The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-08-12

by going TO sea. His parents thought that
the voyage would cure him, but ii didn't.
He liked being u sailor, and went again.
He kept on going, too, and after awhile got
to be first mate. Then he climbed another
round and became master of sailing YES
sci, and Hs captain made number of profit
able voyages to distant parts of the world.
With comfortable fortune he retired, and,
although 10 is years since he followed the
sea, he possesses n master s certificate.
But ship navigation is only one of Mr..
Palmer's accomplishments. He has seen
great many strange parts Of the world,
and he has written about what he has seen
in most interesting manner. Most of his
contributions TO literature have been print
ed in the newspapers, but he is the author
of several books as we'll.
Many of his shorter articles appeared in
the Boston Transcript, and it was as a cor.
respondent of that paper that no went to
Honolulu in the stormy days of 1893. He
had previously become acquainted with the
queen while u ship captain, and before re-
turning to the United States in March,
1894, was again presented to her as cor
respondent. Thus 1t happened that, when
he returned to Hawaii year later as cor
respondent for the New York Post, he was
well acquainted with the situation of at
fairs. When it was known that his sym
pathies and those Of his employers were
with the rOyalists, he was well received by
the representatives of the deposed dynasty.
His friendship nearly cost him his liberty,
for the provisional government of Hawaii
threatened him with arrest. His captain 8
certificate saved him, but the Dole govern
ment gave him only scant courtesy during
his stay.
These were the circumstances preced
ing the arrival of the cxiled Lifiuokalani in
Washington. She was joined last Christ
mas by Mr.. Palmer, and since that time
he has been acting as her premier, private
secretary and major domo. He announces
that he will stand by the OK queen as long
as there is hope of aiding her, and so al
though he will not admit that Liliuokalani
still hopes to have her kingdom restored,
she must have something in view.
One of Mr.. Palmer's most marked pc.
culiarities is his fondness for unconven-
tional attire, During the warm weather
he affects an Immediately white duck
suit, made still more resplendent by double
rows of big brass buttons. He Is a short
thickset man, with smoothly shaven face
and snowy white hair. He is a Yidower
and has no children. Regarding Liluo-
kalani, OF whom he speaks with impressive
emphasis as "the queen. he is reticent,
but there is one subject oD which he Is
ever ready to converse. His brilliant work
as newspaper correspondent, his achieve
ments as an author and his success as
sea captain he rarely mentions, but he
takes special pride in being called "the
mushroom man."
Mr.. Palmer is, In fact, an authority on
edible fungi. He has made special study
of this subject and has written book on
1t which Is about the only textbook which
amateur myoologists have at their service.
He used TO be looked upon as harmless
crank when he went around the Boston
Common gathering fungi from the elm
trees with long pole. Whatever are his
ambitions concerning Liluokalani it is
probable. that he would be entirely salts
fled with his life work II he could induce
the American people to cook and eat all
the mushrooms they now allow to go to
waste because they do not know the edible
ones from the poisonous varieties.
s. II. MACDONALD.