Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-06-30
GREELEY'S ROMANCE.
AN IMPATIENT AND UNCONVENTIONAL
YOUNG LOVER
The Attire in Which BE Presented Himself Before the
Flalcse He Had Never Seen-It Was All
the Same to Him, but ShsF
Differently.

Mrs. RhOda E. White in the New York
sun writes the following story of Horace
5reeley's romantic marriage:
In 1884 my husband, the late Judge
James W. White, came to New York by
ldvicr of Charles OCOnor, whom he con-
suited, to commence his practice of law,
and to take his chance of success in the
field with other young men OF his age. he
was fortunate enough to form a partner
ship with Samuel Sherwood, one of the
then most distinguished lawyers of the
city. NV father, Gen. Thomas G.. Water
man, Of Binghsmton, had studied law with
Samuei Sherwood in Delhi, and had be-
come his warm friend. His letter of in
PRODUCTION of Mr.. White led TO the part
nership in business.
In 1885 Mr.. White went to New Orleans
to commence the great suit of the then
Mrs. William Clark Whitney against the
executors Of her fathers will, who, it was
alleged bad embezzled the property of
Daniel Clarke, deceased. William Whit
ney was the son of Gen. Whitney, of Bing-
hamton, my grandfather, who employed
Mr.. White as attorney TO begin the suit
that would be the greatest on record in
America, owing TO the immense amount
of money and the miles of landed
property involved. Mr.. White
filed his bill, proving the marriage of
Daniel Clarke, and the probate Of a will
by the executors, which was not his law
fol testament. We returned to New York
in 1886 and looked around for a house.
The lower part of Greenwich street, near
the Battery, was the locality most de-
sired at that time for private residences.
A large fOur-story brown stone house with
a circular front attracted our attention.
There was only one fault TO be found: it
was very large, built in English fashion,
with high ceilings and consequently long
staircases.
Mr.. White had met Mr.. Greeley there, a
youg man from the country who was bold
enough to start a newspaper in the city,
and this brave adventurer did not stop
there in his reckless grasp at fortunes
gifts. He had just returned from the
South, where he had married young lady
Of the North who was spending year with
some Southern friends. She was very
Young, handsome, and attractive. One OF
her friends, from whom 1 learned these
facts. told me that she admired Miss Che
uey very much, and knew but one man
who would be the one to win her heart and
band; that man was the young journalist,
Horace Greeley. She set to work, as
some women foolishlY do, to bring
about the union. Mr.. Greeley and Miss
Cheney had never met. The matchmaker
told her story Of the young lady with
skill to the innocent young cOuDtryman,
and so awakened his desire to become &C
quaiuted with the young lady that he al
lowed his friend to write to Miss G. that
he would like very much to correspond
with her. Her letters to the mutual friend
were written with q frankness and origin
nlitv seldom found, ard rather pleased
the young man to whom thsy were shown
and. having no experience or knowledge of
the mysteries of the female heart, he was
easily caught in loves net. His friends
remarked the symptoms of the increasing
fever. and lost no opportunity to laugh at
the poor fellow. Miss @. enjoyed
the innocent pleasure Of correspondence
with the gifted young journalist, and
ought to have known the danger, but the
letters we're so delightful, each one grow
ING more and more attractive, and at last,
Mr.. Greeley, in the simplicity of his hon
est nature. avowed that his heart and his
life he offered to Miss c., and begged that
She would accept them, unworthy as they
we're. &c. He had been told by his friend
that she was beautiful and very young 1t
was not necessary, this friend thought, as
sbe told me. to describe Mr.. Greeley. So
love born in Mics c. g heart, from the letters,
allowed her to picture him as fancy dicta-
ted. After a suitable time had passed, 1t
was arranged between them that Mr..
Greeley should go South and spend one
dav. be married and return North lmme-
distely. His paper demanded this unro-
mantle haste. But Mr.. Greeley was not
romsntic; he was severely matter of fact.
Miss Cheney was in every respect the OPP
nosite of her lover. In the warmth OF her
vouthful enthusiasm she had clothed him
vith nersonal beauties and graces that
we're justified by the adornments OF his
as seen in his letters.
He announced to his companions that
the fortunate event of his life was near at |
hand. and that a short absence must be al
lowed TO him to bring home his young |
wife The hour of their first meeting was
the one which both parties anticipated
with a strange feeling Of curiosity, but
neither doubted the full satisfaction to be
realized. 1t was a dangerous experiment
and a severe test of love. They met,
and stood face to face Miss G. had with
womanly coquetry decked herself to meet
her lover, and looked charming In his eyes,
more than fancy had painted her. de
food speechless moment, while her large
brown ewes opened wide in utter amaze
ment. scanning the figure before her from
mead to foot. and remaining in state OF
almost breathless bewilderment, as II I'M
abie TO believe her sight, so entirely was
he mike what she had imagined
His flax-white hair was long and fell
arornd his neck loosely, his face was fair
as woman's and its expression was the
mirror of a noble heart, his chin was
iimpled and on mis- mouth sat the hrm-
ness of his manly character that redeemed
the face from effeminscy. But the figure
IF Mr.. Greeley, the young man before her,
was TO her painfully without grace, his
goicewas in the extreme drawing and
nasal. and there was in bis manner a total
disregard of conventional rules of cere-
nOny.
Miss @ could not conceal her disappoint-
nent but they sat down in the most mat
.er-of.fact way to arrange the business
mart of the immediate marriage. Mr..
5reeley had travelled by land several days
md presented himself in all the haste oil
N imnatiept lover to his lady, without
hanging his apparel OF even thinking Of
mis- appearance, and his delight with her
was so great that he failed to see the effect
nis presence had produced upon her. Her
almost utter inability TO speak was attrio-
ltedtn a natural timidity on the occasion.
AN~NAN' - !