The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-05-05
JOE MuLHArroN, D. L.
Courier Journal 4

lIourier- Journal.
 The newspaper press has recently con- tained the record of an immense meteor. which, falling upon the humble Texan home of Mexican rancher. crushed i, 10 atoms, killing and burying the entire family. The meteor is represented as burylng itself two hundred feet in the earth. towering seventy feet above its sur face, and covering an acre of ground. which IS doing very we'll, as meteors go. II Is not to the credit of discerning tele- graph and managing editors that this piece of fiction should have been permit ted to attain the prominence of double ieaded matter. with the accomp anvins adjunct of displayed headlines.
 The author of the story is Joseph Null hatton a young Scotch -irishman. formerly of Louisville. nov of Galveston. Texas. As romancer, he cultiva,es a field en- tirely his own. and as an achaic discov- erer, he has few if any rivals in the field of scientltic imagination. For several years he has periodically surprised the world with his descriptions of encounters which never took place of caves which do not exist. and the mummihed remains ot people whs never lived. His hrst-pub- iished romance was that of the terrific en- counter of a drummer. of which gentle craft he IS one, with fierce robbers. on Big llfty bridge. on the C.. O. & 5. W. rail road. The valiant traveller promptly slew one ot his assailants, and. with su- perhuman efforts. threw the other to the bottom of the abyss. which yawned 700 feet below. Slngularly enough. the robber arose slowly to his feet. and painfully linped away. A Cincinnati shoe, pub iished this stuff. an enterprising reporter tor then existing Louisville evening pa. per rehashed il. and it was reproduced. to thedismay of the managing editor. who was temporarily absent. and who has not yet heard the last of it.
 Then strange new cave was discov- cred Tn Barren county. containing nu- merous mummiied specimens of a for mer race. differing from any CT known to have inhabited this or any her coun- try. These were described with minute ness ot detail calculated to deceive. and which did deceive thousands. The most widespread publicity was given to the discovery. and for months inquiries poured in from learned scientific bodies. both American and foreign. and the siaid old farmers Tn the vicinity of the alleged cave were daily surprised by the ar rival ei wondering tourists. anxious to be guided to this newer won der. which ds tar surpassed the Nam molh cave. as does that great marvel the ground-squirrel's burrow. ihis was followed in rapid succession by startling incidents of travel. daring midnight burslaries and an occasional wandering again into the fruitful fields of caveology, if the term is permissible. and the press continued 10 publish the mar vicious stories in good faith.
 Interviewed by one of his earliest journalistic victims, Mulhat,on said: II am not mere vulgar liar. am a romaneis,. differing only in the matter of form and substance from the novelist whom the world reads and admres. They cultivate the field of love and chiv- airy. My mind turns toward science. and If my imagination sees what is hid- den from you, why call me falsfier if g,ve my thoughts tangible shape and sub stance: You publish romantic episodes born of imagination every day-why not mine: have never written a word tha, could inJure any one, nor will I. It is too bad that the world should rudely call me lar when l am but an unpretend- ing romancist of school probably all my Own."
 While saying this the bright eyes of the really clever genius saddened as if he really did not know that he was perpe- tratlng joke on his hapless auditor. while he proved the truth of the assertion he made.
 A few months since Mulha,ton psb- lished handbill announcing his depart ure 10 Texas, made the rounds of the news paper ofhces, timidly laid a pleasant little gift on the desk of more than one fayor,te. promised to respect the high character of the paper for truth and uprightness by sending 1t nothing but truthful narrative. m the future, and with a tremor in the happy voice, said "good-5ye to each one, and was gone.
 That was several months ago and not until the giant meteor fell was Joe Null hatton more than a pleasant memory to the newspaper offices. No sooner had his latter romance appeared than each one Tn his old home, recognizing the evidences of his peculiar genius. gave fuii credit to the remarkable young author.
 Joe Mulhatton is not a bad fellow--he is just the reverse. He is an active. ener- getie, upright business man, and valuable to the house which commands his services. He is gentle in manner, gener- ous to fault. and romance he never so largely in his chosen field, his word. seriously gwen, may be implicitly relied upon. Though the press Is uniformly his victim, he has an honest liking for newspaper men, and is often abou, them. The world has thousands of men who would tell dozen falsehoods to earn penny. while Joe Mulhatton would scorn the thought of gaining thousands other