The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-05
AN INTERESTING TRIO.
Ochiltree, Page and Johnsoa-Thre
Sousherners Who Have Become
Famous
From the Phila1e 'Dhia Laolffrer

From the PtilGde 'DhiG Inquirer.
WASHINGTON, March 23-One Of the
characters Of Washington who can be found
at John Chamberlin's whenever congress is
in session is Thomas PorterholSs Ochiltree
of Texas. He served one term in congress,
and during Grants term was a special favor
lite at the white house aud was consulted by
the silent man as to all executive appoint
ments in Texas. Col. Ochiltree is about A.
years of age, with head of fiery red hair.
and since Baron Mtnchausen died there has
been no such raconIeur in the civilized
world as he os
There is no moral reason why Col. Ochil-
tree should 'draw the long bow, but he
draws it all the same, simply for the love of
1t. As chasue and classic liar Mr.. Ochil-
tree has no equal in the civilized world. He
is a lawyer and a man of rare and abound
ing culture. He has been all over the
world, including Texas, and on one occa-
sion met Stanley, the great traveller in the
Congo country. de was to meet Stanley
at the Savage club in London. but Stanley
fell i'll, and sent a messenger to Ochitree
they we're bosom friends, asking
The Texan Ranger with the red
head to go to the Savage
Club and personate Stanley. This was
lark which just suited him, and he tells
with great gusto how he went to the Saw
age Club in London in a cab, swathed III
Enthusiastically at the club knowing Stan
ley by sight. Ochiltree got through the
seance, as he tells the story himself, aud
being familiar with Stanley's story de-
scribed how he rescued DR.. Livingstone,
the captive traveller, and brought tears to
the eyes of the London "Savagesn by re-
counting the hair 1readth escapes, the hum
ger and cold he suffered from in the Congo
country. The deception was never discov-
cred till Ochiltree told it himself.
M. 2. Hsndy is one of Ochiltree's closest
friends and vouches for his ability, and in
sists that he is not one of Walt Whitman's
tdiS ez fare young men, but insists chat
Ochiltree is producer" and not merely
consumer. Certainly the fiery Texan
pays his way at John Chamberlin'S, and it
is well known that he has intimate business
relations with Mackay, the California
millionaire, and with George Law of New
York.
Nor is Ochiltree merely "diner- out" A
young son of congressman, of the lah-de-
dan order, met Ochiltree enjoying his
matutinal cocktail, and asked in supercil-
ious tone:
ANY fresh lies to-day, Tom Ochiltreem
D you; what do you mean, you
young dude? | will teach you manners
and the lrate Texan ranger" began to
belabor the dude with his crutches, while
the lah-de-dah young man begged for
mercy.
Among the brightest of our junior south
ern authors is Thomas Nelson Page of
Richmond. Va. lie is young lawyer, over
80 years OF age, VINO, when his law cases
are over, burns the midnight student lamp,
and sends his ever welcome contributions
to the Century, to Scribneg, or to Lippin-
COTS Magazine Pages forte is in writing
dialect stories, aud the book on which his
literary fame most securely rests is "In Ole
Virginia" In this book can he found a
pathetic story of negro devotion, entitled
Mars Chan" And whatever may be Pages
idea about the negro, regardless of 'pre-
vious condition of ssrvitude, he is certainly
no stranger to the inspiration of the 'still.
sad music of humanity"
No other dialect writer approaches in
accuracy or downright negro eloquence
Tom Page, save only Gable, the delicacy aud
fidelity of whose sketches of Creole life have
gone marching on TO a literary immortality
for ten years last passed.
Pages last contribution is in the Cosmo-
PgLitdn Magazine. 1t is entitled "George
Washington's Last Duel,n and its humor is
delicious and the technique of the negro
dialec, Is given by the hand of a master.
just now Mr.. Page is defending and
maintaining in Washington the interna-
tional copyright bill before congress, which
a majority of American authors, including
Walt Whitman, think will protect the
American author from the piratical pub.
Usher across the briny deep.
MIR. Page is possessed of a cultivated intel
lect, with manners worthy Kirg Arthur's
Round Table. He is never bearded like a
pard, never "utters strange oaths," but il
he swears at all uses nothing stronger than
the Yfldra0Fq hin knurnnl-Nt
on"
Prof. r. Malcolm Johns IN 'befo' the wah''
was a professor of English literature in a
Georgia university. Here he began his
literary career, and few men or women who
really claim to know ANYTHING about Amer.
lean literature are strangers to 1.-The Dukes
boro' Tales" upon which sure foundation
rests Malcolm Juhnscns fame. Prof. John
son the is not the least didactic) in social
life is one of the most quiet and dignifed of
men. His temperament is melancholy, and
the radiant, rare and genuine humor of his
sketches is only the foil to the sadness of a
kind, gentle and cultivated nature Mr..
johnson lives very quietly with his wife
and daughter in Baltimore His sketch IS
of southern life are eagerly accepted in
the northern magazines, and Mr. John
son expresses himself warmly and earnestly
in his praise of the generous ID prompt
SuCCT given u sDubuerH authors WnDn the
civil war was over aud when the south was
too poor to support a magazine of her own.
Mr.. Johnson, whose hunor is akin to
strengths rich superfiuousness," bv whicn
phrase Bulwer defined hunor. unhesitat-
iugly gives the palm as par excellence the
man of most genius in the south TO the late
Sidney Lanier Of Baltimore, who wrote
the centennial ode Laaier wrote under the
pressure of fatal disease, consump 10 L,
which carried him fl III the midst of his
brightest, best and most reuiuaeratiye
work
Mr. johnson is now engaged in writing a
dialect story for Lippincotts Magazine.
and mis- name stands for Che highest type of
what is sweetest and purest in the literature
of the new south.