The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-27
GREELEy,s HANDWRITING.
How its Ilicgibility Was Turned to
Account by IA Manager of n Country


Account by IA Manager of n Country
Fair.
From tho Sun.
Every compositor who ever put in
type any OF Horace Greeley's copy will
certify to the fact that his handwrit-
ing was almost illegible. 1t was the
despair of the composing room, ana
even Greeley himself couldn't always
decipher 1t. A man who was many
years ago president of the Oswego
County Agricultural association, said
several days ago that he had good
reason on one occasion to be thanktul
that Mr. Greeley's writing was hard to
decipher. This fact secured for him
a star attraction at the fair which be
could not have obtained otherwise
The association of which he was presi-
dent made a great effort each year TO
outdo rival associations in its fair, and
one of its regular attractions was q
distinguished speaker who delivered
an address to the crowd on any sub
ject that he might select.
when | was made president" said
the eX-ofIlcer of the association" was
young and ambitious. | wanted to
give the best fair that ever had been
held at Oswego Falls, and l was Will
ing to work hard to accomplish such
result. Long beforehand ] stirred up
the farmers to raise big squashes and
pumpkins, and 1 prepared a. good
schedule of horse races. l secured a
man to make a balloon ascention, and
all that was lacking in my programme
was the speaker At that time Mr.,
hn ~
man in the United States. We all
wanted to see him and hear him
speak. He was a very busy man, how
ever, and l knew that we had about
one chance in ten of securing him. !
determined to take that chance. After
much preliminary thought and many
consultations with others, l prepared d
and sent to him a very creditable in
vitation to attend our fair and deliver
an address on any subject that nc
chose. | assured him that he would
find only friends in his audience, and
/ said that we had long looked fQl
such an opportunity to hear him. Two
days later the village postmaster told
me that he had a letter that he
thought was addressed to me. | had
heard IL good deal about Grceley's
handwriting, and l knew at once that
this was my reply from Mr.. Greeley
When | opened the envelope ! found
a sheet of paper on which were irregu.
lar scrawls that | couldn't deCipher
With several of my friends / puzzled
over it a long time, but l couldn't reat
it, | remembered that the editor OF
our paper had at one time been famil'
lar with Mr. Greeley's handwriting
and | took the letter to him. He was 6
little out of practice, but he deCiphereC
it after half an houh'S examination
| Mr.. Greeley regretted that he was un
able to accept our invitation. Tha
was a great disappointment to me
| thought it over, and suddenly i
dawned on me that there was just {
chance that / might by strategy ge
Mr. Greeley to Oswego Falls after all
l sent him another letter that mus
| have staggered him. Mr.. Greeley wal
well aware of the fact that his writ.
| ing was almost illegible, and he wa
| never much surprised when his letters
were misconstrued. I simply took ad
| vantage of that, and in my second let
| ter | thanked him for accepting ou
! invitation. To leave him no loophol,
! gun to distribute handbills announcinl
the fact that he was going to deliver
| the address at the fair. and | added
that / had ordered the printers I,
| place his name in big letters on ou
| three-sheet posters. / knew that whel
| he got my letter he would conclud
| that we had read his letter declining
! the invitation as a letter of accept
| ance,and | hoped when he learned how
| far we had gone with our printing
| that h would conclude to come. w
! received no reply from Mr.. Greeley
Lut from time to time we sent hin
| our posters and information about tn
fair and the town. y week before tn
day set for the address we sent him
! time table and told him on what trail
we should look for him. I was uneas.
| all this time, because l knew that i
! Mr.. Greeley didn't turn up | shoul
| be blamed. When the day for tn
great event arrived l went to the sta
! tion to await the train. Sure enough
! Mr.. Greeley was on board. ] introduc
cd myself to him as the man who ha
sent him the invitation and who ha
| received his very kind acceptance
Mr.. Greeley looked at me closely an
there was a suspicion of a smile on hi
face.
You had no difficulty in readin
my letter. he said
| "'Well it was q little hard to deci
pher it at first, ! replied, and we wer
in doubt for a few minutes whethe
you had said "Yes" or mo" to our in
VitatiOn. When we did decipher tn
letter we were very much pleased t
find that you had agreed to come
" 'EIumph! said Mr. Greeley expires
sively. You ordered your posters a
once, didn't yOu?'
YES | replied, we wanted ever
one to know what an attraction W
had 10 Offer
Mr. Greeley again looked at m
| closely as If he were q bit suspicion,
He delivered the address, and tn
| largest crowd in the history of the as
sociation heard him. Whether or nc
he suspected the trick I had played o
him l never discovered. He intimate
to one of my friends that he had hi
suspicious, and he made the remar
that L would make an excellent pol
tician. That was his only commen
l still have Mr.. Greeley's letter an
any one who will examine il will sc
how easily it might have been mi.
taken for an acceptance"