The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-29
s3ohIis acInIs 4 NOM RoarNDA
Old Major Throok morton and Charles Dick.
eus.Coi Dick Wintersnith and the Attache
Jenny LIMBS Trip up the MissIssippI.

Old Major Thro,kmottan and Charles Dick
ens.-CoI. Dick Winter-mith and the Attache
Jenny LIMBS Trip up the MissIssippI.
LoUIsviLLE, Dec. 24-Old Major Throck-
norton who Kept the Gait House here for
years, is dead. but the memory Of him survives.
1t WINS the MDior who said TINT the turkey was
very inconvcnicnt bird-tOo largo for one and
not large enough for two. When Charlie. Dick
ems visited this country in 4G. hc meant 10 staya
day ortwc in Louisville, and. of course. but upnt
the Gait House He had been well settled in
his room in the second story only nm hour or
two when the. Major. u bosom friend OF Henry
Clny md on terms Of more OF less intimacy with
every notable man in the South. sent in his
namo to the novelist and followed It a moment
after in person. Mr.. Dickens" he began
extending his hand. "wo are glad to welcome
You. We know you and admire YOU. and will
reckon IL Il privilege 10 he allowed to extend TO
you the Inequalities OF the metropolis OF Ken
lucky. As your especial host. beg that you
will command me for any service in my power
10 ren1or"
Mr.. Dickens received this with frigid stare
when nood you. landlord" ho said. point
ing to the door " will ring"
The Major was for an instant paralyzed.
Then he rushed at his guest caught him by one
leg and tho shoulder. and had him half way out
in the room could interfere and save tho
Englshmans life. Mr. Dickens left town the
same day. and the only mention that he made
in his American Notes " Of Louisville was to
refer to u casual pig that he saw roofing in the
street rs he was on his way to take the river
steamer.
Around the Major at the Gait House was coll
lected crowd Of cOngenial spirits most Of
whom arc now dead or scattered. Among them
was Col. Richard Mintersmiih. now believe.
resident OF Washington. He was Secretary OF
state of Kentucky in those days but whom the
war broke out. went South with BRECKENRIDGE
and Preston and tho rest. He was great
friend Of Breckenridge aud warm advocate OF
that gcntlcman's claims to Dc made President
Of the southern Coniedcracy One day in the
Gait House. just before the Kentucky party
started South, breckenridge came up to q group
Of which the Colonel was the centre. sat down
on his knee threw his arm about his neck and
said Dick. when | am President | want you
to ask Tor any Office you want. and It's yours"
No oilice for me. Mr. breckenridge. said the
Colonel; 9" but when YOU are President there is
ono thing Id ike for you to do. I want you to
come to me Ia some public place like this. sit
down on my knee. put your arm around my
neck. and Just call me Dick That's all. Ill
take care OF the rest"
heard another story OF Col. Dick IN the Gait
House the other night. where stories of him are
told without number. IL appears that the Col
oncl WAS on his way down Pennsylvania avenue
with his wife 10 call on Mr.. and Mrs. Hayes.
just before them was slight and uuders ized
nttachc OF one of the foreign legations. Col.
Wintersmth is over six feet tail. and large in
proportion. Mrs W. made some remark which
the iorriEner overheard and cons dered Insult
ing. He turned n"rHoiy on the Colonel.
mold you responsible FOR thnt. SIR. 10 snd.
mold you responsible rs this lady's hus-
No you don't" replied Col. Richard. who
WAS "a particularly gallant soldier during the
war 40. Sir. she's got father and she's
got brothers. Go 10 them. I'm no blood re-
Col Dick had his Joke. and the town laughed
the foreigner out 81 his craving for gore.
An9!her boon comnnnion of the old Major
WAS capt. ~. tlnir IhpmuSson. commander II
one OF The great Nj ss ipp steamers in the days
whom there were no railroads 10 New Orleans
ana wien TRIP down the river was the thing
Tor every rich planter aud his family Ia take
each winter. IL WAS no uncommon occurrence
Tor ono pnrty-especiply u bridal party--to re-
cure every stateropm on board. and make the
six days voyage u journey worth remembering
Among the negro walters there were always
half dozen musicians or more, and with this
band there was had u dance each evening, with
sometimes II concert in the ladies' cabin. when
high-born ladies' sang sentimental songs alter
nHteS Win the plantation melodies VI the dur-
kcY walters.
met the old Captain the other evening In the
river. but spends his summers in Saratoga and
ms winters in Louisville or New Orleans. He
T. known To nbout everybody In the Southwest
lie Or -ses WIN s"rupulOus nentncss. wears
an old iashioncd collar. around which IL wound
a brilliant red cravai aud Is full Of stories Of
steam boating days. l asked him n tho ucwsna-
per story WIS true. sand 20 have been told by him
several years ago. that he WAS with Jenny Lind
NJ Niagara when the great sonEStrt.ss dropped
on her kuecs nj the brink OF tie cataract and
with streaming eyes. thanked God that he had
youchsale 10 her the sight OF 30 grand an ex-
"a M
Yes" said the Captain; that was in the
early spring OF SO and there was an icy mantle
half way down the falls from the edge aud
Ereat misses oi Ice sprlhRlnR up from the bel
OF the river below To- meet the water IA II fell. 1t
was magnificent. and the. great hearted lady
could not RESTRAIN herself ~ She saw il.
never shall forget her prayer 10 be made a bet
ter Wornan-io be made able 20 serve the Maker
81 80 wonderlul world ia the way that She
should Mcn uncovered our heads as she kneit
there. and think am the better man for that
We had been together. then for nearly a
month. | had Miss Lind and her patty as
Lassengers from New Orleans 10 Louisville
The trip down ] had carried hundreds Of the
FIRST people OF the south 10 hear her sing in
New Orleans, They had come all the way from
Memphis and Little Rock and Nicksburg hut
a seat TO be had for love or money. So many IL
them came back with me unsat!shed-they had
Lind than 10. stay for the Mardi Gras
and all that In New Orleans. When. We
one of Tie ladies-she was n Great belle In
her day. tho daughter Of Senator and after
wards the wife oi one OF our foreign Ministers
came To me and asked whether II was really
true that Miss Lind meant 10 keep her stiteroom
all the way 10 Memphis.
." OF course not said l. Everybody comes
10 dinner on my boat
Those were simple times. The Captain Of n
Mississippi steamboat WINS n person Of more
cohsequcnc". even, than the commander Of an
ocean steamer j. to-day. and Cant. ThOmass0n
Father Of Waters.
-" OF course not. She'll be ut dinner to-day.
Then | went to Barnum-B arnum. the show
man, who was managing Miss Lind.
Barnum. sad |. Is Miss Lind getting
ready for dinner:
Barnum looked up surprised Why. no
said he; Miss Lind eats her meals In her
room,
" Not on my boat, said / for you see dldn' I
want to disappOint the Indies We'll I3arpum