Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-08-08
Correspondence
A "uuman,, Life .

tHe EuttuF % fNf 3Htt'hEAH=
In THE AMERICAN of July is Eleanor
Delaney rolls up half century curtain
and exhibits stage and settings that
challenge quick attention of thcse who
lived and looked upon the actors almost
fifty years ago. Her theme was James b.
Crawford, then principal OF the Bucks
port seminary.
sitting In my office with THE
AMERICAN In my hand, ! noticed the
heading to column, "A Ssintly LIFE,
and following carelessly down l came to
the name j. B. Crawford. o, how the
blood lesped in my veinsl Instantly the
great wall of the years gave way, and
vists opened that reached down to the
days when was student at the r. VI. Z.
seminary, and all the radiant faces OF
that time were TRANSPORTED before me,
and glad hands we're everywhere reached
out to grasp mine.
Eleanor Delaney speaks as II she were
favorits Of Mr.. Crawford; in fact, she says
so. Fortunate womanl /, too, was a ia
vorite of his, and can safely say that in
all the vast number OF boys and girls who
attended the f. NJ. c. seminary while
James B. Crawford was connected with IL,
not one but was favorite, and there was
where his great power and lovesbleness
shone like stars OF the first magnitude.
With him IT made not the least difference
v whether his student was the son OF a gov
ernor OF the State or IL the child had not,
and had never had, any father at all; in
fact, Mr.. Crawford would have chosen the
fatherless waif to be the receiver OF fayors
from his hand.
Bat though Eleanor Delaney pays
grand tribute to one of the best and wis
est men the State OF Maine ever produced,
she goes wide OF the mark, sometimes.
For instance, she says, "His was not
striking personality in daily life" Why,
MIR. Crawford had one of the most striking
personalities OF any man ever knew. and
have at one time and another come In
contact with many of the greatest that
this century has produced.
Mr. Crawford, as said, was the greatest,
all-srognd man ever knew, but when /
come TO anaiyze bis greatness, the grand
eur OF his character, and say wherein
were the striking characteristics of his
personality, cannot put ii into words.
He was about the weight of common
men and about as tall. The contour OF
his face vas like many others, but IL is
impossible to give to any other face the
thinning, or rather, look - just looS that
was always on his. So how can any one
tall 20, ash arx az har 80 la y ~. xa~rnt Of ~
Crawiord's ioveabie power7
Daniel Webster was less than Eve feet
nine in height, and weighed about one
hundred and sixty To seventy pounds, but
when he walked abroad men turned, and
turned again, to look at him. He walked
the earth COLOSSUS, and when men
gaxed on him they said, ayes, he Is a
god"
take diamond, hold il in your hand,
let the light from every vantage shine ON
ii, hold il where the shadows are, turn II
over, and yet again turn it over. DO you
observe in the visual analysis any very
strange thing about it? A dew drop on the
velvet surface Of rose leaf, when the sun
is climbing over the eastern hills TO sitt
his golden beams through impaipabie
mists upon it, far sarpasses the diamond
in beauty, and its utility is Of vastly more
worth, for it serves a tangible purpose
and the diamond does not. Whence
comes the difference? O, ii Is hard to say,
but all the same the difference is there,
and the diamond can never be counter
feited nor srtifealIy made
II is so with some persons, and Il was
especially so with Mfr. Crawford. A cas-
ual observer could easily see that an un-
common soul, great man, in fact, looked
out from those features, talked in that
voice that was not like any other, posed in
bis movements when he walked, or sat, or
rode.
Indeed, Mr.. Crawford had most strik-
ing personality which, when once seen,
was never forgotten. Although he died
of the white scourge-I believe that is
what caused his death, for ii occurred after
had left home-he was nevertheless
a good deal of an sthelete. He
was never happier than when mixed up
with his boys, and / must say, so the
reader may have a clearer idea of the man,
no matter how close his association with his
students of either sex, it never lead TO in
innate or, what is better, TO lax discipline.
for Mr.. Crawford was a past master in
discipline.
/ remember once, back OF the seminary
in an old field, we were playing ball one
Saturday. Mr.. Crawford had just re-
turned from drive and, boy-like, pushed
into the game that had been under way
for some time. The game was always
more exciting, had more elan in il when
Mr.. Crawford took hand, and these were
always red letter days.
Well, on this occasion Mr.. Crawford had
on high hat for some reason, and he was
at the bat. o, but can see him this min
ute He would reach far out to whsck
the elusive ball, knit tight down on those
white teeth the thin lips OF decision -