The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-05-01
Old Guard of Bohemian Club Cele-
brates Natal Day of Oldest
Clubman
BAD FOOT FORTY ODD YEARS.
Consul in China Was The
Intimate Friend of Lii Hung
Chang.

iANelAlAASl vi ADlll ~ IL 10 luIGlGbb-
ing in itself apart from the pleasure
the narrative will give to the many
Honolulu acquaintance of Uncle
George"
Come in, gentlemen. You'll excuse
me minute, will you, until | finish
shaving. You see, this is my birth
day. and I'm just getting ready for a
little dinner party some young friends
are to give me this evening at the
club. Yes, I'm 81 today; but | don't
feel it. Have seats, gentlemen, I'll be
| through in a minute
Presently Uncle George" Bromley
followed his voice and, clean shaven,
/ with his coat loosely thrown over his
shoulders, appeared to receive the con-
gratulations of his callers.
1t wasn't necessary for Uncle
George to specify the Bohemian Club.
When he speaks OF the club the Bo-
hemian Club is meant without saying
NINTY-ONE YEARS YOUNG.
Hale and happy as II tile days Of
well, some years ago-the venerable
wit of the Bohemians anticipated a
pleasant evening with friends as
though the weight of 81 years was
down to soften the narsher cares OF
life
I'D feel fine if it wasn't for this
bothersome foot of mine, remarked
the Oldest clubman in the city, as he
drew up his easy chair.
THAT foot has bothered me off and
on for forty-odd years. No, it isn't
the govt nor rheumatism. It's the re-
suit of an injury in the old Sacra-
mento Valley railroad. That was back
in 1855. You know that was the first
railroad in this state. / helped to
build it, was in charge of the con-
struction and afterward helped to
operate it. l was with the road nine
years and in 1855 that foot was
crushed by the cars.
ARRIVED HERE IN 1850
Then "UncIe George" grew reminis-
cent. There WASH much here when
came to San Francisco in 1850 as
customs officer, with 7. Butler King,
who was appointed collector, and J.
Ross Brown, appraiser. We three
came together, sailing in the Crescent
City from New York to the lsthmus,
and then by canoes and pack animals
across that neck of land, and again
sailing here in the old bark Tennessee.
Just as in these days, a change OF
administration ousted all of us after
three years, and then I went to rail-
reading.
CONSUL AT ITEM TSIN.
Some Of my pIeasantest recollec-
tons are of my service as United
States Consul at Iien Tsin, China"
continued Mr.. Bromley, reflectively,
with proud accent on the United
States" my best and most intimate
friend there was Lii Hung Chang, the
greatest man China ever had. lie was
a friend of the United States, too, and
my relations with him from 1884 to
1887, while | was in China, and long
were very pleasant indeed |
This foot makes me depend on that
cane a good deal, said he, and L
lay it aside whenever l can; people |
might think I'm getting old"
At the Bohemian Club last evening
Uncle George was happy indeed.
During the day he had received many
by telephone, telegraph and
by letter, all congratulating him on his
ninety-frst birthday. Among them was
a telegram from Boston, from his old
friends Mr. and Mrs. Henry Clay
Barnaby.
AT the club he met and broke bread
with many of the Old Guard in the
red room, the guests of that other
Bohemian prince, Raphael WE'LL.
THE Old Guard are the members
who belonged when the club rooms
were at Sacramento and Webb streets,
and | Joined it in 1873, a year after 1t
was organized" explained Mr. Brom-
ley.
CAAD bbAIAD ILL Az v II.
Fifteen of the "Uld Guard" were
present at the Bromley dinner last
evening. Beneath the canopy of apple
blossoms and roses and among the
blossoms and ferns all about, at the
table in the red room, sat these Old
Guard members: Uncle George"
Bromley Raphael WE'LL, Colonel Alex
ander G. Halves, r. H. Bloomer, DIR. |
Benjamin r. Swan, John Landers,
Hugh NJ Burke, General Lucius Ii.
Foote, David Bush, Senator jeremiah !
Lynch, Samuel d. Mayer Peter Robert /
son, Ben Clarke, George H. Matter and |
N. II. Irwin.
The other guests were: Mayor Tay-
Tor, Brig. Gen. Funston, DR.. f. w.
Shields, H. Merou, Consul General of
France, Louis Sloss, James G. Walker,
DR.. F, X. Ainsworth, Chauncey M. st. !