The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-12-10
INTERESTING SKETCH OF THE LATE
SOUTHERN WRITER.
HIS EXPERIENCE WITH LITERARY Men
ORIGINALLY A BAPTIST, HE BECAME
A ROMAN CATHOLIC.
he ABANDONED Law FOR LITERATURE
NATIVE or GEORGIA AND son Or ),
SOUTHERN PLANTER.

Henry P. Goddard gives the following
interesting "reminiscences of Col. Rich
ard Malcolm Johnston, in the New York
! Times:
| During the three years ending with
last June one of the most notable daily
passengers on an early train from Bal
timore to Washington and on late af-
ternoon train back to Baltimore, has
been distinguished-looking old gentle
man, some 6 feet 2 In height, with veil
| proportioned figure, fine gray hair and
moustache, kindly blue eyes, and an eX-
| preston in which kindness and sadness
were commingled. His fellow travellers
| look upon his face no more, for on Sept.
| % Richard Malcolm Johnston died in a
Baltimore hospital from general debility
attendant upon old age. His family and
| friends attribute his breaking down to
| the wear and tear of his daily trip TO
and from the capital, which he had made
to fulfill his duties in position IN the
bureau Of education, Of the interior de-
partment, given him by Secreary Hoke
Smith when that gentleman was men,
Der of the cabinet Of President Cleve-
land.
Although we'll advanced in years, Col
Johnston was glad to accept the position
when it was rendered him, and, consci-
entious to fault, was proud of the fact
that his work in the bureau was so we'll
done, and that the publication that he
wrote and edited while there was so
valuable that, Notwithstanding his age,
it was not difficult for his literary friends
to secure from Secretary Bliss his reten-
ton under President Mckinley.
A few years ago Thomas Nelson Page
began public reading of selections from
/ his own work in Baltimore by saying: II
have friend who says, Tom, there is
one author who eXcels you as a writer
of Southern dialect stories-and that is
Col. Richard Malcolm johnston " hen
l tell you that this critic is my own
father, you will realize that he is not
an unfrlenuly one.
1t was Whitcomb Riley who chris
tened Col. Johnston 'The Vicar of Wake
field of American Literature" and more
than one lover of the man and his writ
ings has compared him to Col. Newccme.
To one who has known and loved Col.
Johnston for 1G years past, and feels
that all these tributes were fully de-
served, it seems that a few "reminiscences
of this man, who appeared to me as all
in all the most perfect representative CT
the class of oldfashioned Southern gen.
tlemen that it was ever my lot to meet,
may prove of interest to those who have
read his tales, but did not know the
man.
Born in Georgia in 1922, the son of
licensed Baptist clergyman, Col. John
ston died in Baltimore in the communion
of the Roman Catholic church, on Sept.
23, 1898. He was buried from the
friends of all manner of religious and
political beliefs The corpse was blessed
by Cardinal Gibbons, a most appropriate
memorial address made by Father Brady
and among.the bearers were men who
had fought in opposing armies in the
war of the rebellion.
Being graduated from college at Mer-
Ger university, Penf1eld, Ga, in 1S41, Col
JOHNSTON practiced law for some years in
his native state, but in 1857 retired from
his profession and became professor OF
bellies lettres at the University OF
Georgia. This position he held for four
years. About the breaking out of the
civil war he established school for boys
at Sparta, Hancock county, Ga, from
where he sent forth graduates who be-
came distinguished men in the South
During the civil war he was aide to Gov
Joseph T.. Brown, Of Georgia (whence he
got his title), and was active in organiz-
ing the militia Of that state.
While living in Georgia during the
civil war, Col. Johnston published his
first book, at Augusta, in 1864. 1t was
published under a nom de plume, ON
cheap and wretched paper, with cover
of poor brown paper. A copy is still in
possession of the family. 1t is entitled
Georgia Sketches" and contains -four
of the stories afterwards included In the
"Dukesborough Tales" The title page
reads, "From Recollections OF an Old
Man by Philemon Purch." The preface
says that one of the sketches had preyi-
ously been published in Porter's Spirit
Of the Times, and another in Field and
Fireside, an Augusta newspaper. This
edition was dedicated as follows:
II dedicate these sketches to all who
pay me the compliment to read them'
After his removal to Baltimore, at the
suggestion of Mr.. Lanier, the colonel re.
published these stories with several 9th.
ers, in volume called "The Dukesbor.