Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-10-03
OLD ROSSUM, THE BEAU.
What Col. Sparks Knows About this
Historic individual.
From a Southern Paper

From Southern Paper.
Noticing in the columns of the SUI
day Enquirer, few days ago, an articl
from Maj. Calhoun, in which allusio
is made to Col. W. H. Sparks,
!, New Orleans, now in this city, as th
author of this well known and popu
lar old song. l called his attention I
it. The following letter is in reply I
my inquiry, Col. Sparks is, perhaps, a
well if not better known than an
other man of the old regime of arls
tocracy and wealth, for which tn
great southwest became so famous an
terror to the war. He is the autho
of highly-interesting book entitle'
Memories of Fifty Years"
The colonel is now over seventy-fv
years of age; but still retains hi
health, constitutional vigor, and grea
mental strength to a remarkable de
gree. He numbered as his persona
associates and companions of the long
ago such personages as Daniel Web.
ster, Calhoun, Gen. jackson, John
Bell, Slidell, and most of the states
men of note who fourished in those
times. In conversational powers the
colonel is unsurpassed, and his famili-
arity and acquaintance with all the
prominent men and public incidents OF
a half century back make his society
really charming. He, together with
his excellent and talented lady, have
been spending the summer at the Kim
ball House, and the two have been the
center of great attraction for the num-
Der of intelligent guests who daily
throng its parlors. But l give you
Col. Sparks own words, together with
the original "Rossum the Beau"
ATLANTA, Ca, q, 1874.
Mr.. W. II. MOORE: My Dear Sir
| am obliged to you for the little para
graph from the Columbus paper ascrib-
ing to me the authorship of this song,
once so popular throughout the coun-
try.
Lit is very true, | wrote the lines |
send you, and they are first that were
ever sung to the air which become IA
nous.
L will give you a brief history of
the waiting, and of the man who in
spired them. When [ first went to the
west, in 1926, | was some time in Sc
lecting a domic;le. Why it is not
necessary for me to state, as the reason
and causes for delay will form a theme
for chapter in the second volume
of the Memories of Fifty Years"
Finally | located in Mississippi and
commenced the practice of law. 1t
was in the midst of the noblest race of
people have ever known. Amongst
these were two equally remarkable but
very unlike. One was schoolmaster
who was quite old, and who had been
teaching in that neighborhood over
forty years. His name was James Ros-
sum. He was peculiar in his habits.
On Monday morning, neatly dressed
and cleaaly shaven, he went to his du-
ties 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 morning he ar
rayed himself in his best. and devoted
the day in visiting the ladies of the
He was welcome
guest at every house. This habit had
continued so long that he had acquired
the sobriquet uf 'Rossum, the Beau"
The Others name was Cox, who was
good fellow, and the best vo-
calist [ ever knew. He was in song
what Prentis was in oratory, and they
were boon companions. Both died
young.
Cox was frequently at my Office, and
upon one occasion while he was there
Rossum walk by the door, and his age
was apparent in his walk. Cox looked
at him, and after pause turned to me
and remarked in quite feeling tone,
which he could assume at pleasure,
and its eloquence was indescribable
Poor old ROssum? some of these
sunny morning he will be found dead,
when he shall have a noble funeral,
and all the ladies will honor it with
being present, know"
Soon after he left the Office, and be-
ing in the humor | seized the ideas
wrote the following doggerel lines.
Soon after Cox returned, and | hand
ed them to him. He got up, walked
and hummed different airs, until he
fell upon the Methodist hymne tune,
in which they have ever since been
sung.
| have always considered Cox more
entitled to the authorship of the song
than myself.
Hundreds of lines have been writ
ten to the air, by as many persons, and
almost as many have claimed the au-
thorship of the lines; but this is Of
no moment. | claim no merit for my
lines, but everything for Cox's singing
them. | have seen him draw tears
from theeye of the old and the young:
Now. soon, on somesoft, sunny morning,
The first thing my neighbOrs shall know,
Their ears shall be met with the warning
Come bury old Rossum, the beau.
My freinds 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 I'm to be buried, / reckon,
The ladies will all like to go;
Let them form at the foot of my coffin,
And follow cid Rossum, the beau.
Then take you a dozen good fellows,
And let them all staggering go;
And dig deep hole in the meadow,
And in it toss Rossum, the beau.
Then shape out a couple of dornicks,
Place one at the head and the toe;
And do not fail to scratch oh it
Here lies old ROsum, 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 TO old RossuIn, the beau.
w. II. SPARKS.