Omaha daily bee., 1895-10-27
THE POET SCOUT.
Captain Jack Crawford EXpcrienc,
as Il Eirst Nightcr.

On the evening Of August 10 Captain Jack
W gave his entertainment at the
Peoples National park, Staten Island, re-
lates Talent of New York. Just before COM
mencing he caught sight Of 4. w. Keene, the
tragedian, in the audience with a dozen or
more professional friends, when he began by
telling this story:
when General Grant had completed his
tour around the world l had the honor Of
playing the star part in the first dramatic
performance he witnessed after landing in
America. | see some OF you smiling, which
would indicate to me that you believe me to
be a-descendant OF the Annanias family, and
yet it is true, although l have never told it
before In public. nor would / now were 1t
not that there is present tonight a comrade,
friend and brother who performed for me ono
Of the most magnaminous and generous acts
ever performed by one man for another. IL
Is eighteen years since l have met him, and
perhaps | can never show my appreciation
Of what he did for me better than now and
In his presence. Some months prior to Gem
eral Grants return l was left in Virginia
City badly wounded through the drunken
carelessness OF a man to whom
l was very much devoted. When
l recovered l was penniless and in
debt. My lodge Of Elks took care Of me.
however, and having had some experience
in amateur theatricals at which l had dis
played some talent, my friend and brother
Elk, the mar who initiated me into the or
utT, w. II way, anu VIZ az VII man
Of tho California Stock company, without my
knowing 1t, went to the managers, General
Barton and Barton Hill, and asked them that
l DO allowed to play the leading part, guar
anteeing that / would do 1t justice. why"
said Barton Hill, you don't mean that you
would give up this part to an amateur and
actually support him in an inferior part?'
NO." said my friend, 81 will do as we'll in
the part of the federal captain, and there viii
be no star part" The result was that | did
play 1t. The piece was a military play and
the part for which | was Castillo hero OF
the drama, was a Tennessee mountain scout.
On the first night, near the end OF the per,
Torrance | reclted the Mountain Boys Lot
ter" directly to the general in his box. THIS
first verso is as follows:
Dear General, amt no great scholar
And never done nothin' to brag
'Cept this-I wOr one o the OUTFIT
As fought for that star-spangled nag,
An today, while you're toasted by scholari
I thought L the sGuar' Thing to write you
An chip in a word for the boys"
Tho house was full Of old soldiers and II Is
needless to say that every verse was cheerea
to tho echo. This poem appeared In Grants
Tour OF the World" published in Chicago
and with the exception Of THE Heather CHI
nee," by Bret Harte, was the only poem ever
wired across the continent at that time, and
perhaps since. Well, to make a long story
short, that was the greatest boom | ever had.
| received a personal note from General Gran.
through Colonel Fred Grant, saying that he
appreciated the compliment, coming as II ala
from the boys, more than anything that had
happened since his return. Need | mention
the name OF the noble friend who did this for
an almost obscure brother. There was no
glory in It for him and not one man In ten
thousand would have permitted an amateur TO
play even a small part" Then looking down
to the group Of professional people. Captain
Jack said with much feeling: God bless you.
Tom Keene-brother Tom. you are the fellow
that did It," The roof seemed to so up with
the applause and 1t was fully two minutes
before the poet scout" could speak another
word. The following extract from Mr. Keene's
letter TO Captain Jack explains itself:
81 cannot tell you how pleased | was In lis
tening to your talk on the rostrum-so new
so noyel-so nteresting-so full OF genuine
American characterize unique, ana Wlthai,
so intensely dramatic. Your true and stirring
stories Of the west are quite a lesson to the
people OF the east, and only one who has been
a partlclpator therein can tell them as you
dc.
Go on in this work, my dear Jack, for I
candldly think that you are the right man
in the right place. With all good wishes 10
you and yours, believe me TO be, sincerely
yours, IHOMAs W. MEME