The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Page 13

THE OTTAWA" JOURNAL' OTTAWA VALLEY. DAYS Peter Gorman's Vignettes Of the Passing Snow of Life Sir John Macdonald's Urgent Call for Sherry Sir Wilfrid Laurier Silences a Bourassa Partisan Errant Husband "Hooked' For Temperance "Gentleman Jim" Corbett and Peter Jackson THIMBLE THEATRE Starring POPEYE ferfatmi V. 8. Patwt OfAao. WOW THAT BLASTED WlMPV.

WHEN WfeT-Ct MlX. tfcT FOR BEH PICNIC ru. HAVE A leVKRYTWNCfj PACKED SATURDAY, JULY 20, 1940. tJAH, CjOOO MORKllNCf, 7 CiCX) MORr4INCf-UDVEUy )( VJ DAt FOR A PICNIC, jr V. 1 1 1 is nr not rw a i a WrttU for Th Joonul i By Hairy 1.

WaUtr. )ISTRACTED by th "headaches" of statecraft, and by as Indian uprising threatening to wipe out th western settlements, the Prim Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, walked into the Parliamentary restaurant on a day in 1 1 .1 jdoi auvi mniySA uut wiv vum word "sherry" to the new bar-boy. 16-year-old Peter Gorman, who nad come to take his order. When the glass of -wine cam to him the distraught statesman, scarcely tasting its contents, set it down with a Jolt that.

spilled the wine over the tray. sherry." ha rasped Jtflhe now nervous boy. 9audg thinking that 'VteT beverage dispenser bad made a mistake, hurried back for another glass of sherry. Again the Irritated Prime Mln- w- the great Sir John modified his tone when he saw the obvious confusion of the astounded- youth. "Just say it's sherry -for Mae-dona Id," and this time Sir John got his favorite brsnd- A few days later Peter Gorman had an entirely different experience, which revealed the Prima Minister in that delightful mood of human camaraderie which so endeared him to-his followers and even softened shell-backed partisans.

In some way Sir John became informed that Jerry and Peter Gorman were known in the Capital as the "dancing So after an arduous day the boys were invited to put. on a dancing act for the Prime Min- itr and a number rvf nthar 'did so, and it was Sir John himself passed around the hat, leading offwith a five dollar donation. Thus early in his career Ottawa's own Peter Gorman experienced the great truth that behind the facade of position and power are "the "inter-play of mood and temperament that make up the motivating factors of life. In fact. xnrouga a successrui ineaincai ana turf career that led him into cities teeming with the gnat-swarm of humanity, and later as manager tti the Russell (one of the most famous and fashionable theatres of its period in Canada), Peter Gorman learned a lot about the drama of life, witnessing tragedy and comedy and those strange complexes that direct the destinies of human beings.

It is this unusual faucet of his experience Sana Pear ei Sans There was one, Vivid occasion when he witnessed drama at high tension. It was when Sir Wilfrid Laurier before a packed audience in the Russell was thanking -that 'great churchman. His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore, for a most moving, address. At that time Sir Wilfrid had broken with a former Quebec follower. the 'brilliant but fiery Nationalist leader; Henri Bour-atta.

In the audience was a rabid Bourassa partizan who bad lo cated in the gallery With the evi- acni-uojccvin aiimcunf ana embarrassing Sir -Wilfrid. The great Liberal chieftain had said but' a few words when he was interrupted by a bellicose voice booming down from the gallery. "How about Bourassa?" Sir Wilfrid ignored the rude Interruption and proceeded, but again the Bourassa partizan resumed his tactics and shouted: "So you're afraid of Bourassa!" There was a tense silence in the theatre and then rebukes awurai ui sections 01 mm crowded house. Trouble was brewing and the audience was In no stood to permit one bully with a "grouch to spoil the evening. With that distinguished per sonality of his and that gestures liirin Sir W11fnt raised his hand and quelled the rising tumult.

