The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1878-04-03
Personal NJ ecollectiens ofDisfin-
gni~hed Wen.
RY rms rAr CONTRIBUTOR.


The last time met Socrates he was on his
way to take teA-hemlOck tea thinS-wlth
the Sheriff Of his county. He recognized me.
gave me little hemloek bough, and passed on.
We boys felt very bad when we heard they had
seed il 10 old Socrates. tor We liked hin.
Was with julius Caesar when he passed the
Rnhicun. He held good hand. and told him
he hSd better order it up. hut he passed. The
result is well known he lost the game
Alexander the Great and myself were school,
mates We were brought un little girls together.
He used to amuse himself, | remember, by
smashing up all the globes in school, and then
sa, down and cried because there we're no more
worlds TO conquer. | happened TO be with him
when he cut the Gerimn Knot May Others
had tried in vain TO do it, Ii was knot Tor
joe" Smart Aleck came along ami cut II first
time trying with patent corn-entIer.
Nero had one OF the most delicate orCaniza-
| tons ever knew, and Seenly sympathised With
/ human woes. have seen him sit IN the amphl-
theatre at Rome, and weep bitterly when cap
/ tives we're torn in pieces by wild beasts. Il is a
base SANDER 10 say he 6ddled while Rome was
/ burning He belonged TO 6rs engine company,
and saw him working at the brakes myself,
Some one saw him as he helped 10 break r
down. aud in the excitement of the moment,
thought be was adding and reported.
| knew Shakespeare as long ago as when he
tended store Tor the Merchant of Venice. and
I sold the Prints Of Denmark by the yard. He
was an honest lad with the yard-stlck. giving
/ Measure for Measure He always wanted to be
an actor aud kept quoting Shakespeare TO Gus
TONERS. People used to ieer At him for 1t
/ h,ve even seen the King Lear. Shakespeare only
/ lsaghed and said they we're making Much Ado
About Nothing, adding. you can haze ii As
You Like it."
da associated his name with certain Merry
Wives of Windsor; his employer raised such a
Tempest shout his ears that he ran away and
Joined variety company. He made his debut
as first grave-digger in 0thelo. He was the
frs; grave-digger ever saw, and Richard the
[ Third
Shakespeare was failure as an actor. as
sisted him all could. but be couldn't speak the
speech as | pronounced it to him. ,ripplngly on
the tongue. although he tripped often euough on
hIs ieet. He sawed the air too much with his
hand SAW thus; while iC the torrent. tempest
and beg leave to add. whirlwind of his pas
sion be neglected 10 form and beget temper
ance that would give il smoothness. No, VIII
liam was not a temperance man. He never
signed the pledge and got medal with other
peoples bnsineSs)
Failing as an actor, Shakespeare took TO adopt
ing Boucieault's plays translating them from
the original Chociaw. aud soon found the road
to fame and fortune His plays have had great
run. have seen them when they run every
body out of the theatre. The least meritorious
oil Sbakspeare's plays was his play upon words.
He often used to tell me that he envied me my
talent IN that particular.
Columbus was mild sweet-dispOsitioned,
bat exceedingly thoughtful boy, as | remember
him at school. When We boys we're out playing.
be would sit and weep for hours over the incom-
pleteness of the map of the period. He felt as
though something was wanting. Tie wasn't sat
is6ed with three-quarters Of globe, such as was
employed ST the schools a: that time. He pined
for the other quarter. ! reeoilect his borrowing
a quarter OF NE on two or three occasions.
He used TO tell Us we were continent out,
somewhere. and that when he got big enough he
meaOt TO run away from home "a on the canal
and discover it; but We only laughed at him,
liule thinking he would give his name to the
State Capital of Ohio.
| lost all traces of Christopher until years
afterwards. when the telegraph brought the an-
uOnncement Of his having discovered America,
which. up to that time had successfully eluded
the most persistent efforts Of our best discover
ers.-Ciocinnau Saturday Night.