The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-12-20


 bered ten times that amount. While this was being done in New York the prince, under the title of Lord Renfrew and supposedly incog, was making rapid tour over the states, being enter tained by Buchanan at the White House and hobnobbing with the old bachelor president whom he pronounced "a deuced good old chap" He finally ar- rived in New York on the 10 or nth of October, and was received at Castle Garden by Mayor Fernando Wood and the Common Council and then went out upon the Battery, mounted horse and reviewed the First Division under Gen. eral Sandford, who, as he always did, managed to get behind time, which dis appointed hundreds of thousands of peo- pie who, by reason of the delay, could not see in the darkening day the features of the young prince, but only saw young man in the British uniform riding in an open carriage, afterwards brought, drawn by six horses, occasionally lowing, hat in hand, to the immense crowds who so enthusiastically cheered him from the Battery to the Fifth Avenue hotel. All this time there was some little trepidation lest some insult might be offered him by some ofher majesty's discontented sub. jects along the line, but this was moi realized. Then came the ball the next day, and it seemed as if every ugly, elderly woman had got there, accom- panied by every old fogy in New York, and every woman old and young, wanted to dance with the prince; and this matter was referred to William Butler Duncan still alive, believe-who picked out of the aspirants the lucky ones. The only unfortunate incident during this ball was the breaking through of a por- tion Of the floor, consequent upon the crowd that collected about the prince wherever he went, but no one was hurt and the panic was immediately stayed.
 The most extraordinary part of this ex- traordinary reception was the fact that of the money subscribed to carry ont this ball only two thirds was used, the other third being returned by the treasurer to the subscribers.
 As the result of speaking of the prince ot Wales we are led ts think of other of our distinguished English visitors. have already spoken of Charles Dickens, who never could entirely do away with the venom generated by his first trip to America, though the overwhelming at- tention, financial especially, with which he was received on the last completely dlsarmed him, as it has many more of our British cousins among the rest Ihackeray, who without the slightest doubt, had he failed in the purpose of his visit-to lecture-would have gone home and lampooned us to his hearts content.
 first saw Thackeray at Harper's, in the business office, think about twenty years ago, talking with MT. Fletcher liar per since dead. There was something about the man that immediately attracted my attention, peculiar way he had of looking over and under his spectacles, and manner of laughing without laugh ing, or what would call spoken laugh, without any inward cachinnltion. had seen his portraits and knew that he was Tn this country, and felt sure that it must be he. An introduction followed, and was made known to him by the title of l had once written, and which ! he professed in very effusive manner to h ave read, but left an impression on my mind that it was mere hattery, and that he would have said the same thing to any one else in the same tone oi voice and | manner. l had many opportunities afterwards of seeing Thackeray, and hay ing long talks with him, but confess | never got rid of that first impression, though he was certainly charming in his | conversation and manner. felt as a friend, to whom was once saying some thing complimentary about himself, re- piled, know it isn't true, my dear fel- low, but like to hear you say it."
 But one reminiscence brings on another, and l cannot help thinking of several brilliant men who have left England and Ireland, especially the last, to lay their bones in this country, and some that have not done the latter but are sure to. Who | IS there now to remember poor William North who wrote book that excited all England forty years ago entitled "Anti- Conlngsby," came to this country for some reason, which believe to have been love reason, wrote here novel called ' Slave of the Lamp," which had great success, went to his room one day and took drop or two of poisonous acid, ~nlSn hC dIWdyS CarTleQ With hlm ready | for use, and dropped instantly dead, so quickly that he had not time to reach his bed from the bureau, where he was sup posed to have swallowed it2 talked ! with him jollily an hour before.
 Another. Charley Halpine (Miles O'Reilly), who was supposed to have suicide, a supposition never lndulged in, for the simple reason that the motive was wanting. He had just at-f tained high office, register, saw wealth before him, was apparently happy in his family relations, though that is something that no man ever can pronounce on for \ any one, hardly for himself, and with everything about him seemingly to live for, and yet he left his jovial companions, went to his room, took chloroform and was found dead few hours later.
 Again, Fiu James O'Brien, a real genius, who wrung a hard living out of publishers, and when the war broke out was found in the union army doing his best Tor the country that had received him