With order restored, he first turned to Cardinal Gibbons and apologized for the incident, and then in that vibrant voice he faced the boor in the gallery, and said: "Evidently a gentleman in the gallery is determined to cause an incident that to me is very unpleasant. To him, I have Just one word to say: Mr. Bourassa is an exceptionally clever man. His political views and mine differ, but I do not like to be told that I am afraid of him. i "There is but one thing -1 am afraid of.

It is not Henri Bourassa. It is God Himself." In that tense atmosphere the words were pregnant with and in a moment the approving roar of the crowd surged in xuu spaie 10 uie great leader who had. scored another personal "triumph. Laurier was always the White Knight sans peur et sans 4 Cy VU1C. Saf ferine; for the Cause.

Of different pattern was a temperance meeting at which the late Sir George Poster, uncom- promising crusader for reform, the" headliner. Among those seated on the platform with the supporting cast were a lady and her' husband the former prominent in the temperance cause and the latter with quite- reverse tendencies. The husband was ap-Twentlv "hooked" to endure Sir -George's harangue in the hope that it might make him impervious to the demon Rum. At any rate, he sat with good grace through it all while Sir George foster in that trenchant style that made' him famous, roused, his audience against the curse. Peter, Gorman noticed that at the close none applauded more vigorously than the gentleman referred to (Peter suspected that his enthusiasm was more an expression of thankfulness at the termination of the address than endorsatlon of the cause.) His suspicions were well founded, for in making his way down the lobby the individual who- was wont to gargle "Sweet turned to Peter and said out loud for the benefit of his spouse: "That was a great speech: Fosf ter can certainly talk." Then in a hoarse dry whisper "Haven't got a drink around, have you Peter?" Koee Cofhlaa's Hasband.

Then there was the strange episode of Rose Coghlan's husband. The actress. Rose Cogh-lan, was a decided favorite in Ottawa, and one person particularly interested in her appearances at the Russell was her I former husband who became a "'resident here some time after they had been divorced and were married a second lime. During one pf her performances, Peter Gorman happened to be near the entrance when the former husband; of Rose Coghlan walked in and requested a seat in the second row from which he could witness the current play of his former mate. Drawing Peter Gorman aside before proceeding in he "Don't tell my wife I am here." To this day, the genial Peter speculates as to whether he was referring to Rose Coghlan or her successor in marriage.

I 62 Round Flibt. Among the celebrities outside the theatre which the' Gorman brothers -met early in their career were "Gentleman JUA" Cor bett and his one time opponent the negro, Peter Jackson. This was. Just before Corbett won the world's championship from Sullivan on a memorable day New Orleans. The Gormans inet both Corbett and Jackson in Sail Francisco in the hectic days of the "Barbery Corbett was at that time a teller in the bank, and an instructor lh the Olympic ClulW which was located directly opposite the Orpheum Theatre, where the Gormans were On the same bill at the Orpheum, was Corbett' opponent, Peter Jackson.

They met on May 21 and the fight went 62 rounds almost four hours without either contestant registering a knockdown, i In Corbett's corner was the original Jack (Nonpareil) Demp-sey, who at- the commencement of the 82nd round, when both fighters were staggering on their feet, advised Corbett in a loud Whisper to push over the negro and hit him TfOSEVUttB VWHEM WORE on the mouth 'at the same time, and by so doing gain the verdict. The referee heard the whisper and called it a no-decision affair. Before the fight the betting was 10 to 8 on Jackson, and it was predicted he would win in a short order for it was Corbett's flst professional fight. Before placing any bets, however, the, Gorman brothers consulted Jackson himself on his chances and this is how Jackson felt about that' Homeric fight: "Well, Mistah Gawman, I don't know so much about winning as quick as the papers say. Don't be 'sprised if it takes me 20 rounds or more, for Mistah Jack Dempsey tells me that Jim Cobutt is the cleverest big man that ever put the gloves on.

