GEORGE FRANCIS TRAIN.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1913, 9 October 1884, Page 3

GEORGE FRANCIS TRAIN.

"Civis" writes in the Otago Witness :- Amongst the old Viotorians in Otagc there must be a good many who will re member a certain George Irain, mucl celebrated in the Melbourne papers some twenty years or more ago. George Francis Train was an American — an American ot the type that Dickens loved to chaw, indeed he might have stepped out of the pages of "Martin Chuzzle•\\it." G. F T. had at command for newspaper or platfoim use a vein of eloquence in winch he uvalled 3\Jr Jeileison Biick : his patriotic contempt for all tlnnys not American Mould have contented Mr flannibal Chollop. After amusing the Victonans dining a buef but t.irbulent Colonial caieei, AJr Tram depaited for the only country big enough to .tlloid a man of his genius elbow loom, and thcie, I should have supposed would long eie thus have re ecu eel his quietus by icvolver 01 bow ie knife — a vitnpoi.itno h;ibit such as his h.udly being huouiably to longevity on .my soil, least ot all that of Ameiiea. Sti.mgp to say, hewe\er, he survnes, and, appaiently is still happy in his own way. He has recently h.id a "difficulty" iwth the Piets of New York, and the editors have used li m badly. Hence the folkming dithyiambic outburst which I clip f i oin an American paper :—: — " A'enal ! " Have at it, ye cur ! Oi't, damned spot ! Whang ' Bang ' Wii o-o p ! Miscieants, all of ye ' — Moie ink ! — Kp-ulan dogs, I liate >c !- Hoastye m deep down gull of liquid me ! Turn the lascalsout ' Come on, feeble can ion*, all of ye ! Cai cases lit for the hounds ! Goose-fleshed, fexciul lepers and jiaraljsed imbeciles, I hat 1 \e!— Moie ink vv — Emaciated, homed idiots, pack teiriers, and gliding ghosts, a\aunt! Cap and knee slaves, \apouis, minute jacks, naked gulls, and dishcloth hatbmgei&ot pestilential visits have at it !— More ink !— Gieen sickness, cainon and tallow-faced baggage, away ! Away ! Catbunele backed toads, do\e-featheied hogs., and canvas-backed hellions pale betoic me ! Tuin the rascals out!" Here we ha\e Ceoige Fiancis Train in all liis old foim,— indeed I should say that m this inspiied sciced he beats his own " best on record." What a pity that such a "s>ci earner" has been lost to colonial politics !