[Gutenberg 59962] • Reminiscences of a Raconteur, Between the '40s and the '20s by Ham, George H. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

CHAPTER I

When I Was at School Some of My Boyhood Friends Getting to Work. The Rod Was Never Spared A Cub Reporter Other Adventures in Employment Put Off the First Train

CHAPTER II

I Own a Race Horse A Sailor Bold Stories of Pets Poetry—and Me An Exaggerated Report A Brief Summary

CHAPTER III

The Live Wires of the Seventies The Rivalry Between Smith and Schultz The Political Leaders I Strike Winnipeg Something About Hotels The Trials of a Reporter Not Exactly an Angelic City The First Iron Horse The Pembina Branch Lord Strathcona—and Profanity The Republic of Manitoba The Plot to Secede

CHAPTER IV

Winnipeg the Wicked Interviewing a Murderer Schofield’s Escapade An Express Robbery The Case of Lord Gordon-Gordon The Farr Case Some Prominent Old-Timers The Inside Story of a Deal Real Trouble Arises Always Have Proof Winnipeg Doctors Play Practical Jokes A Big Scandal Donald McEwan and the Waiter Mistaken Identity

CHAPTER V

An Adventure With Colonel Denison The Riel Rebellion Middleton and the Queen Selected for Dangerous Mission Lost on the Trail A Naval Battle in the West Rescuing the Maclean Family A Church Parade in the Wilderness Indian Signals Some Curious Indian Names.

CHAPTER VI

The Highland Laddie. The Kindness of Princess Louise. The Marquis of Lansdowne. Talking to Aberdeen A Great Horseman. Earl Grey. The Grand Old Duke. The Duke of Devonshire.

CHAPTER VII

Intrepid Scotch Voyageurs. The Tale of a Cat. Indian Humor and Imagery

CHAPTER VIII

Hon. Frank Oliver and Yours Truly. When Sir Wilfrid Didn’t Blush. A Scotch Banquet. Banquets in Winnipeg. Bouquets and Brick-Bats and Democracy. Mayor Hylan and the Queen

CHAPTER IX

Adventures in the Occult. ”Getting the Dope” on the “Prof.” Telepathy and Fortune Telling. Story of the Haunted House.

CHAPTER X

Mark and the “High-brows.” The Human Cash Register. My Old Friend, the Chicago Cub Reporter. Several Gory Sequences. Stead and Hinky Dink.

CHAPTER XI

With “Kit” in St. Louis. The Mormons.

CHAPTER XII

The Leader’s Drill Shed Story. When “Three Pair” Won. The Toronto Press. The Markham Gang. Comic and Other Papers. Toronto’s Chief Magistrates. ”Ned”—Hon. Edward Farrer. Theatrical Recollections. Bonifaces of the Old Days.

CHAPTER XIII

Col. Irvine’s Services Against Riel. Treating With Sitting Bull. The Why of the Scarlet Tunic. Western Justice As It Was. Passing Death Sentence on a Nuisance. Grand Old John Kirkup. A Lethbridge Pirate. The Mounted Police To-Day.

CHAPTER XIV

A Really “Substantial” Breakfast. An Afternoon of Gloom. To be “Queen of the May” Down in Washington Case of “Much Wants More” Some Anecdotes Canadian Club

CHAPTER XV

Pawn All But Christmas Stockings. Everybody Should Believe in Christmas.

CHAPTER XVI

A Man Who Mastered Self. Youth With Strange Power. All Faiths Among Patrons.

CHAPTER XVII

Political Tragedies. A Wit-Provoking Stairway. The Old War Horse From Cumberland. Sir John’s Trusted Lieutenant. Laurier’s Magnetic Personality. Two Tom Whites. A Few Veterans. The Jims. A Soured Senator Familiar Faces in the Old Days. The Social Side of the House. Not Good Mixers. When Hansard “Mixed” Metaphors. Some of the Other Good Fellows. Some Well-known Members. Appointing a Governor. The Wrong Hat. A Telephone for Each Language.

CHAPTER XVIII

Big Undertaking, Broad Policy. Conspicuously Canadian. The First President. A Temporary President. Sir William Van Horne. He Helped Make History. A Well Informed Porter. Early Advertising. His Work in Cuba. Lord Shaughnessy. Lord Shaughnessy’s Big Heart. He Eschewed Public Honors. His Repartee Like Rapier Thrust. Hats Off to the Chief. The Present President. His Father a Transportation Pioneer. David McNicoll of the Old Guard. Vice-President Ogden. My “Fidus Achates.” Floored James Oborne. Haunted by Presentiment. Captains Courageous. Masters of the Inland Seas. The Active Men of To-day. Some of the Western Men. Prominent Passenger Men. The Train Staff. The Advertising Men. The Ocean Service. On the Retired List. Politics Interfere With Business. Company Never Evicted a Settler. Other Old-Timers. Some Who Have Passed Away. Some Reminiscences. Others Gone But Still Remembered. Medical Staff. Officials Honored by King. The Dominion Express Company. The Live Wires. Important “First” Trains. Greeted Train With Music. A Belated Prosperity. An Old-Time Roadmaster. When Coal Was Costly. Gate-Keeper, I Hope, in Both Worlds. Don’t Own the Alphabet. Flour for Lady Macdonald. Good-bye, My Reader, Good-bye.

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