Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1872-12-05
SELECTED STORY.
TEE Song WRITER.

You have often asked me for My histo
ry. doctor, and now that am so neal
my end, you shall have it. Now don't
stop me, my dear friend; | know what
~ would say must not excite my
self, on talk much. You see, | am al
most as good doctor as you are: but |
feel that cannot last another day, and
as few hours cannot make much diff
ference, I prefer dying my own way; SO
sit down and listen to what no one has
heard but yourself.
Six-and-twenty years ago | was a
clerk in merchants office. | can't say
| liked the business, but | stuck to it
and got on, fer l loved my masters
daughter, and | hoped by hard work to
one day be allie to make her mine. ]
was an orphan, with neither kith nor
kin to look after me, but the love !
bore Mile kept me quiet and industri-
Gus. rose step by step in the office,
and Mr.. Bruce, the merchant, was never
tired Of sounding my praise.
All went OH happily until he discov-
cred that / loved his daughter, and
then his passion knew no bounds. |
need not enter into particulars. l was
turned from the house, but not alone,
for Mile and | had been secretly mar
ried three months before.
We took quiet lodging in the sub
urbs, and l went every day into the city
in hopes Of securing another situation.
i had little money that | had saved,
on which we lived-lived, oh, so hap
pilv. even at this distance it seems a
heavenly dream too bright for earth.
Millie was always trustful that her faith
er would relent, and | always believed
should soon obtain another appoint
ment: but we both were deceived. Time
rolled on, our little capital almost gone
our hopes almost exhausted, but oul
love bloomed as fresh as ever. / tried
literature, and made few pounds; but
nv manuscripts too often cane back
without being read Still / struggled
on, and wrote several songs, which had
a certain amount of success; and once
hope seemed to beam upon us.
Millie-heaven bless her!- fancied
that | should become famous, that the
whole country would ring, with my
name, and then her father won d be
ad to forgive us. What might have
happened had I not met with such mis-
| fortunes, heaven alone knows cannot
say, but III the midst of the hi chit hap
piness my wife was taken i'll. 1t was
consumption.-I worked day and night
to procure the necessary medicines and
food for her; | wrote to her father, but
received no reply; | went from publish
er to publisher hawking my songs about
selling them for almost anything to buy
bread. Oh, how they ground me down
Men who had, had successful songs
from me, now that they saw HE in pow
erty, cut down the prices until starva
ton was close upon nae.
One afternoon | shall never forget
it | left poor Mile in bed-she coulo
not rise-and went to seek work.
called at her fathers, but was turned
away from the door | wandered
about from place to place, but all my
efforts were fruitless-l could not carr
a penny. Heartbroken and weary,
turned homeward; had not money &c
buy oaf Of bread.
was standing at the corner Of 6
street, thinking what I should do for
could not go home to Mile, my pool
hungry sick wife, mpty-handed whel
| received hearty slap on the shoulder
and turning round saw Giidden, the
music publisher.
"Well, Burden" he cried, ''you don't
seem happy. You look as pleasant as
if you had lost sovereign and found
farthing.
Happy? exclaimed "happy with
a wife dying Of consumption and star
walton.
"Dear me, that's very sad! Why
don't you work? 2
"W ork 2" have sought it far and
near; have done everything but with
out success.
ssrhe music trade is bad, and no mis-
take; but still think something might
be done.-Y our songs Rave succeeded
pretty well. Now what tfnre would ii
take you to write me four songss"