Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-11-26
ehuife aaisfellanu.
eF.thsr. Come Home.r

eFather, Come Home.-
Music has drawn many a heart bacl
from yielding to a temptation it wa
upon the point of doing and binds tn
world together in stronger bonds of broth
erhoed than anything else of humaniz
ing tendency. But how much more ef
fective when aided by little dramati
effect. A London correspondent give
an effecting description of the singing o
the pathetic ballad of Father, COM
Home,n in one OF the London theaters
which left but few dry eyes in the hous'
and must have neryed to stronger reso
luton any present'who were in the habi
of giving away to the weakness an,
wickedness of induiging in intoxicating
drinks TO excess. This correspondent
describing the scene, says that the lad,
singer came in front of the curtain
amidst great applause, and commenced
Father, dear father" dc. Every word
was distinct, and she sang The ballad
with great feeling. In order, however
to fully describe the scene which follow
ed each verse, it is necessary 20 give
little Mary's song:
ssFather dear father, come home with me now
The clock In the steeple strikes one! gong
,fou promised, dear father, that you would come
home
As soon as your day : work was done
Our fire has gone out-our house Is ali dark,
And mother has been watching since tea,
With poor little Benny so sick in herarIns,
A nd n n nein her buf me
Come home, come home come home, -i
Please. father. dear father, come home.
-At the conclusion of the last line the
drop-scene drew up, disclosing the iath-
er sitting at the door OF a public hogse,
in drunken bemuddled state, with pipe
and pot before him. Little Mary was
trying to drag him from his seat, at the
same time pointing to curtain behind,
ns she took up theFefrain from the lady,
and touchingly sang, Come home" &c.
This other custain was now drawn
aside, disclosing a wretcbed room, with
the poor mother sitting on the ground
with sickly-looking boy Oh herlap, and
in the act of feeding him with spoon.
simultaneously with the drawing of the
curtain the lime-light was brought to
bear upon the tableaux giving them a
truly startling effect. After moment
or two the act-drop came down, and the
lady proceeded:
''Father dear father, come home with me now
The clock in the steepie strikes two! (song.
The night has grown colder. and Benny is worse
But he has been calm for you.
Indeed he Is her x-S tuilf dia
Perhaps before morning shall dawn.
And this was the message she sent me TO bring
Come quickly. or he viii be gone
Come home come nome. come home,
Please. father, dear father come hoine.''
The act-drop rises again, and now the
chile has hold OF the pewter pot, trying
TO take it from the drunken parent. and
as she continues the last two lines. .'C Come
home," &C., the other lcurtain is drawn
aside, and We next see the child stretch
ed out on its mothers lap, and as ii just
raises ifs little head and falls back with
gasp, with he iime-iight rejecting
strongly upon it. there was reality about
the whole terrible to view. Sobs were
heard from all parts Of the hall. coming
from the female portion OF the audience.
while tears tsiekied down many "a male
cifeck. Even the lady who sang the
song was ;;itacset;, and could scarcely
proceed with the third verse:
Father, dear fat her. come home with me now.
The eleclz Ia the steeple strikes three! gong
gong. gong
The hohse Is 50 lonely, the hours are 50 long
For poor weeping mother and me.
Yes, We are alone, poor Benny is deal,
And gone with the angels of light,
And these were thevery last words that he said
i wanL 10 kiss pafai-good night
ff-r1f fftrpa ham L.,
Please. father. dear father, come home-
Again the drop rose, disclosing little
Diary on her knees appealing To her faith
er, who, with pot elevated, is in the act
of striking her with it, as she sings
"Come home" and then the back curtain
draws aside, showing mother prayiuc
over a child's coffin. But nov the sobs
burst out still more freely, and two fe-
inaies were carried out fainting The
scene was truly narrowing.
An additional verse was sung about
Poor Benny being with the angels
above. The drop rose; the father, sober
now, is weeping over the coffin with the
mother, and little Mary, on her knees.
singing, Home. home. father, dear faith
er's come home!n At this moment the
curtain is drawn aside, and little Benny
is suspended over the coffin with wings.
smiling down upon them and pointing
upwards The father falls forward on
his face, the act-drop deseends, and for
minute all is hushed save the so5s of the
audience.