While researching Robert E. Howard’s involvement with The Lone Scouts of America and preparing the collection of material by Herbert Klatt, I’m sure there were items that went undiscovered, but the only frustrating thing was an item that I knew existed but that I couldn’t find copies of. In his December 21, 1925 letter to Tevis Clyde Smith, Herbert Klatt says the following in his discussion of a Los Angeles “tribe paper,” The Pueblo Totem: “it isn’t so bad, even if it did use some of your poetry. ’Twas a long time ago that, eh?”
The Pueblo Totem was edited by Dean Wiley, who had a short piece published in Smith’s The All-Around Magazine in 1923. After reading Klatt’s comment, I figured Clyde’s poem must have appeared in PT in 1923, as well. Of course, figuring it was in a 1923 issue didn’t stop me from purchasing a stack of 1924-26 issues; they were the only ones I could find—anywhere.
Luckily, not long after his last issue of TGR appeared, Damon Sasser was contacted by V. P. “Pat” Crain, a son of one of the big names from the old Lone Scouts organization, O. L. Crain. Damon forwarded his message to me, and we’ve been trading things ever since. Now, thanks to his collection, I’ve finally got the items that Klatt referred to in his letter. If I ever update the REH Foundation edition of “So Far the Poet,” I’ll include the following two items.
First, from the June 1923 issue of Pueblo Totem:
“The Three Musketeers”
By Clyde Smith“O carry me to the France of old,
When blood was young and hearts were bold;
When sword crossed sword for honor then,
When life was life and men were men.”Though these lines grace only the immortal pictorialization of Dumas’ greatest romance, they, in themselves, describe fully The Three Musketeers. They carry us back to the days when real blood coursed through the veins of men.
The Three Musketeers is my favorite book, and D’Artagnan, Porthos, Athos and Aramis are my favorite fiction characters. Their brushes with the Cardinal’s Guards, their race to save the honor of the Queen, the capture and trial of Milady, and their numerous minor duels are only small parts of this great book.
Besides relating all the thrilling adventures which the heroes go through, this book is of great value historically. It presents to us in an interesting manner the life of that period. It shows us the customs and reveals the court life of the time of King Louis XIII.
I would advise everybody to read The Three Musketeers, if they have not already done so. It is as great a work as a book as “Doug’s” presentation of it was a movie show.
Pat Crain is always interested in sharing and/or obtaining Lone Scouts of America info, memorabilia or anything related. If you’d like to contact Mr. Crain, shoot me or Damon an email.
