THE WRONG SULLIVAN

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 119, 13 February 1941, Page 5

THE WRONG SULLIVAN

A Good Story Re-told

Now that there is another Gilbert and Sullivan season on in Wellington, it may not be inappropriate to tell the best of many good stories related by Sullivan during his visit to America away back in the last century. The story is told in Arthur Lawrence’s book on the life and character of the late Sir Arthur Sullivan. In this instance Sir Arthur tells the story himself. “I was travelling on a stage couch in a rather wild part of California and had arrived at a mining camp, where he had to get down for refreshmonte. As we drove up the driver of the stage coach said, 'They are expecting you here, Mr. Sullivan.’ “On hearing this 1 was much pleased, and when I reached the place, I came across a knot of prominent citizens at the whisky store. The foremost came- up to a big burly man by my side and said, 'Are you Mr. Sullivan?’ The man said he was.not, and pointed to me. The citizen looked at me rather contemptuously, and after a while said, ‘Why, bow much do you weigh?’ “I thought this was a curious method of testing the power of a composer, but I at once answered, ‘About 162 pounds.’ “ ‘Well,’ said the man, ‘that’s odd to me. Do you mean to say that you gave fits (he used a stronger word) to John S. Blackmore down in Kansas City?’ "I said, ‘No, I did not give him fits.’ "He then said. ‘Well, who in the hell are you?’ “I replied, ‘My name is Sullivan.’ "‘Ain’t you John L. Sullivan, rhe slogger?’ “I at once disclaimed all title to that honour, and told him 1 was Arthur Sullivan. “ ‘Oh, Arthur Sullivan,’ be said. ‘Are you the man as put “Pinafore” together?’ “ ‘Yes,’ I replied. “‘Well,’ said Citizen No. 1, ‘l'm sorry you ain’t John L. Sullivan; still I’m glad to see you anyhow. Come and have a drink.’ ”