Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-01-15
The Story OF n Popular.
Song.

=
Song.
A correspondent gives the fo,low-
ing account cf the singing OF "Fath.
er, Come Home" In one of the nu sic
halls in London:
Having reached the hall, we paid
an admission OF sixpence. There
WAS a very neat stage, with gaudy
drop scene, side wings, and q toiera-
bic good orchestra. In the stalls set
the chairman, TO keep order over as
out OF the gallery Of the Victoria
Theatre. "Costers" seemed tn pre-
dominate. All appeared plentifuily
supplied wit, porter, and all were
enjoying their pipes to such an ex.
tent ~ 10 make the place almost suf.
locating, for there must have been an
audience Of nearly five hundred. A
nigger walk around was just being
flushed, aud the shouts of ''encore, "
whistling and stamping of feet made
the hall perfectly bewildering. A
name WAS announced from the chair
man, which we could not catch, and
snitiNt elapping of hands aud stamp
ing of feet there was buzz of "rhis
10 the song!' The waiter called
loudly, ANY more % ders?n aud
these being taken and duly executed,
oil seemed TO settle down quietly to
listen 10 the soug. There was The
symphony, and another buzz at
"'rhis sit!" and we began to feel
anxious. Presently a female came IL
front or the curtain, amidst great al.
plsuse, and commenced Father,
dear father" &c. Every word was
diatinct, and she sang the ballad with
great feeling. In order, however, Ia
fully describe tile scene which fol.
lowed each verse, IL IL necessary TO
give little Mary'sn song:
Father. dear father come home with me now.
The clock In the steeple strikes One (gong J
foa promised, dear father, that You would come
As soon ss your days work wa. done.
Our nre hs. gone out-our house IL all dark,
And mothers been watching since tea. Isl
With poor little Benny 80 lick IN her arms, /.
And no one TO help her but me-
Come home, come home, come home,
Please father, dear father, come home
Al the conculsion of the last line
the drop scene drew up, discussing
the father sitting AT the door of =
public house, liz drunken, bemud.
died state, with pipe and pot before
him. Little Mary was trying to drag
him from his seat, at the same time
pointing to u curtain behind, ~ SHE
took up the refrain from the lady
aud touchingly sang. Come home, y
dc. This other curtain WAS now
drawn aside, disclosing a wretched
room In which WIS the mother with
the poor. sickly.looklng boy In her
lap, aud I'm the act of feeding him
with u spoon. simultaneously with
the drawing of the curtain, the lime
light was drought to bear upon tn.
tableaux, giving them truly start.
ling effect. After = moment or twc
the act drop came down, aud the
lady proceeded: .......r...
Father dear father. come home with me now,
The Clock Ia the stecple strikes Twol lgong
The night has grown colder. ana Benny |. yorss
But he has been calling for you,
Indeed he 10 worse, mother says he win die,
Perhaps before morning shall dawn,
And this was the message she cent me TO bring
Come quickly, or he will be gone.
Come home, come home. come home, e
Please father, dear father. come homs.'
The act drop rises again, and now
the child has hold Of the pewter pot
trying to take IL from tile drunken
parent, and, as she continues the
last two lines, Come home,n &c.
the other curtain is drawn aside, and
we next see tho child stretched oul
on It's mothers lap. and as II JUS
raises Its little head and falls bach
with a gasp, with the lime light re
fiscting strongly upon ii, there wui
u reality about the whole terrible Il
vie W. Sohs were heard coming from
all parts of the hall, coming from tli,
female portion of the audience, while
tears trickied down many male
cheek. We have seen ''susan Hop
ley" "Thc Stranger" Jane Shore p
East Lynne" and other effective
pieces played, but never before die
We witness such scene of genera
crying. The principal feature cailec
ts mind the picture of the ''Sister %
Mercy" with the dying child In hel
lap, and the death was fearfully nat
ural. Even the lady who sang th,
song WAS affected. and could scar Gel,
proceed with the third verse:
Father, dear father, come home with ms now,
| The clock In the steeple strikes Three (gsng
The house h. 90 lonely, the hours are so long,
4
Yes, WE are alons--poor Benny IL dead, .. 1921.
And gone with the angels of light,
And these are the very last words that he aid
want to kiss papa good-nightr
Come home, come home. come home
Please iather, dear father, cume home"
Again the drop rose, disclosing lit
tie Mary ON her knees appealing &
her father, who, with the pct elevated
is In the act of striking her with it
i n shs utuus tst,nurs hc,ra ~ .,,,A tia.
the back curtain draws aside. sllo "
ing the mother praying over chill,
coffin. But now the sobs burst still
more freely, and two females wer,
carried out fninting. The scene wa,
truly narrowing, and we gladly
turned our eyes away.
An additional verse was sung abou
"Poor Benny" being with the angel,
above. The drop rose; the father
sober now, IL weeping over the coifii
with thu mother, and little Mary or
her knees singing, .Iiome, home
father. dear fathers come home.
AZ this moment the curtain is draw WI
aside, and little Benny is suspen,ie,
over tire coffin with wings, smiling
down upon them and pointing up
wards. The father falls forward oi
his face, the act drop descends, ant
for few minutes gll Ii huslied save
the sobs Of the females.
There" said q workingman b,
our side, as he heaved sigi, Of relief
"Mr. Spurgeon never preached bet
ter sermon than that, an expressi0r
70 which We assen.ed, aud then lef
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