The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1869-03-10
.Father, Come Home.

equal favor in Europe, and TIE
StGfioater gives an account of the
singing of it in one of the music
halls of London. There was a
stage, with gauaiy drop-scelie. or.
chestra, etc. After various per-
formances this piece was a n
nonncei. The account says:
Presently female came in front
Of the curtain, amidst great APP
plause, and commenced, Father,
dear Father,n etc, every word was
distinct, aud she sang the ballad
with great feeling. In order, how
ever, to fully describe the scene
which followed each verse, it is
necessary to give "little Mary's
song:
Father. dear father. come home with me
now, -
The clock in the steepls strikes Onel
(Gong,)
You promised. dear father, that you would
come home es@
ks soon as your days work was dome.
Our fire hSs gone out--our hosee is all dark,
And mothers been watching einee tea,
With poor little Bennie SO sick in her arm,
And no one TO help her but me.
Come home, come home, come home.
Please, father, dear father, come home
At the conclusion of the last
line the drop.scene drew up, dis.
closing the father sitting at the
door OF a public house, in a drunk
en- 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, as she took up
che refrain from the lady, and
tonchingly sang, ''Come hoine,"
etc. This other curtain was now
drawn aside, disclosing a wretched
room, with a poor mother sitting
on the ground with a siekly look
ing boy in her lap, and in the act
of feeding him with a spoon
simultaneously with the drawing
of the cu.tain the limo light was
brought to bear on the tableaux,
giving them a truly staraing et-
feet. After a moment or two the
act,drop came down, and the lady
proceeded:
Father. dear father. come home with me
now,
The clock in the steepe strikes twoi
(Gorg, goagJ
The night has grown colder. and Bennie is
worse.
But he hss been calling for you. ,rs
Indeed he 10 worse. ma says he will die,
Perhsps before morning shalt dawn,
And this V tho message she sent me to
bring - ..f-.
Come quickly, or be 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 pew
ter pot, trying to take it from the
drunken parent, and as she con.
tinues the last two lines, Come
home," etc, the other curtain is
drawn aside, and we next see the
child stretched ont on its mothers
lap, and as it Just raises its little
head and falls back with q gasp,
with the lime.light refec in q
strongly upon it, there was a re.
ality 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 trickled down many
a male cheek. Even the lady who
sang the song was affected, and
could scarcely proceed with the
third verse:
sFaher. eesr father, come home with me
now.
The clock is che steerle st,ikes three I
(Goag. gong. geng.l
The house a 80 loueiy. the hours are 50
2 long, -
! For poor weering mother aud me.
Yss. We are slone---poor Bennie is dead,
And gone With the angris Of fiighti
Add these we're the very last words iha. he
. saidA-
y want 70 Slss papav-good-nightr
Come home, so,ne home, como hons.
Plesss. fssI,er dear father. come home, J,
Again tho ,drop,rose, disclosing
litaie Mary on her knees, appeal.