The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-10-24
A Farmer Boy
Turns his Back on the Sea. Becomes a
Pioneer in Continuous Performances, and
is Now Eminent in Theatrical Enterprises.

Pioneer in Continuous Performances, and
is Now Eminent in Theatrical Enterprises
II was in the fall of 1866 that more
than ordinarily bright-looking youth ap'
piled to the steward of the steamship
Ashland, then lying at Pier IL, North
River, New York, for job, stating that
he was willing to do anything that would
enable him to earn livelihood. The
steward was in need of boy to take
care of the messroom, wait on the Of
fcers' table and make himself generally
useful, so he shipped the applicant and
Immediately put him to work.
This steamer had recently been taken
off the Metropolitan Outside Line to
Boston, in which she had the honor that
year of being the pioneer in its estab-
lishment, to make round trip to New
Orleans under charter to the Black Star
Line in conjunction with the steamships
Huntsville and Montgomery. By the
time the Ashland sailed the new ''mess-
boy" was broken in, and through his
neatness, desire to please. and good
nature had gained the good viii! of the
officers and the confidence of the steward
under whose immediate orders he was.
The captain, young man who hadn't
forgotten the time when he was obliged
to 60 to sea to earn his living, soon be-
came interested in the new ''messboy'
through his being great sufferer from
seasickness and his brave fight against
it. The captain himself had also suffer
ed from the same cause; and remember
ing that deathly feeling preceding CIV
ing up ones latest n cal to make eXls-
tence possible, caused him to sympathlze
with the sufferer and encourage him to
overcome it, so that before reaching
New Orleans the "messboy" had gained
his sea legs, besides becoming general
favorite fore and aft in consequence of
his pluck and his evident desire to be-
come sailor.
On the return tri o circumstance oc-
Cured of little moment at the time, but
events following connected it with one
of the most thrilling fatal disasters OF
the many that have taken place in the
Atlantic Ocean. 1t was midday on Oc-
tober 2, the Ashland was making about
half speed in heavy northeast gale and
sea in the Gulf Stream off Charleston, 5.
c., when she sighted large sidewhee
steamer bound south, which occurrence
was not unusual enough to attract par
ticular attention, although the circum-
stance was noted in the log book. The
gale increased thereafter SO violently
and the sea in proportion that it caused
the Ashland to labor heavily and necessi.
tated getting her north of the Gull
Stream, where she made better weather
of it.
The day following the sidewheel steam
er Daniel Webster was passed partially
water-logged and abandoned. The gale
had blown itself out, and nothing hap
pened of particular interest to those or
board the Ashland during the three days
that elapsed before she reached New
York. The day after our arrival the
"messboy," whose progress has beer
noted to considerable extent for a pur.
pose that will be explained further on,
reported to the steward that he was
going to leave. On being asked why, he
replied: During that heavy gale in the
Gulf Stream. when our chances fol
reaching land appeared to me to be g
question of great good luck, | heard the
captain say to the mate, If the old ship
pulls us through this cyclone we shall
owe her lasting debt of gratitude Sc
it's the land for me hereafter, where il
l do have to work with my hands l will
be able to get foothold. | agree with
the captain, and am running over with
gratitude to the old ship, but | am tax.
ing no more chances in her, so goodbye. y
| A few days after the event recorded
above, news was received at New York
that lifeboat had reached the coast OF
Georgia with "a survivors of the steam
ship Evening Star, Capt. Knapp, bound
to New Orleans, which vessel founderec
about 200 miles east of Tybee Island,
Ga, October 3, carrying down 259 pas.
sengers and crew, including all her Off
GERS but the purser. This was the vessel
the Ashland sighted the day before she
met her tragic end. The Evening Star
no doubt encountered the center of q
cyclone while the Ashland more fortu.
nate, skirted its outer edge.
In the winter of 1886, twenty years
after the facts related above occurred,
the former captain of the Ashland, who
sixteen years previous had repounced
the sea, while in Boston on business was
called on at the Adams House by men,
Der Of the Boston Herald staff, who
stated that gentleman next door in the
office of the Bijou Theater desired to
see him. The request was promptly
complied with. The reader can judge
of the surprise when ''tbe captain" was
ushered into the presence of the Ash
lands former "messboy," who was the
owner and proprietor Of this playhouse.
Twenty years had elapsed since they
had met. AS consequence, there was
lot to say, and it was late that night
before they got through saying it. A
natural friendship of the warmest char
acter was born of that meeting, which
has continued ever since.
Sunday, September %, 1912, twenty
six years later, 'the captain" was the
guest of his former shipmate at Roway-
-the-Sound. every moment of
which was spent in relating what fate
had done for each during the many years
since they last met. During this interval
the "messboy" had become the owner of
a number of fine theaters in prominent
cities of the United States, controlling
at least twenty-five in all, besides posses
sing town house in Brookline, suburb
of Boston; a summer home at Dever-
eaux, Mass, overlooking Marblehead
Bay; also a winter residence at Miami,
Fla, from one or the other of which he
directs the management of his extensive
theatrical enterprises.
The ''messboy," the subject of this
sketch. who had such narrow escape
from becoming mariner, is none other
than B. F. Keith, farmers boy from
Hillsborough Bridge, N. H., and the
originator of continuous performances
on the stage third of a century ago,
which practical idea has given the pub