The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-01-12
The story Of u Popular Song.

A correspondent gives the following
account Of the singing of Father, Com,
Home" in one of the music halls i'll Lon
don:
Having reached tlte hall, we paid al
admission fee of sixpence. There was
4 very neat stage, with gaudy drol
scene, side wings, anda tolerable goot
orchestra In the stalls sat the chair
man, to keep order over as motley al
audience as ever was seen out Of The
gallery Of the Victoria Theatre. Cos
ters' seemed to predominate All ap
peared plentifullv supplied with porter
and all were enjoying their pipes to sucl
an extent rs to make the place almost
sutfocating, for there must have been al
audience of nearl " five hundred. a mig
ger walk around was just being fin
ished, and the shouts of ''encore," whist
ling and stamping of feet made the hal
perfectly bewildeling A name was an
nounced from the chairman, which w,
could not catch, and amidst cfappi1g O.
hands and stamping of feet there was
buzz Of This is the song" The waiter
called loudly, ''Any more orders 2" and
these being taken and duly executed, al
scented to settle down quietly to listen
to the s0iig. There was the symphony
and another buzz of FThis is it, and
we began to feel anxious. Presently s
female came in front of the curtain
amidst great applause, and commenced
Father, dear father" DC. Every word
was distinct, and she sang the balled
With grcat feeling. In order. however
to fully describe the scene which follow
ed each verse, it is necessary to give
little Mary's' song:
"Pathcr. dear father, come home with me now,
The clock nj the steeplc strikes One. tscn,g,
You promised, dear father, that you would
| come home
AS soon as your days work was done
Our fire has gone out--our house is all dark,
And mothers been watching since tea,
With poor little Benny so sick in her arms,
And no one to help her but NE.
| Come home, come home, come home,
Please father, dear father, come homo"
At the conclusion of the last line the
drop scene drew up, disclosing the IA
ther sitting at the dcorcf public house
in drunken, bemuddled state, with q
pipe and pot before him. Little Mary
was trying TO drag him from his seat al
the same time pointing to curtain be
hind, as she took up the refrain from the
lady, and touchingly sang, Come home
DC. This other curtain was now drawn
aside, disclosing wretched room il
which was the mother with the poor
sickly-looking boy in her lap, and in the
act of feeding him with 4 spoon Sim
ultaneously with the drawing of the cur.
tain, the lime light was brought to bear
tipon the tobleaux, giving them truly
startling effect. After Il moment or two
the act drop CAME down, and the lady
proceeded:
"Father, dear father, come home with me now
The clock in the steeple strikes Two. (gong
| gongl
The night has grown colder, and Benny is worst
But he has been calling for you.
Indeed he is worse, mother says he will die,
| Perhaps before morning shall dawn,
And this was the message she sent me t,
bring
Come quickly, or he will be gone.
! Come home, come home, come home,
Please father. dear father, come home
The act drop rises again, and now
the Child has hold of the pewter pot
| trying to take it from the drunken parent
and, as she continues the last two lines
Come home," DC, the other curtain is
drawn aside, and we next see the chic
stretched out on its mothers lap, and as
| it just raises its little head and falls back
with gasp, with the lime light reflect
ing strongly upon it, there was q reality
about the whole terrible to view. Sobs
were heard coming from all parts of the
hall, coming from the female portion o
the audience. while tears trickled down
many male check. We have seer
"Susan Hopley," The Stranger Jan,
Shore" ""East Lynne and other effect
i've pieces played, but never before die
we witness such scene of general cry
ing. The principal feature called tt
mind the picture Of the "Sister of Mer
cy," with the dying child in her lap, ant
the death was fe;Tlully natural. Ever
the lady who sang the song was affected
and could scarcely proceed with th'
third verse:
Father, dear father, come home home with nj
The clock in the stecple strikes Three! (gong
gong, gong
The house is so lonely. the hours are so long
For poor weeping mother and me.
Yes, we are alone-poor Benny is dead,
And gone with the angels of light,
And these are the very last words that h
said
Il want to kiss papa goodnight"
| Come home, come home, come home,