Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-19
FATHER 7ABB WAS ONE OF
VIRGINIA s SWEETEST SINGERS
octPriest Saw Beauty in the Varied Riches of Ma
iule-Was Known and Loved by Many Rich
mond People Who Heard Him.


bloSraphers which this writer in his
forthcoming work hopes 10 dispcl.
AZ any rate. he enlisted In the navy
as captains clerk. his eyes dcbar-
ring him from army service. and from
me lips OF kerry devoted friend OF
thc poet. the writer was told that he
went with Captain wilkins To Eng
!ahd TO bring back the Giraffe"
which the Confederate governmen,
had purchased and which afterwards
became The famous blockade runner
In order 10 reach England. of
course. he vas compelled TO run the
piockane On the return trip two OF
nls passengers were Thomas Price.
Blair. OF this city. who had been
stndyins in Germany. One OF the
poet was Professor Blair. whose lee
turc concerning him is very familiar
10 e, the American platform. Professor
Biair esteemed Father Tabb the Shell
ley of America. In the trip the vesse,
ran through the Yankee feet into
charleston harbor and it's captain
nitrlruted their safe passage TO the
The lights of the Fedora! warship
were burning brightly and the crews
carousins.
stayed with Boat.
The young captains clerk followed
the fortunes Of the Robert f. Lee"
"hH'hS ib Su!lpO"ucr from the
Azores and West Indies. some
twenty odd times. their port being
Wilmington. y. g. Later on. so the
wrlt.r was told. he was one Of tho
party OF Confederate soldiers tina,
went on the expedition To rescue the
prisoners on johnson Island. in th,.
tr"h' Lakes region. In the sprInY
OF ihn' Young Thbb was sent by the
bring back another ship which had
Deen purchased. This vessel lost her
anchor on Beaufort. y. G.. and was
captured b. the q. S. S '.Sirrn'. tai-
though William Hand browne in his
ib,,oSraphicai sketch says II was the
keystone State" which effected the
capture).
The Federais brough, their
nrh,soners into Old Point Comfort.
NJ 5; Pine. in her very beautiful work
on the spiritual life OF the poet. says
-, "a, re-, rss"rd to this incident: The
SAKE sa nm even in the face of posi-
ms MS place Of residence. he replied:
England. Scotland Bermuda and
canada. Tor he he had visited All
during his term OF Service
The verdict OF the court condemned
them 10 the bull pen At Point Look
our where young Tabh was soon
i.anicr The mystery OF the sea. IFS
majestic silence. 1t swidc cxpanse,
s onr, sn ' h way Into the impress
muse nj last awoke within him he
CAV. Ia the world many sea pictures
{" haunting loveliness. One qua
srrxn IN nar'!suiar, The Mast" will
The winds that once my playna,es
were
10 more my voice responsive hear.
N;Sr know me. naked now and dumb.
"hch Ger my wandering ways they
Friend OF sidney Lanier.
While for the most part curtain
~ uncertainty rises before the eyes
OF the investigator OF this period of
m, poets life. II is known through
thc medium Of his friends that the
horrors of prison were lightened bv
me coinpanionship OF Lanier This
friendship death had no power 10
break and the future priest in his en-
tnisitc lines 10 Lanicr sings:
md now that thou are gone again
Heyond the verge haste amain
Lost echo OF n iofticr strain)
TO greet thee there"
Kate Mason Rowland. in her charm
ing rccoilections OF the poet. throws
SOM SOM light upon the prison life
when she quotes Father Tabb as
writing ia answer TO the query OF Il
gentleman on the subject. the fol-
loving. AS to Sidney Lanier. at
oiHt i.OOhDut, was his fellow
prisoner. and can answer your query.
There were no concerts in the prison,
nor SO TAR as know was he [Lanier).
ever accompanied by another flute
Two OF his pieces l can never for
get. OF one have never known the
name OF the composer; the other was
the Ado" from "TrOvatorc," which
Patti herself never gave with more
His music was my greatest con-
ISOLATION at the time. and remains
among so many painful recollections
thing OF beauty---a joy forever"
Other data concerning. the life OF
nave to be the subject OF investiga-
zion before they can be put in print
&hd VIII be reserved by the writer
ipr another time. The modesty OF
the subject OF this sketch has left
many muted points which leaves the
biographer in a state of uncertainty
as to many real facts in his life.
Freedom mt Inst
In February, 1865, Sidney Lanier
and John Bannistcr Tabb brcathed
once more the blessed air of free
dom The Confederacy was totter-
ing; all that they had set their
hearts upon was crumbling to ashes.
TO make a living was the problem
that faced them both Tabb turned
with ardor to his favorite art.
music. and for the best part OF Il
year and hall, gave the greater
norton of each day to the study Of
the piano only to suffer the bitter
disappointment at last of having to
abandon the idea OF q career because
of the financial difficulties Of one who
had Defriended him i'm his studies.
At this juncture the Rev. Alfred a.
Curtis. the noted rector of the then
high Mt. Calvary Episcopal Church.
baltimore. entered his life. From the
standpoint Of his religious life this
was the crossroads for the future
Father Tabb. He secured a position
rs teacher in the school attached TO
his church and was teaching there
when Mr.. Curtis broke the bond thar
connected him with Professionalism
and went to Europe to consult DR.
Newman and finally to be baptized H."
that great light OF Catholicism.
Young Tabb found in Mr. Curtis n
kindred soul. and we are told he
was the young teachers trusted guide
In these formative years. 4 brief
interval OF separation cnsucd when
he went to Racine College, Michigan,
to teach. and then the convection
of higher. life turned the poet.
steps toward the ministry. He re-
signed his position and entered the
Episcopal Seminary at Alexandra, for
a course OF study. Meanwhile, MIR,
Curtis had entered st. Marys semi
nary to study for the priesthood.
Enters Church Of Rome.
From what one gathers from a
survey of the poets career at this
time he was fighting n great battle
to determine his souls salvation, and
ere long he decided TO enter the
sacred faith OF the Roman church.
10 l.