The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-15

TALK WITH THE COMPOSER OF KATHLEEN
NAyouRSRE<1-yy NEED or HELP.

Y l8Ih WITH Iub tOMfOrEB VT
MAyouRSEEs-IS NEED or HELP.
baltimore sum-
Yesterday afternoon, IN a scantiy-fur-
uisbed room Mt No. OF Parkin street, sat m
Id gray-haired man lingering an ancient
piano. 1t was Frederick Nichols Crouch,
The author Of "Kathleen Mayourneen."
Ills personal appearance Is striking. OF
short, compact figure. bis movements are
lstonishingly quick and active. lie has
iushy growth Of bair and beard, his COM
plexfon Is rudy, and from under rugged
hrows shire bright hazel eyes. His dress
consisted Of an old soldier-coat. dark-blue
llannel shirt, and well-worn pantaloons.
He has been composer, musician, au-
thor, poet, Journalist, soldier, and laborer.
ind ~ now very poor. He was in cynic
mood yesterday. Speaking OF the bring
ing OF the remains OF John Howard Payne
TO this country he remarked: "Is 1t not
strange that philontbropists prefer to honor
A dead poet rather than extend helping
hand 10 the living? ! am old and helpless
now. and need bread more than Payne's
bones need new rcsting-place." Profess
scr Crouch spoke very kindly, however. OF
Dir. w. w. Corcoran, TO whose fberolity
the remova! OF Payne's remains to this
country is due, aud mentioned that he had
been teacher in Mr.. COrcoran's family.
Professor Crouch says he knew Payne, and
led the music the night at Drury-Lane The
atre when Payne's opera OF "Clarl, the
Maid Of MiIan," was produced. Sir Henry
Bishop was the composer. Payne wrote
the words. Both men were in the wings
and i'm full view OF Professor Crouch dr-
ring the performance. The song OF Home,
Sweet Home" was written for this opera.
Professor Crouch told how his own Ia
nous song. kathleen Mayourneen," was
composed. He said the words had been
sent TO him from London by Mrs. Craw-
ford. He was riding one day along the
banks OF the lamar, in West England.
when the melody came to him. 81 was 30
infatuated with it," said Professor Crouch,
"that sang the song TO large audiences in
the Plymouth Assembly Rooms, Plymouth,
Devomshire, and within week II began to
spread. Thus was my offspring begotten,
and so became the child Of the world" He
also composed the songs "Would Were
With Thee" "The Widower," "We
Parted in Silence" "Sing To Me, Nora"
1.-THE Widow To Her Child" and many
others that used to be popular. But il was
principally ''Kathlccn Mayourneen that
MADE MS reputation.
Professor Crouch spoke freely OF his
career. lie was born in England. July
81, 1903, OF good family. At nine years Of
age he played the bass at the Royal Coburg
Theatre. which was erected in honor of
the marriage OF the Princess Charlotte,
only daughter Of George ". Working
his way among the minor theatres. he at
last became attached to His Maiesty's
Theatre, where he played solo on the
violOncello before Rossini. The conduc-
tor was Bochsa, then in the height OF
his glory, and he made young Crouch
his pupil. AS his voice indicated sing
ing qualities he was installed rs one
of the Chapel Royal boys in WeStmin-
ster Abbey, and when the Royal Acade-
my OF Music was established in 1922,
under the patronage OF George w., he was
admitted a. a student. After his gradua-
ton he was made principal yOloncellist at
Drury-Lane Theatre. Professor Crouch
described bis musical, mercantile, and lite
rary life in England. He became musical
reviewer Of the metropolitan M1gasine, OF
which Captain Marryatt, the novelist, was
editor, aud for nine consecutive years was
a writer OF musical works and contributor
to various periodicals. In addition to his
songs he wrote the operas Of "The Fifth Of
November and "Sir Roger de Coverly."
His companions were the leading literary
men OF the day. including Thackeray. In
1910 he came TO America with Max Maretzek.
They had previously been engaged in her
Nlaiesty's Opera-l1ouse, Haymarket. Lon
don. Maretzek's operate venture proved |
4 failure, aud the company was disbanded.
after performing in New York and Boston.
Crouch went TO Name, lectured on music, |
directed several concerts, and then taught |
in that State for seven years. He then !
moved TO Philadelphia with the intention !
Of coming TO Baltimore and going hence to |
California to try his luck at gold-digging, |
but his wife got sick. and he went to |
Washington in stead. He was organist at |
st. Matthew's church, Washington, during |
Buchanan's administration, and went
thence TO Richmond to lead a church choir. |
When the war broke out he was one of the |
first to shoulder musket. en-
listing IN The Richmond Grays, and
in the Richmond How
itzers. lie served all through the
war. At its close he made his way TO
Courthouse. ga, and worked |
on 4 farm as a laborer and gardener. Then
he came 10 Baltimore, and has remained
here ever since. Finding that he could
not make living for himself and family |
10y teaching music, he accepted position
in a fulniture-stOre as varnisher. He is |
now out OF employment and too old to help
himself. He has a wife and five children.
lie tries TO smile cheerily at fate, but the
smile is full OF pathos. Several attempts
have been made in different cities to raise
II sum of money for him, but they have
ended in mere talk. lie has written an
autobiography, and thinks that il he had
enough money to have il published his last
days could he passed in comfort.
Novel Entertainments that Will Fol-