Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-01
FAMOUS STORY TELLERS.

TtHSSS StOnt
knights Who Have Won Their Spurs in the
Charmed Circle Which Baron Mum
chausen Founded-Samples of the Style
Peculiar to Some Of the Leaders.
SINCE the death of the famous Baron Mum
chausen in Germany many years ago.
original imitators have sprung up and managed
to gain more or less fame. The growing insti-
tutions of America and the many booms that
always require prolific Imagination to back
them, have somehow evoluted a crop of racon-
teurs (that is the polite euphemism for men
with vivid imaginatlons) which bids fair to be-
come richer as time passes. New York City,
as rule, Is the Mecca to which these talented
men gravitate. There is Eli Perkins whose
halo is somewhat DINNER than it was in his
young and palmy days; Tom Ochiltree, whose
laurels are still fresh; Colonel Patrick Donan,
whose sporadic flights of imagination have
lost none of their brilliancy; Colonel Dick
Wintersmlth, whose letter to "Parthenon
Heights Rogers accepting Pan Electric stock
exhibited his exuberant style; Edgar William
Nye, who is professional and does not count;
are often coined from the mint of his own
originality; Moses P. Handy President OF the
Glover Club of Philadelphia and now Chief of
the Promoting and Publicity Department of
the Worlds Fair; Colonel Chaille Long, whose
famous exploits on the Upper Nile, II pub.
lished, might make Stanley green with envy;
Joseph Mulhatton. who is perennial and care
several duels down on the beach at Far Rock
away, and many other shining lights too numer-
GUS to particularize.
Some of the most aspiring raconteurs in New
York are comparatively unknown. They are
W: H. Ballou, William Cooper and Colonel
Julian III. Larke, veteran OF the Crimean
War. and member of a number of societies In
this city. who are making records that will not
cause their posterity to blush. When the
charge of the Six Hundred took place at Bal
aklava Colonel Larke, then an Ensign in the
British army. witnessed it from a hospital win
dow where he was lying wounded. He served
in the Union army during the late Civil war.
Just one sample, as he relates it, OF his expert
ence at the Battle of Lookout Mountain, will
serve to illustrate his broad gauge and rococo
style:
A Sample From Colonel Larke.
UTALK about close places in battle. had an
experience that might have turned my
hair gray if had been conscious of my awful
position. 1t was at the battle of Lookout
Mountain when it looked rather blue for our
side. The Confederates were advancing. and
there seemed to be no way to check them. l
was an aide on the commanding generals staff
and he had great confidence in my ability to
lead charge. He ordered me to head the
cavalry and charge the Confederates. Mounted
on spirited charger, l placed myself at the
me. The earth shook almost under the heavy
tramping of SO many horses. 1t was charge
into the very jaws of death. As we rode for
ward the Confederate cavalry met us, ana
fine battle of saberS occurred.
Every time cut emptied saddle. In
deed, made swath for my men to follow me.
While parrying saber thrust from Confeder-
| ate officer. which made this scar on my fore
head, a shell exploded in front of me and
| piece of it went through my left shoulder. l
| fell from my horse, and the entire Federal ar
|
| body. This occurred in the afternoon. That
| night was buried in ditch with 100 dead
| comrades. As luck would have it was put on
| top. and the dirt was thinly spread over us.
| My nose and toes were not covered, but pointed
| to the stars. This was a most fortunate cir
| cumstance, for the early morning dew falling
upon me revived me. called aloud and help
| came. do not suppose many men have been
| buried and live to tell it."
Col. Tom Ochiltree's Weakness.
TOM OcHILTREE has had more of his lucu.
brations published than a majority of the
rsconteurs mentioned. He returned from Eu.
| rope recently and related this episode, which
has not yet found its way into print This is
| his free and easy style in narrating the cpl
| sode:
LAS it is well known that ever since went to
Europe some years ago with a general letter of
introduction from General Grant and all the
crowned heads of Europe made my acquaint-
| ance, it would be superhuous to say that did
not feel perfectly at home over there. The
Prince of Wales sent his equerry to ask after
| my health soon after arrived in London. In
| Paris took dinner. en- famille, with President
| Carnot, and in Berlin was the guest Of the
Emperor for several days. By the by. the EN-
peror is hard worker and rises early. Often
he rode to Potsdam and got back in time for
breakfast.
ION my return from the Continent con.
| cluded to visit all of my friends in London and
not devote any time to the Prince Of Wales and
| his set You see, the Prince is a splendid fel-
low, real royal in his nature, but the truth is he
lives at pace that would not care to keep up
| any length of time. had taken the pains moi
| to register at my hotel, and fancied was doing
the incog act in great shape: One morning al
breakfast received a card that roved the tu-
tility of trying to remain incog. 1t was from
Colonel Ponsonby. the Queens private secre.
tary: 1 stepped into the hall: and shaking
hands cordially with him-for l really think
! Pom is a capital fellow-I asked him to smoke
and spend the day with me. thought if j
| could get him to stay all day might persuade
either the Queen OF the Prince of Wales. He
accepted 50-cent cigar. but not my invitation
to spend the day with me. Then assuming a
grave look, he said was expected to dine al
Windsor Castle that very evening. said had
heard nothing about it. He replied that he
came to invite me. To be brief. had to &C
or the Prince OF Wales, or the Marchioness oi
Ely and the Princesses of Teck, ladies In wait
ing to the Queen. was what Icould not tell"
| At this point Colonel Ochiltree came to 9
halt, as if he had finished, and his anxious lis
teners asked: "Wel, with whom did you
dine?'
"Oh, the Queen, of course"
| Pat Donan's Gold Mine.
| CoLoNEL PAT DOMAIN, who lives greater
part of his time in this city. is poetica
raconteur, and often scars SO high he forger
the thread of his story.
"Gold mines? Why, in Honduras 1 saw tn,
richest gold mine in existence. Pizarro in hi
widest dreams never saw as much gold as
did in certain Honduras mine. Tantalus in
all his wonderful illusions never imagined th,
wealth that lay revealed to the naked eye il
huge boulders in this particular mine. Rider
Haggard with his King Solomon's mines coult
not come up to what saw. The gitterinl
metal fairly intoxicated the senses. When m!
guide brought me TO the outer world again anC
gazed at the sky its blue was gone and in il