The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-06-29
Grown Of Australia.

i is surprising how very few A .
are capable of making lasting impress
sions upon acquaintances. We meet
and greet great men, bright men, jolly
men, but straightway they are gone
W forget all about them except as
they may be recalled by some crrcum-
stance entirely extraneous from our
personal interest in them. But Brown
OF Australia, OF whom a writer ia the
Phipadelphia Press tells this story,
certainly seems to be one Of the men
not easily forgotten.
A gentleman told me recently OF an
instance Of a peculiar unanimity Of
opinion among a lot Of prominent
men on a question where one might
naturally expect to fndsa wide differ.
ence Of thought. The point Of agree
ment was as TO the most brilliant
conversationalist whom the members
OF the gathering had ever heard, My
friend said; II was once sitting In the
captains cabin of the steamship In
diana OF the American line, talking
with Capt. Sergeant Of the many
prominent people be had had under
his charge during his long life on the
ser. II have had a great many inter-
ssting people cross with me- said the
captain, statesmen, actors, writer's.
professional men of prominence and
men OF the world who have seen
every part Of il, but the
most entertaining passenger / ever
met vas a lawyer from Mel
bourne, Australia. named Brown. He
was, without doubt, themost brilliant
conversRtionAlist / ever listened to-
My friend said that the distinction
given this unknown lawyer struck him
as somewhat remarkable and caused
him to remember the name. He was
still more surprised, therefore, when q
year later he heard Joseph Jefferson
at a dinner given him ia this city, Ell
press as his opinion that among all
the bright takers he had ever met ID
this or any other country the same
prominent lawyer Of Melbourne was
the most brilliant. 1t was not that
he said witty things every now and
again, but that his conversation Was
one continual flow Of queer c~onceits,
bright epigrarns and bon mots whicA
came so easily and were so free from
bitterness or sting that they had q
charm and freshness seldom found in
the conversation Of professional q
contours.
Brown OF Melbourne became a dis
tinguished man in the eyes OF the gem
tleman, who had twice heard his prais-
es sung by so able critics. but he vas
still to hear OF him again. One even
ing several years egoy while dining
with the Savage club inLondon, when
Byron, author OF the comedy OF "Our
Boys" w. s. Gilbert and other good
takers we're at the table. g battle OF
words took place between Robertson,
the author Of School and caste"
and another gentleman possessing no
mean powers OF repartee. Ny friend
was greatly pleased With what he heard
and expressed his admiration OF the
brightness Of the speakers 81 q gentle
man sitting next to him. 4Yes. said
the Enqlishman, tthey talk well, but
we had a queer chap here from the
provinces once that made them ell
TO their laurels. He was by long
odds the most brilliant fellow / ever
heard talk. His name was Brown and
he came from Melbourne II IS not
unnatural for three people even of
wide experience to agree on the same
novelist actor or singer, but II struck
me that che story was interesting if
only as a. comSidlnce, and though
Brown OF Melbourne hasnot vet visit.
ed this country.