Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-09-12
ROssUM THE BEAU

Sdt1, concerning the authorship OF
the old Southern ballad, called
''Rossum, the Beau" has brought
out a letter fir 3m Col Sparks him.
self, in which he gives the origi-
nal version of the song, and the
incident which persuaded him to
write. Col. Sparks began the prac-
tica of law in small town in Mis-
sissippi about the year 1885,
Among the citizens of the place
were the original characters, one of
whom was the hero of the ballad.
and the other the minstrel who
made it famous.
1.-THE first,n says Col. Sparks.
twas q school mas err, who was
quite old, and who had been teach
ing school in that neighborhood
for over forty years His name
was James Rossum. He was pecu-
liar in his habits. On Monday
morning, n atty dressed and clean
ly shaven he went to his duties in
the old school house, where two
thirds of his life had been spent.
and assidiously devoted himself to
the duties of his vocation until
Friday evening On Saturday he
arrayed himself in his best, and
and devoted the day to visiting
the ladies in the neighborhood.-
He was welcome guest at every
house. This habit had continued
so long that he had acquired the
sobriquet of "Rossum, the Beau.n
The others name was Cox. who
was rollicking good fellow, and
the best vocalist ever knew. He
was in song what Prentiss was in
oratory, and they were boon COM
paniOnS.
Cox was frequently at my Of
flee, and upon one occasion whilst
there, Roosum walked by the door,
and his age was apparent in his
walk. Cox looked at him, and af-
ter pause turned to me
and remarked in quite feeling
tone, which he could assume at
pleasure, and its eloquence was in
describable: "Poor old Rossum
some of these sunny mornings he
will be found dead, when we shall
have noble funeral, and all the
ladies will honor it with their
presence, | know" Soon after he
left the Office, and being in the hui
NOR, / sliced the ideas and wrote
the following doggerel lines. Soon
after Cox returned, and | handed
them to him. He got up, walked
and hummed different airs, until
he fell upon the old Methodist
hymn tune, in which they have
ever since been sung. l have alwys
considered Cox more entitled to the
authorship of the song than my
self.
Hundreds Of lines have been
written to the air by as many per-
sons, and almost as many have
claimed the authorship of the lines,
cut this is Of no moment. / claim
10 merit for my lines, but every
thing for Cox's singing them. L
have seen him draw tears from the
eyes Of old and young with the
feeling he threw into the song:
Now, soon. on some soft sunny morning
The first thing my neighbors shall know.
Their ears shell be met with the warning
Come bury old Rossum, the Beau
My friends then so neatly shall dress me
In linen as white as the snow
And in my new coffin shall press me,
And whisper: Poor Rossum, the Beau.
And when Pm to be buried, reckon
The ladies will all like to go;
Let them form at the foot of my coffin
And follow old Rossum, the Beau.
Then take you dozen good fellows,
And let them staggering go;
And dig deep hole in the meadow,
And in it toss Rossum, the beau.
Then shape out couple of dornieks,
Place one at the head and the toe
And do not fail to scratch on it
Here lies old Rossum, the beau.
Then take you these dozen good fellows
And stand them all round in row;
And drink out of a big-bellied bottle,
Farewell 10 old Rossum, the beau
The following, from the New
York SUMS report of an interview
with the editor of the leading dem