But Ah think that with man 'xperience Ah'll win. Ahll be-doln' mah best And so the characters from the stage of life pass In retrospect before Peter Gorman. They constitute an intensely interesting cross-section of the mill run ot humanity saints and sinners and derelicts and thoroughbreds but they were the product of a great era that has gone forever. "Um that sail eut thsre, Janer WhirtJ If I wasn't In my bath Ing suit I'd tike ts attend tV "Dees my daughter's plane playing annoy yeur husband?" askad Mrs. Guthar, af th waman next door.

"Not In th laaat," replitd nor neighbor; swootlyr "He always oea eut when oho "Maude looks good onough te eat." earofull say aha on ploys artificial aoloring matter." CAKt TO HEARrf-r I Tw i At ip tri mrf aaaaMsel ixMvr. iuliiiw -AL0WE. 111 i i 3N kA A a LFP6 HttE AN AUl-HARE PiCKUC -POPEVe CAK BRiNKi THE OUVE THE FOOD AND. 3 im mm sgg awos about cm asmiowed wightshirxt -Tr4E4JAWJCHP-YOUPJE. TOflUG TO IMPREST AWY BE AM QLFASHIONED.CIJSriATlVr: PEIcSOM.

ill I SAID WAS THAT IF HE WAS RUNUIMG FOR OFFICE AND THE OTHER. PAkTV RAM i fvimu i rvTr mn tiip PMitif -7W HAH, WE FOOLED HM. JBE LOOKING FEU US ON THE V. twt aa. in i THERE, THK UMBRELLA WlLLA TN -rn ic vn I it i iilvi ww inc i r-rv.

ncLL nnwEi TO "SPEND HALF THEDKV LOOKlMG FOR US WITH ALL THE UMBRELLAS. ON THE BEACH WHAT KIND OF SANDWICH DO VOU VJANT, POPEVE 1 ENNV KJND lTOKAV ME, OLIVE IMO, Kiaf pMtM Sr4caM. Ic, VU nct antt I -1 CAN BRINKS THE (APPETfTE 1 "CJ v. -y iHALLA WNDUE NOPE, WlMPV ANWJHERE) I GUE ON THE BEACJH1 I WE'RE v- AFE NOJMI LYND 1 0 mil OtV. C.C.OIJVAlA DC Jy 4 I IliTT 'ft DCWUASASOCIALLEPEIc THAT ISNT IATDTJ ThATS, ME- 2 9 I I I as a mi mm BE CAJcEIL UAiAT NtXJ SAV ABOLTT (iWl I "THESE HA1RV MEM NOTHAVINGCOC IXj 1 VERY FAJc FRCM THE APES--ITMAY LW I Cepr.

ISA Kmf FMtu S) atfuur. Inc. Warid nfka I CAN SEE rDU APE NOT OPEM TO -SUCH I SHALU SUBMIT THEM E1AEVJHEKE tF NDU SHOULD CHAMC NOUR MIND. VOU CAN PEACH ME AT MVCUJB BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY I aa-b 1 atr- 60001THEN V.V NWtMPV.N CAN EAT IN ALLUS MOOCHIN. PEACE WE'LL IF I SEES HIM PUT THE LUNCH ACiAlN I ON THIS MOUND Jis.

t'LLv" jlIs OF THANK VOU. VOU HAVE NO IDEA. AFTER THAT BRteK PLUNCjE AND LONG NAR A rww rrsnni-jncu i pith i f- I'LL HAVE ONIONS. 'PICKLES. RELISH MUSTARD BOTH ON I DOHT SAY WW, HEUD J0E' I HAVEWT SEEM YOU HEMAY HAVE USED YOU IM A STORV ABOUT SITTING UP WITH A SICK FRIEJJDi1 ANOJ 1 lift 1 ESPECIALLY IF IS ABOUT-TO DfclLU 7' .1.