Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-02-07
ONE OF eREELEYs LETTERS
It cc~id BE Read Upside Down ~
Well as Right Side Up.


Well ss Right Side Up.
Horace Greeley was noted for his
unreacable handwriting. and only one
printer on The Tribune could decipher
1t The Philadelphia Saturday Even
Ing Post tells how one OF Mr.. Greeley's
subscribers wrote to him for some adj
vice about hens, stating that he wished
TO go Into the poultry business. The re-
ply to the letter was as follows:
NEW YoRK. Sept. s.
The war was failure. hoped to see
Jen Davis I'm the White House young
man stands the best chance In Rhode Is
land The Tribune Is the poorest news
paper 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 wantT' he asked I'm a high keyed
voice without looking up or missing
a single pen stroke.
81 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," be returned.
jabbing and boring with the pen.
Il wrote to you few days ago, and
don't just understand your letter in
reply"
"whatd you write aboutr'
"Hens. r.
'Hens Certainly. My reply was
about hens. When you inquire about
hens. you get hens Ia answer. what'd
you expect-hippopotam
Pardon me, Mr.. Greeley, but you
did not write one word about hens.
have the letter IN my hand"
Read it," he snorted, beginning to
let up little on the pen.
"Very WELL" The letter was read.
You blistering idiotr' he screamed,
then whirled around and looked at the
visitor ferociously. "Give me that let
tery'
Rev. Mr.. Van Dee stepped forward
and handed 1t to him. He snatched it
| savagely. screwed up his eyes and be.
gan to study it. Gradually his face
heightened and grew blank. Then he
read it in low. squeaking voice as If
thinking aloud.
He paused. with his mouth half open.
and looked at the Rev. Mr.. Van Dee for
a full minute. Then he suddenly recov.
cred 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 minute or two Larlway sham.
bled In, wearing carpet slippers and
carrying blackened cob pipe I'm one
hand. He was short thickset. very
bald. and he looked at his chief belli-
cosely over pair OF misshapen iron
spectacles. evidently expecting row
about some mistake I'm his work.
us that my writing. Larkway9"
'Yes. sir"
"Read it"
NEW York. Sept. 8.
The war was a failure. 1 hoped TO see
Jeff Davis in the White House A young
man stands the best chance in Rhode Is-
land. The Tribune IS the poorest news
paper In New York Yours truly,
HORACE GREELEY"
AS he finished Greeley sank back i'm
his chair helplessly.
I'm done fori'' he gasped feebly.
II
ward step, exclaiming:
Hold on! There's n mistaken had
1T wrong end up.' He seized the let
ter, gave Ii quick turn and then read:
"CuAPPAouA. Sept. s.
Dear Sir-You will find the Brahmas
best for your purpose. Leghorns are good
layers. but they require a high fence IL
you decide on Leghorns. you can clip one
wing. Please report how you succeed.
HORACE GREELEY"
As he finished Greeley sat up in his
chair as IL made OF tempered steel
springs. He turned his blazing eyes on
the quaking visitor and In a voice
which put his teeth on edge cried:
go back TO Duchess county, young
mani Go back to Duchess county,
Stay there! Get down on your hands
and knees and see IL you can learn
from your hens how TO pick gravell
Keep at IT."