A COLONIAL CELEBRITY AT HOME.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5847, 25 December 1879, Page 3

A COLONIAL CELEBRITY AT HOME.

The writer o£ “ Passing Notes ” supplies the following in reference to an Otago celebrity to the Witness ;

“’Tis hot in mortals to command success,” is a motto that does not always represent the exact truth. Captain Jack Barry is certainly an instance in point that a mortal may indeed ■command somethin" very like success if he only possesses enough of what is vulgarly -called “ cheek.” The captain has been seen at Home by an old colonial acquaintance, and it seems he flourishes like the green bay tree. When he landed in’ England his monetary belongings were three half-crowns. Poverty is discouraging, but not to such a man as Barry There was Sir Julius and there was Larnaob to be interviewed ; and how it came about who can tell, but pretty soon the captain was in clover. He took “mine ease in,mine inn,” in the city of “Bonding,” at the rate of three guineas a week ; was talked of by such a paper as the Daily News as if he were a colonist of fortune returned to his native land, full of benevolence towards its suffering thousands, and eager to expend colonial gold in meritorious schemes for shipping them off to the newer and freer .lands ; and quickly his fame became noised abroad throughout all the country, and he went about doing good. He confided to the friend who saw him that “ he had been down in the. shires for three weeks huntin’ with a, long-lost nevyy, and had a blessed good mount too.” At Leicester and Lincoln, and such places, the gallant captain had delivered his lecture on colonial experiences ; and said Jack, “I got a pit-; ■chin’ to "'em, and you..should ’a seen them yokels a-comin’ at me. Why, they came at me just like this here,” and the Captain’s jaws went far apart in imitation of the open-mouthed way in which “ very like whale ” stories have, been listened to ever since the days of Jonah ; Then the “gallant Captain” had his interview with the Claimant,'and, described in his own language, it must have been an affecting one, '“and have wonderfully impressed Lord Rivers and Mr; Onslow, M.P., in whose presence it; took place. .After consolotary remarks about the position in which he found him, Captain Barry opened fire on the Claimant with the; question,’ “I' suppose yon, don’t remember me i” The Claimant looked hard, but remembered hot the well-known visage.; “Do you remember a' man as brought a big mob of cattle into in 184-1 was the next query. ’ The ’ Claimant,;looked; - harder than ever at the tough old veteran. Eventually, remembrance slowly dawned on the Tichborne. “ Why, you must be Berry—Barry ; let me ’ see, Barry—Berry ; yes, Barry ?” But the Captain had another string to his bow. “Do you remember anyone as I had with me Jt-helpiu’.me with them cattle After more at iring, and so forth, more remembrance came, and thus the Claimant—" Why, yes ; you had a little Indian boy with you!” (One of Barry’s exploits, remember, was the bringing of a Bed Indian boy from California to Australia.) “ Then, Tom Castro, how are you ? Gentlemen, thia'mah : is Arthur Orton ! This is Tom (Je Castro, that I lcnewin pastlemaine,” &c.,' &c." And in the House 1 * of Commons the Government are asked “What steps they intend to take, consequent oh the recognition of Sir Roger jTichborne'by Captain William Jackson Barry The'Captain boasts that he will gather the biggest blessed meeting as ever was held,in Hyde Park, and have' Sir Roger out to be restored to his rights. Well done,, the “ gallant .Captain that you are.” .Go on and prosper. jPaipe,awaits you;; 1 ■ ■