The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-02-22
ONE OF GREELEYs LETTERS.

| Horace STeSl6y Was lOlto lot HIS
unreliable handwriting, and only one
Iprinter on the Tribune could decipher
it. The Philadelphia Saturday Even
ing Post tells how one of Mr.. Greeley s
subscribers wrote to him for some adj
lvice about hens, stating that he wish
go to go into the poultry business. The
reply to the letter was as follows:
New York, September s.
The war was a failure. 1 hoped to see
Jeff Davis at the White House. A
young man stands the best chance in
Rhode Island. The Tribune is the poor
est newspaper in New York. Yours
truly, HORACE GREELEY.
| The next day the puzzled subscriber
went to New York and called upon the
great editor
| well, who are you, and what do
you want?" he asked in a high keyed
voice without looking up or missing a
single pen stroke.
Il am Rev Mr.. Van Dee of Duchess
county, the subscriber answered,
keeping one eye on the door in case he
should become violent.
Never heard of you," he returned,
jabbing and boring with the pen.
Il wrote to you a few days ago. and
don't just understand your letter in
reply"
'.What'd you write about?'
Hens! Certainly! My reply was
about hens. When you inquire about
hens you get hens in answer. What'd
you expect-hippopotam
Pardon me, Mr.. Greeley, but you
did not write one word about hens. L
have the letter in my hand
Read it!'' he snorted, beginning to
let up a little on the pen.
Very we'll" The letter was read.
You b1istering idiot" he screamed,
!, i,-Io
visitor ferociously. Give me that let
teri
Rev 9-r. Va0 Dee stepped forward
and handed it 10 him. He snatched it
Savagely, screwed up his eyes and be-
gan to study it. Gradually his face
read it in low, squeaking voice as if
aloud.
He paused, with his mouth half open,
and looked at the Rev. Mr.. Van Dee
for full minute. Then he suddenly
recovered himself and struck bell. a
boy appeared, and he said:
Go up to the composing room and
ask Mr.. Larkway to come down here" |
The boy disappeared The visitor |
remembered having heard the name |
as that of the only compositor who !
could read Greeley's copy.
In a minute or two Larkway sham |
bled in, wearing carpet slippers and |
carrying a blackened cob pipe in one
hand. He was short, thickset, very
bald and he looked at his chief belli-
cosely over a pair of misshapen iron
spectacles, evidently expecting a row
about some mistake in his york
rs that my writing, Larkway?"
Yes. sir"
Read it,
New York, September s.
The war was a failure. / hoped to |
zee Jeff Davis in the White House
'oung man stands the best chance in !
Rhode Island The Tribune is the
poorest newspaper in New York. Yours
ruly, HORACE GREELEY.
AS he finished Greeley sank back in
lis chair helplessly.
I'm done for he gasped feebly.
Just then LarkWay took a quick for
ward step. exclaiming:
Hold on, There's a mistake, I had
t wrong end up.' He seized the let
er. gave it a quick turn and then
cad:
Chappaqua, September 8.
Dear Sir-You will find the Brahmas
est for your purpose. Leghorns are
GOD layers, but they require a high
ence. If you decide on Leghorns, you
an clip one wing. Please report how
GU succeed. HORACE GREELEY.
As he finished Greeley sat up in his
hair as if made of tempered steel
prings. He turned his blazing eyes on ! {
he quaking visitor and in a voice |
'hich put his teeth on edge. cried:
Go back to Dutchess county. young
IAN! Go back to Duchess county! =
tay there! Get down on your hands |
nd knees and see if you can learn |
rom your hens how to pick gravel, 1
-eep at it,"