Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-02-27
Father, Come Home.

Music has drawn many heart back
from yielding to temptation it was upon
the point Of doing, and binds the world to-
gcthcr in stronger bonds of brotherhood
than anything else Of humanizins tenden-
cy. But how much more effective when
aided by little dramatic effect. a Lon
don correspondent gives an affecting de-
scriptioa Of ths singing Of the pathetic bal
lad of " Father. come home in one of the
London theatres. which left but few dry
eyes in the house. and must have nervcd
the stronger resolution of any present who
were in the habit of giving away to the
weakness and wickcdncss' of Intoxicating
drinks to excess. This correspondent, de-
scribing the scene. says that the lady sing
er came in front of the curtain, amidst
great applause, and commenced Father,
dear father" &c. Every word was dis
tinct, and she sang the ballad with great
feeling. In trlcr. however, to fully de-
scribe the scene which follow each verse,
it is necessary to give little Mary's song:
Father, dear father come home with me now,
The clock in the stccplr strikes one: [gongl
You said you WAS coming right home from the
shop.
As soon as your days work was done.
The fire has gone Out-Our house is all dark,
And mothers been watching since tea,
With poor little Benny sick in her arms,
And no one to hcl 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 rose, disclosing the father sitting
at the door of apubic hou'c, in drunken
bcmuddlcd state, with pipe and pot before
him. Little Mary was trying to drag him
from his seat at the same time pointing to
Il curtain behind her. as she took up from
the lady and touchinely sang, Come
home" etc Thiscurtain was drawn aside,
disclosinga wrctchcd room, the poor moth
er sitting on the floor with a sickly.
looking boy in her lap, 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 tab
lcaux. giving them truly Il startling cf-
feet. After a moment or two the drop
came down. and the lady procccdcd:
Father. dear father, come home with me now,
| The clock in the stccplc strik.s two; gongl
The night has grown COLDER and Benny is worse,
| But he has been calling ior you;
Indeed he is wOrSc-mOthpr saws he will die,
Perhaps before morning shall dawn,
And this WAS the message she sent me to bring
| Come quickly or he will be gone,
Come home, come home, come home.
Please, father, dear father, com. home.
The act drop raises aga.n, and now the
child has hold of the pewter pot, trying to
take it from the drunken parent, aud she
continues the last two lincs. Come home"
etc. the other curtain is drawn aside, and
wcncxt see the child stretched out ON its
mothers lap. and as it just raises its little
head and falls back with gasp, with the
limc-light rejecting strongly uronit. 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 tricklcd
down many male cheek. We have seen
"Susan Hopely," 1.-THE Stranger Jane
Shore" East Lynn" and other affective
pieces played, but never before did We wit.
ness such scene Of general crying. The
principal feature called to mind the picture
Of the "Sistcr of Mercy" with dying
child in her lap, and the death was fearful
ly natural. Even the lady who sang the
song was affected and could scarcely pro-
ceed with the third verse:
Father, dear father, como home with me now,
| The clock in the stecplc strikes three; gOMy.]
The house il so loncly-the hours are so long,
For poor weeping mother and me.
Yes, we are alonc-poor Benny dead!
And gone with the angels 0flight!
| Aud these were the very last words that he said
~ want to kiss papa GOOD night"
| Come home, come home, como home,
Please, father, dear father. come home.
Again the drop arose, disclosing little
Mary on her knees appealing toher father,
who, with pot elevated, in the act Of strik.
ing her with it, as she sings, " Come home, "
and then the back curtain draws aside,
showing the mother praying over child's
coffin. But now the sobs burst out still
more freely, and two females were carried
out fainting. The scene was truly har-
rowing, and We gladly turned our eyes
away.
An additional verse was sung, about
Poor Benny" being with the angels above.
The father, sober now, is weeping over the
coffin with the mother, and little Mary on
her knees, singing Home, home, father,
dear fathers colitc home" At this mo-
meist the curtain il drawn aside, and little
| Q...,, &, su,,onIs.l ovor <La cof;n vr;tl,