Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-18
Jules Hubbard, Sweet Singer, and His Services to His Fellow Men

can hear them better And so the firing
ceased and the Lumbards sang songs of
love and war, songs that pleased the
hearts beneath both blue and gray, and
then they sang Home. Sweet Home and
many a rough sleeve in either trench wiped
away a tear, as the distant homes in the
city and farms Of the north and planta-
lions Of the south were brought back In
loving memory by the cadences OF the
song we loved so well. But the music
ceased and a shot rang out and the con-
cert was over and grim war resumed its
sway"
Such was the way In which Jules Lum-
bard served his country. 1t might be added
that when Abraham Lincoln told the peo-
pie OF Illinois why he wished to be presi-
dent, the Lumbard brothers accompanied
him on the s-peechmaking campaign, lend
ing melody to the meetings. They were
personal friend of the great war presi-
dent. But this singing propensity OF jules
Hubbard lasted all his life. 1t made a way
for his sunny nature and generous heart
everywhere and he was welcomed in more
cities and in more homes than Is the good
fortune OF even the greatest Of public
men.
Music" he said once. sis like flowers.
1t was meant to be given away. God gave
ne the gift and 1 do not flatter myself
with the thought that I possess 1t. l be-
gan studying music when I drove the cows
home; 1 used to practice the scales when
/ fed the chickens, and 1 used to walk
three miles bare-footed to singing school.
/ knew do, re, ma. ia, sol, la, 81, do. be-
fore did my letters and / have been sing
ing ever since"
He came from French stock and his
father followed the sea and all the family
long since dead-loved song.
Touching tributes to the power of this
great old singer were constantly reaching
him. Some letters thanked him for relief
in hours Of sorrow, others for courage in
moments of tlmidity and despair-all
penned from the heart and all sincere.
"You are always doing more for others
thar you are for yourself wrote Phillip
d. Armour in 1895 in a characteristic let
ter, and IL / ever wanted you to do
anything in particular l should not hesi-
tate one particle to tell you so. as / know
1t would give you as great pleasure to do
anything as 1t would for me to have It
done. And while / like to hear you sing
(and I think you sing better than any
man I ever HEARD, / wouldn't listen a
minute to your travelling back and for
ward from Omaha. You and / have got
too old to DO that or TO think Of doing
It. You have a delightful way OF making
people like you; in fact. / never saw any
body in my life. man or woman, that
didn't like you, and all the return / ever
want for anything / may do for you is
Just the privilege of liking you. 1 have
never done anything for you, but II you
ever get In the police court l hope you
know where my latchstring Is"
In March. 1904. Jules Hubbard said: IT
made the mistake of my life when / got
rich. After ! had ceased singing in the
war / went into the Pennsylvania oil
fields and made a fortune OF $4,000 all
In three months. Then ! took my wife
ana we went 60 New York 20 spend It.
Two or three years did the business. The
money was spent aeither IN dissipation nor
speculation. but SIS yau would lose water
carrying II across tue street in a sieve.
The experience left me with the habits OF
a prince and the means Of a pauper."
OF this excursion In the land OF plenty.
Mrs. Ella w. Peattie wrote a good many
years ago.: up TO this time life had been
a serious matter with him His nose had
been kept to the grindstone. He considered
that now he was entitled TO a little amuBe-
ment. Perhaps IL was wrong, but at any
rate that was his view OF the case. He
took his wife to New York. They lived at
the most fashionable hotels. His voice
charmed everyone. His heartiness ana his
wffe's vivacity delighted the Bohemians.
Their rooms got to be the resort OF the
musicians from both the theaters and the
churches. Mr.. Lumbard sang In BeechePs
church and DIT. Taylor's tabernacle. The
organ-like qualities OF his voice were con-