The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-08-11
SECURED GREELEY.
HOW THE GREAT EDITORS HAND
WHITING SERVED A TURN.


and Heard the Lion of the Day.
Every compositor who ever put IN
type any of Horace Greeley's copy viii
certify to the fact that his handwriting
was almost iIlegible. Ii was the despair
of the composing room, and even Gree
lev himself couldn't always dccipher It.
A man who was many years ago Iresi-
dent Of the Oswego CCunty Agricultural
association said several days ago that he
had good reason on one occasion to be
thankful that Mr.. Gpeeleys writing
was hard 10 decipher. This fact secured
for him star attraction at tho falr
which he could not have obtained other
wise. The association of which ne was
president made a great effort each year
70 outdo rival associations IN Its falr,
and one of its regular attractions was
distinguished speaker who delivered an
address to the crowd on any subject that
he might select
when 1 was made president, " said
the ex-officer of the association, Il was
Young and ambitious. / wanted 10 give
the best fair that ever had been held at
Osweco Falls, and / was willing TO
work hard to accomplish such result
Long beforehand l stirred up the farm
ers to raise big squashes and pumpkins,
and prepared a good schedule ot horse
races. / secured a man 20 make bal
loon ascension, and all that was lacking
in my programme was the speaker.
AT that time Mr. Greeley was the
most conspicuous man in the United
States. We all wanted 10 see him and
near him speak. He was very busy
man, however, and | knew that we had
about one chance in ten Of securing
him. l determined 10 take that chance
After much preliminary thought and
many consultations with others / pre-
pared and sent 10 him a very creditable
invitation TO attend cur fair and deliver
an address ON any subject that he chose.
l assured him that he would find only
friends in his audience, and / said that
we had long looked for such an oppoT-
tunity TO hear him. Two days later the
village postmaster told me that be had
a letter that be thought was addressed
10 me / had heard a good deal about
Greeley's handwriting, and knew at
once that this was my reply from Mr..
Greeley. When / opened the envelope, /
found a sheet of paper On which were
irregular scrawls that ] couldn't de
cipher. With several Of my friends /
puzzled over il long time, but could
not read il. I remembered that the ed
itor of our paper had ct one time been
familiar with Mr.. Greeley's handwrit
ing, and took the letter TO him. He
was a little out Of practice, but he de-
eiphered il after half an hours exami
nation AR. Greeley regretted that be
was unable 10 accept our invitation.
That was a great disappointment TO me.
l thought IL ever, and suddenly 1t
dawned On me that there was just
chance that | might by strategy get Mr..
Greeley to Oswego Falls after all l
sent him another letter that must have
staggered him. Mr.. Greeley was well
aware Of the fact that his writing was
almost illegible, and he was never
much surprised when his letters We're
misconstrued. / simply took advantage
Of that, and in my second letter
thanked him for accepting our invita-
tion. To leave him no loophole for es-
cape, told him that we had begun TO
distribute handbills announcing the
fact that he was going 10 deliver the
address at the fair, and / added that |
had ordered the printers to place his
name in big letters ON our three sheet
l,a~ h..
letter he would conclude that we had
read his letter declining the invitation
as a letter O. acceptance, ard / hoped
when he leaned how far we had gone
with our printing that he would con
clude TO co-le.
We received no reply from Mr..
Greeley, but from time TO time we sent
him cur posters and information about
the fair and the town. A week before
the day set for the address we sent him
a time table and told him on what
train We should look for him. was
uneasy all this time, because / knew
that if Mr. Greeley didn't turn up /
should be blamed. When the day for
the great event arrived, went 10 the
station to await the train. Sure enough,
Mr.. Greeley Was ON board | introduced
myself TO him as the man who had sent
him the invitation and who had re-
ceived his very kind acceptance. Mr.
Greeley looked at me closely, and there
was suspicion of a smile on his face.
You had no difficulty in reading
my letter.! be said
Well, it was a little hard to deci-
pher it at first. 1 replied, and we were
in doubt for few minutes whether you
mad said Yes" or NO 10 cur invita-
tion. When we did decipber the letter,
we Were gery much pleased TO find that
you had agreed to come.
HumphT said Mr. Greeley express
lively. You ordered your posters at
once, didn't your
Yes, / replied. we wanted every
one TO know what an attraction we had
TO offer
Mr.. Greeley again looked at me
closely, as If he were q bit suspicious
he delivered the address, and the
largest crowd in the history of the as
sociation beard him. Whether he
suspected the trick / had played on
him never discovered He intimated
20 one of my friends that he had his
suspicious. and he made the remark
that / would make an excellent politi-
clan. That was his only comment l
still have Mr. Greeley's letter, and any
one who Will examine il Will see how
easily 1t might have Lcen mistaken for
an acceptance New York SIM