Wichita eagle., 1889-09-04
POSTMASTER HARKER.
He HAS HEARD MORE AFTER DINNER
SPEECHES THAN ANY OTHER MAN.
His "Reminiscences of Distinguished Diners.
Charles Dickens Was Ready Speaker.
Brought Out the Prince of Wales-Din-
ing 5000 Doctors.

but | am the queens baliln at the cen
trail criminal court, and am one of the
Oldest servants of the corporation"
How many dinners have you put
through in your official capacity:'
"Four thousand and ninety"
GHOST of the great speakers you have
heard take something to keep their voice
IN TRIM"
! "WeN, Disraeli, for instance, always
had his butler behind him with bottle
OF egg and sherry, which he had ready
mixed. Mr. Gladstone, | have noticed,
takes sherry, but no egg. The Prince of
Wales, he likes hook and champagne.
The Duke of Edinburgh, his servant al
ways brings his special brand with him
"a Russian champagne.
ALL TIE CROWNED HEADS.
well, Mr.. Harker, you have certainly
heard more after dinner speeches than
any man living. Will you offer some
criticisms
"Well, | suppose Charles Dickens was
as ready speaker as ever heard. The
words flowed out like stream, but lie
was not what | cali good after dinner
speaker. because he was so interesting
that you wished he would 90 on forever.
Now, that don't do for me, you know,
for | have to stand by with the watch"
THE stop watch, eh:''
Eyes; I've stopped Mr.. Gladstone be-
fore today" This in q confidential whis-
per.
"You don't say So"
"a fact When he is too long have
spoken into his ear, Time, sir! time,
and then he Stacks up. With ordinary
men | say it to the CHAIR not to let the
room hear me, you know. | never stop
a man at a charity dinner. 1t doesn t
do"
is the Prince Of Wales good speak
err
"a glorious fellow. If 1 had only a
sovereign in the world and he wanted
it, he should have it. Why, [ brought
him out in '63, and stood behind him
many time and oft Does he speak
from notes? Not in speaking OF himself,
never. He has slip of paper to show
the order Of the toasts, that's all
What's his favorite dish? Well, he likes
dainties en- caisse. en- papillot, larks, lob
sters, oysters. He is very fond of those"
"Well, now, who are the most famous
people you have attended?' Mr.. Harker
locked hurt and his fingers fumbled irri-
tablv with his white tie as he proceeded:
why, nearly all the crowned heads
in Europe. The queen, to begin with
Then | brought out the Prince of Wales
in 1853, and eli his brothers and his sons,
the emperor of Austria. the late car
and the present car, the late Emperor
Frederick, the Emperor Napoleon-why,
l remember swearing in the hate emperor
of the French as a special juryman at
the Old Bailey when he was nobody.
Did he serve? Just like anybody else.
He had to serve by the law of the land.
COACHING THE PRINCESS.
Then l claim to be the person who
first induced the Princess Of Wales to
make a speech III public. was stand
ing behind her, a good many years ago;
it was at a charity dinner or luncheon,
and her speech was going to be read By
her secretary. | ventured to say: If
your royal highness would only say
word yourself it would make all the
difference and she did The Baroness
Burdett-Coutts, too, l induced TO speak
when she opened Columbia market"
well, you heard about your successor
who couldn't pronounce Massachusetts:
What Is the most difficult name you
ever had to tackle?"
The Madagascar ENJOYS They were
cautions. Misunderstanding, as near
as l can remember it." said Mr.. Har-
ker. Rain and rain and dry again.
as Punch called it. The biggest number
l think ever did was 5000 foreign doc
tors who dined ct the Guildhall. and
they said l didn't make one mistake"
What preparation had you for your
onerous duties?''
I'm 1S44 shipped with Sir John Ross
for the Antarctic expedition. We win
tered twice in 20 dogs. south; then we
went 10 China, Australia, New Zealand,
Tasmania, getting remounts for the regi-
ments engaged in the Indian mutiny. I
had joined the commissariat then. I
came home IN the tifties, and served
through the Crimean war"
Any wounds"
ga bullet in my leg, q gun carriage
crushed my ribs, and a slice Of my chin
cut of with q saber Pretty Tough, en-:
have twenty-six medals and orders, and
my collection of autographs is not to he
beaten, l think, for l have 600 cabinet
portraits Of all the famous men and NO
men for thirty years past, with auto
graphs attached"
BY the way, whatare your fees:''
Two guineas for q city dinner and ten
guineas If l travel"
And your uniform
We'll, evening dress as often as no.
now. In the good old days wore a
beautiful velvet dress. with knee breeches
end silver decorations, which cost 600.
But the c.ey can't spend money Ike they
used 10 do. They are watched by the
newspaDerS- Pail Nall Gazette.
In spite Of the report that the prestige Of !
the Derby L waning, the crowd there TIL.
year was the greatest ever known, and the