The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-21
THE HON. HENRY W. GRADY.
A Pen Picture Of the Noted GeorR'" Edi-
tor and Orator.


ia hster The newspapers. without ex-
ception. also agree that his speech before
the Southern society sustains his reputa-
ton for brilliant oratory. rivaled. As yet.
bv no other Southcrncf
The term brilliant ~ applied 10 'rady
il expre,sive-i Its the man exactly. In
everything he undertakes there Il snap.
a Glowing audacIty which other public
men may poss,'s-. but which Is too IRE
ouent,y unaccnmpnied toy successful
achievement
Mr. Grady's Office is on the third iloor
Of The Constitution building. lie is very
accessible and wholly without the usual
trappings Of great man One Is in'arl'
ably struck with the baroness almost
carelessn,-.s. Of tile apartment II ad-
ioins that Of Mr. Harris r'Uncle Re
mus. who. it need scarcely he remarked.
is little more of an aesthetic than his
chief I'm the center Is long deal table,
generally used to r'ciine uiun- as there
are mo- chairs to be- acn Posted upon
the somewhat severe loDiiE- walls are
couple of colorcd chron0.. remarkable,
If nothing else. for their cNtrrin" map
propriaieness one of tlrm represents.
in all the color- az the liihogiaphers
command. a British naval veteran giziug
soulfully at his beloved Union Jack.
seated over patriotic scroll and legend
The other is a Partisan architectural de-
sign. There are NO books or even papers
visible.
Before one Of the windows stands "a
person Of medium height and somewhat
robust build. he has straight shiny
black hair. piercing black eyes Of the
same shade and swarthy skin. The
visitor has plenty Of time to study his
surroundings. as the gentleman at the
window takes no notice Of his entrance
whatever After a lapse Of some ten
or fifteen minutes be slowly turns
around and commences 10 pace up and
down the floor with his hands thrust
into his pockets Suddenly he stops and
turns on the stranger a cold inquiring
stare. and the query. What can do
for vouy" at the same time pointing him
10 a sent on the table He pulls out
spittoon for your benefit. and in few
moments YOU are chatting amiably with
the editor of The Atlanta Constitution, a
man who wiolds more power and IN
Auencc. both as am c'iiior and as a citi-
zen. than any ten other men in Georgia
combined
Gradys literary method is unique; in
fact. think it would be beyond most
men. He goes TO the window. stares at
"A brick house or cotton compress for
an hour or two. puts his main ideas in
shape. adjusts each sentence, and even
syllable. In It's proper order, mentally,
and then rattles the whole thing of to
his stenographer, rarely committing a
single error While under the influence
of am idea which he Is putting through
the literary process he is utterly Oblivious
TO his surroundings Sometimes the fit
strikes him underpcculiarcircumstances,
but the people of Atlanta are rather
proud Of this weakness than otherwise,
and delight in respecting it.
Mr.. Grady secretary. Mr. Halliday,
accompanies him everywhere. That
now famous editorial which completely
changed the attitude of The Constitution
upon the tariff question was dictated
upon the steps Of a Whitehall street car
which he had mconsciOusly signaled.
Ii is iokingy related that the car was
full at the time and that one of the pas
scngors who dared to murmur at the
stopraec was threatened with bodily in
jury if he opened his mouth. 1t is told
of Senator Edmunds, Of Vermont, apro-
pos Of his recent visit TO Atlanta, that a
crowd had gathered on one Of the prin-
cipal thoroughlarcs. and traffic was tenn
porarily Llochadcl The sad eyed SEN
ator asked his colOred driver what the
matter WAS
II 'slrcis its Misiah Grady, sahl lie
got one O. bis thinkin spells ag'm!" he
said as Doc turned the HORSES heads into
am adjoining street This is only sam
pie Of thc stories told at Grady's expense
The success of the Piedmont cXposi-
lion. the Georgia Chauiauqua and numer
Gus other enterprises is popularity cred
tied 10 his personal efforts. His latest
achievement we'll illustrates both Grady's
character and influence
For some m nths past movement has
been directed at Ncw York tOobtain sub
scripiions 10y public benefit and other
wise for tine erection Of am asylum for
the Confederate veterans residing in the
state of Texas Many noted men lent
thcirnamcs. including that old Union war
horse. Cen ohcrmau but the fund lag
gcd slowly. even pitiiuliy. along; Maj.
Stewart. the agent of theonterprise, sent
appeal after appeal, but still only a few
hundred dollars lay in the treasury.
Grady watched il from afar and chafed
under what he thought was a deep hui
initiation
Finally he could stand it no longer.
and late one night dashed of an editO-
rial. 1.-THE finest he ever wrote, said Mr.
Wallace r. Reed. the southern story
writer, as he told inc the incident It's |
lorcoand pathos were wonderful Come |
home Mag Joe Stewart" he said;
come home, and let our SCARED old vet
GRAMS relapse into the honorable obscu-
rity from which they should never have |
been dragged II was then proposed |
that Georgians build home for ;heir
handful of gray warriors. fast thinning /
out, TO live but few years more except |
in.the hearts of the people The ink was
scarcely dry when the money began 10 /
pile up in the Office Of the newspaper |
In fortnight among the very humblest
classes. nearly $4,000 had been raised
The home will be located near Atlanta
and the work is already in progress
b. II. W. son
Bald a. Ever. . carr,
An agricultural paper says: Gees lie
have their hair rubbed off. sho ling lit
tie patches of the skin. rub ON "a little