The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-12
IN LAST CHANCE GULCH.
MONTANA Is JOHN MAou1RE.

AVNAANA SVAN AA0U18Es
dedicated to Col. John B. Read.l
I amt wiilin' to conoede that in true his
tronic art
Montana amt up to the times; you'll low
she plays her part.
OF course old Shakspere didn't catch hi
idears from the plains
When he selected Hamlet from the melan-
choly Danes.
Nor was Junius Brutus Booth before Bea.
Gulch audience,
Nor have seen Ed Forrest here in times
gone by long sence.
These things is true, must admit, but lis
ten to my Tyre
While tune up and you'll agree, the king
is John Mcguire.
ruther hear him tell a tale of some experi.
fence
Than see the best of actin in another man
condense.
And when John talks of the times when him
and Booth was chums
And Jefferson and him in school together
worked their sums.
Or down in Virginia City when Couldock
was in his prime
And the tears comes stealin' his eyes as he
recollecks the time;
I've heard them stories fifty times and yet
never tire,
For know they're nothin' but the Truth
when told by John Mcguire.
But when you've seen him on the stage
you've seen the boss of all
The actors that are born, not made; he'll
give 'em all the call.
He'll take most any character an he knows
most any part
I never seen the like o. him when in the
Marble Heart.
His Raphael! it's out of sight, and when
the curtain drops
The critics say, when John is gone Just
then good actin stops.'
I don't care what you want, soft action or
hot fire;
You'll get 'em all in frst-class shape by
watohin' John Mcguire.
And when Mcguire recites piece of any
sort or kind
Seems like the the same was drilled forever
on your mind.
I've heard him tell of Sheridan's Ride of
twenty miles or more,
Until it seemed as though 'twould lift me
off the floor.
He starts in sorter slow like till the horse
begins to trot,
And then warns up and swings his hand
until the pace gets hot;
And then you see Phil tearin' down, and
the horses hoofs strike fire.
I'd travel twenty miles myself to hear this
from John Mcguire.
I'd not believe that fairy tale about the
Light Brigade
Till John told me just how the famous
charge was made.
So on; there amt no end to Johns long
repertory,
He's just as easy ON the stage as tellin' you
story.
An when, as sometimes happens, for ready
funds he's stuck,
His friends come rushin' to the front an
change his luck
For they know that ON the page of art in
letters of red fire
Mcguire.
80
There is an interesting character in Great
Falls known as Old Uncle Jewell. He is the
youngest and hardest ninety-year-old lad
in Montana and works every day from
until night on the great dam now
IN course of construction at the Black Eagle |
falls. He has slim but wiry form, bushy
white beard and pair of piercing black
eyes that flash fire whenever he speaks. He
was born in Kentucky nearly ninety years
ago, though he has lived in several states
along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.
river men will remember him as
one of the crack pilots of the day. He is
genial talker and is full of interesting re-
miniscences of the days when there was life
on the Mississippi. Jerry Collins. of the
Great Falls Tribune, Billy Todd, of the
River Press, and the lounger were enter
tanned for an hour the other evening by the
old gentleman.
~.
The old man is q democrat of the un-
compromising sort and he fails to under
stand why citizen can be anything else,
His views on topics Of particular interest
at this time we're briefly given in the dialect
Of his native state. Gentlemen, what is
new in the political situation? understand,
Of course, sab, that Paris Gibson will be
slected, but don't heah much about the
country at ln'ge, particularly Kaintucky
state. But, sab. reckon Kaintucky state
is all right. She always Is. heah and sec
\ good deal of talk in the papahs about the
tariff, and 80 10th, but I must admit such
makes me very tired. Why, sab,
in Kaintucky we give no attention to such
We just all voted the democratic
ticket and that was all there was of it. I
think. sab. the country would be better off
il We returned to the old style Of attending
to affairs of that kind
-
Uncle Jewell the,; fell to talking about
old neighbors and friends and it turned out
that he and Billy ',tGd once lived in indie
pendence, Missouri. and were formerly
acquainted. He about young lady
friend who dressed N male attire one dark
night and ''held up" her father IN an un-
frequented street. The frightened parent
delivered up his money and ievelry and
then ran home and gathering the family |
around him told in IN excited manner of |
his startling adventure. While his wife |
and children we're listening 10 the story |
With wide open mouths the daughter came