The Grand Panjandrum

Trolling about this afternoon I encountered the term panjandrum. Perplex, I took to googling. I encountered this wikipedia article, but it didn't sound quite right. On further investigation, I found this lovely block of text:

So she went into the garden to cut a cabbage-leaf to make an apple-pie; and at the same time a great she-bear, coming up the street, pops its head into the shop. “What! No soap?” So he died, and she very imprudently married the barber; and there were present the Picninnies, and the Joblillies, and the Garyulies, and the grand Panjandrum himself, with the little round button at top, and they all fell to playing the game of catch as catch can till the gunpowder ran out at the heels of their boots.

Fascinating, I say. Apparently (click through on the 2nd link) it was extemporaneously composed as a part of a memory challenge - it was supposed to be read once and then repeated verbatim. Unfortunately, the other party to the challenge found the text so idiotic he refused to repeat it.