70 DAY him Q can't. l asked him Why
he would lend bis money TO sush loaf
srs. OLIVER be said In q pathetic
tone, anybody vii lend to those Who
| can gay somebody mast lend to the
other fellows He would az any time
| run the city over 10 execute the eommis-
sions Of intraders having no claim spon
| hss attention. Occasionally, when his
/ ha