The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1897-07-10
SECURED GREELEY.
HOW THE GREAT EDITORS HAND.
WRITING SERVED A TURN.


Every compositor who ever put in
type any of Horace Greeley's copy will
certify to the fact that his handwriting
was almost illegible. 1t was the despair
OF the composing room, and even Gree
ley himself couldn't always decipher it.
A man who was many years & presi-
dent of the Oswego County Agricultural
association said several days ago that he
had good reason on one occasion to be
thankful that Mr.. Greeley's writing
was hard to decipher. This fact secured
for him a star attraction at the fair
which he could not have obtained other
wlSe. The association OF which he was
president made a great effort each year
to outdo rival associations in its fair.
ami II of its regular attractions was a
distinguished speaker who delivered an
address to the crowd on any subject that
he might select.
When l was made president, said
the ex-officer Of the association, II was
young and ambitious. [ wanted to give
the best fair that ever had been held at
~ AuAtc, ~ 1 Wa NIllllR u
work hard to accomplish such a result.
Long beforehand stirred up the farm
ers to raise big squashes and pumpkins,
and ! prepared a good schedule Of horse
races. | secured a MAJ to make a bal
Icon ascension, and all that was lacking
III my programme was the speaker.
AT that time Mr.. Greeley was the
NEST conspicuous man in the United
States. We all wanted to see him and
hear him speak. He was Il very busy
man, however, and | knew that we had
about L chance in ten of securing
hl;l. 1 determined to take that chance.
Alter much preliminary thought and
many consultations with others I pre.
pared and semitic him a very creditablo
invitation to attend our fair and deliver
an address on any subject that he chose.
/ assured him that he would find onIy
frleads III his audience, and I said that
we had long looked for such an oDpor-
tuRlty to hear him. Two DAYS later the
village postmaster told me that he had
Il letter that he thought was addressed
TO me. l had heard a good deal about
Greeley's handwriting, and [ knew al
once that this was my reply from Mr..
Greeley. When / opened the envelope, |
found a sheet OF paper on which were |
irregular scIawls that I couldn't de-
cipher. With several of my friends |
puzzled over it a long time, bat I could
not read it. remembered that the ed
ltor OF our paper had at 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-
cIphered 1t after half an hours exami-
nation. Mr.. Greeley regretted that he
was unable to accept our invitation.
That was 4 great disappointment to me.
| thought it over, and suddenly it
dawned on me that there was inst a
chance that might by strategy get Nj. /
Greeley to Oswego Falls after all. ]
sent him another letter that must have
staggered him. Mr.. Greeley was well
aware Of the fact that his writing was
almost lllegible, and he was never
much surprised when his letters Were
mlsconstrued. | simply took advantage
OF that, md in my second letter | !
thanked him for accepting cur invita-
ton. To leave him no loophole for es.
cape, told him that we had begun to
distribute handbills announcing the
fact that he was going to deliver the
address at the fair, and I added that |
mad ordered the printers to place his
name i'll big letters on our three sheet
posters, | knew that when he got my
letter he would conclude that we had
read his letter declining the invitation
as a letter OF acceptance, and | hoped
when he learned how far we had gone
with Il printing that he would con-
clude to come.
I'VE received no reply from Mr..
Greeley, but from time to time we sent
him caf 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 OH what
train we should look for him. | was
uneasy all this time, because I knew
that If Mr.. Greeley didn't turn up ]
should be blamed. When the day fo1
the great event arrived, / went to the
station to await the train. Sure enough,
Mr.. Greeley was on board. I 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 a suspicion of a smile Oh his face.
"'You had NJ difficulty in reading
my letter. he said.
"HWell, it was a little hard to deci-
pher it at first, | replied, and we were
IN doubt for a few minutes whether you
had said Yes or NO to u invita-
ton. When we did decipher the letter,
we We're very much pleased to find that