The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-08-15
JENNY LIND AND THE CAPTAIN.

During Jenny Lind's visit to this
country, thirty years ago, steamboat
| load of ladies and gentlemen went all
! the way from Memphis, Little Rock and
| Nicksburg TO New Orleans to hear her
sing.
1t was nothing for people to go such
distances, and even greater, to listen to
the great cantatrice. But the intense
enthusiasm and overwhelming rush to
her concerts generally crowded out the
farthest and latest served corners, and
this was the case with the party from up
the river. When they arrived in New
Orleans there was not seat to be obtain
ed for love or money.
There were hundreds of them belong
ing to the finest families of the south,
and they went away bitterly disappoint-
ed
But learning that Miss Lind herself
would be passenger on the boats re-
turn trip to Louisville, they determined
to see her if they could not hear her.
The master of the boat was Captain
Thomson, a very king on the river in
those days, among Mississippi steamer
captains. Towards noon of the first day
after leaving New Orleans, one of the
young ladies', senator's daughter, came
to Capt. Thomson i'll trouble. Jenny
Lind would not even be seen, she said,
through all the long trip, for she intend
cd to take her meals in her stateroom.
The gallant captain assured her that he
would see to that; and he went at once to
interview MIR. Barnum, who was Jenny's
manager.
sis Miss Lind ready TO dine? 1t is
nearly time for the bell to ring"
"No, she takes her meals in her
room"
"Not on my boat" said the captain.
with perfect courtesy, and like man
who generally had his own way.
Very soon after he knocked at the door
of Jenny's stateroom and politely intro
duced himself. He told her of the pas :
come from two to six hundred miles to
the crowd. The ladies would take it
much to heart if she remained by herself
all the way up the river.
The amiable sonestress expressed a
lively interest i'll the situation at once,
and offered to be guided by the captains
advice. The result was that he led her
triumphantly down to dinner.
The captain was delighted, of course
But he was not conteut with his Single
victory. He had mind that his passen-
gers should hear Miss Limbs wonderful
singing.
When he spoke to Mr.. Barnum about
it, the astonished manager told him he
''talked like crazy man."
''She gets Thousand dollars for every
song she sings. Ifyou can afford to give
her that, all right.
Capt Thomason fancied that Miss Lind
herself might not take exactly that view
of it. He would see. But he went TO
work different way this time. lie had
on board several musical young negroes,
one Of them gifted with remarkable
tenor voice, and he contrived to have
these brought in to sing and play the
banjo In the cabin.
From the first of her visiting in the
south, Jenny had interested herself ar
IDENTIFY in all that pertained to plantation
life, and the strange. wild Music of the
darkey band quite enchanted her. Some
of the pathetic slave songs of the young
tenor even affected her to tears-as they
did not few of the others listeners.
Within five minutes later the nego band
had finished, Jenny was at the piano
Initiating the simple airs she had caught
from them; and then, striking more
familiar chords, she poured forth the
splendid melody of her matchless voice
III song after song of her own.