The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-02-17

Voules, and dispose of many myths,
the most important of which is the
popular idea that Nj. Labouchere was
the editor and moving spirit Of Truth.
Legends" says the writer. was
scarce-the name for the current con-
ception of his relations with Truth.
The thing is a gigantic myth, more
amazing because myths generally grow
after the death of their hero, but this
reached it's full dimensions during his
life.
when Mr.. Labouchere started
Truth, he was as Horace Voules de-
scribed him, like a child with new
toy for two or three years. AS the
records show, he did dramatic critic
ism, financial articles and politics, be-
sides letting himself loose on every
other subject that came into his head :;
but then he found another new toy
and one very much more to his taste,
which lasted him virtually till the end
of his life. In 1880 he was elected
for Northampton.
1T was Horace Voules who made
Truth as it has been known to the
public for the last twenty-five years.
Mr. Labouchere's part in all the trou-
bles and libel actions that Truth
fought in the days when Mr. Voules
was editor was to come and sit beside
George Lewis in court, when we got to
trial, and to receive the congratula-
tons and compliments of the press
and public after the victory. The net
result of it all was that Horace Voules
made one of the greatest successes in
the records of journalism, and that so
far as the public is concerned the
whole credit of the day for many years
was his.
1T was Mr.. LabouCheres habit to
drop in at the Office of Truth on Mon.
day or Tuesday morning and order
lunch. The meal usually consisted of
a chop, just warmed through, and he
ate it without bread, salt, pepper, or
drink of any kind l have seen him
with a chop in one hand and a cigar
cite in the other, pausing to crack some
jokes with Mr.. Voules, who had to
sit on the other side of the table while
Mr.. Labouchere was refreshing him
self, and used to be horribly upset Ey
the performance.
AS soon as Mr. Labouchere felt the
slightest inconvenience from his teeth.
he had them out ana set to work on
them with the first implement that
came handy. l have seen him probing
them about with the Office scissors or
batting them with ruler.
Have you got hammer in the
office, Voules? he inquired one day,
and the caretakere having produced
one, he DESTROYED about G5C worth o.
dentists work in a few minutes.
People tell you some OF Dickens
characters are overdrawn and impcs
sible. There is no character in al
Dickens collection so full of apparent
ly impossible conGc extravaganza as
was Henry Labouchere in real life. In
the nineties and EDWARDS he used to
go about London looking like dilapi-
dated bagman.
Its bit worse for wear he once
remarked half apologetically, when
was helping him into his overcoat. MY
wife won't let me go out in it, but I'm
rather fond of it and l hide it from
her. He, he, he, he, and then came
a Mephistophelian chucle..
He used to come to the Office in an
old jacket, which excited much inter
est and mirth among the Junior staff
one of whom declared he could smell
it coming upstairs. One day Labby
arrived in a more presentable gar
ment and complained bitterly that
Mrs Labouchere had surreptitiously
captured his old jacket. A week later
to the general horror, he reappeared in
it, bubbling over with glee.
"T have done her. he said to Mr.
Voules, I found it,
HE never said where, but l suspect
he recovered it from the dust bin