The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-09-25
OLD RossUM, THE BEAU.
What Col. Sparks Knows About this tliE-
tOric Individual.
From r,tharn Parer.

| buS VI luO ChL
Enquirer, few days ago, an articl
from Maj. Calhoun, in which allusion i
made to Col. W. H. Sparks, of New Or
leans, now in this city, as the author o
this we'll known and popular old song
I called his attention to it. The follow
ing letter is in reply to my inquiry
Col. Sparks is, perhaps, as well If no
better known than any other man OF thu
old regime of aristocracy and wealth
for which the great southwest became
so famous anterior to the war. He il
the author of highly-interestiDg bool
entitled memories of Fifty Years. "
The colonel is now over seventy-fvt
years of age; but still retains his
health, constitutional vigor, and great
mental strength to remarkable degree
lie numbered as his personal associates
and companions of the long ago such
personages as Danial Webster, Calhoun,
Gen. jackson, John Bell, Slidell, and
most of the statesmen of note who
| fiourished in those times. Ia converse.
| tional powers the colonel is unsurpassed,
and his familiarity and acquaintance
with all the prominent men and public
incidents of half century back make
his society really charming. He, to-
gether with his excellent and talented
lady, have been spending the summer
at the Kimball House, and the two have
been the center of great attraction for
the number of intelligent guests who
daily throng its parlors. But 1 give
you Col. Sparks own word, together
with the original " Rossum the Beau -
ATLANTA, Ga, Aug. 81, 1874.
Mp nv n MOORE MAJ Il1n1 .NiJs-
ana obliged to you for the little para
graph from the Columbus paper as
cribing to me- the authorship of this
song, once so popular throughout the
country.
1t is very true, wrote the lines 1
send you, and they are the first that
were ever sung to the air which became
famous.
I will give you brief history of the
writing, and of the man who inspired
them. When first went to the west,
in 1926, was some time in selecting a
domicile. Why-it is not necessary for
me to state, as the reason and causes
for delay will form theme for a chap
ter in the second volume of the "Mem-
ories of Fifty Years"
Finally located in Mississippi and
commenced the practice of law. 1t was
in the midst of the noblest race of peo-
pie have ever known. Amongst these
were two equally remarkable but very
unlike. One was a schoolmaster who
was quite old, and who had been teach
ing in that neighborhood over forty
years. His name was James Rossum.
He was peculiar in his habits. On
Monday morning, neatly dressed and
cleanly shaven, he went to his duties in
the old school-house, where two-thirds
of his life had been spent, and assidu-
ously devoted himself to the duties of
his vocation until Friday evening. On
Saturday morning he arrayed himself
in his best, and devoted the day in Wis
iting the ladies of the neighborhood.
He was welcome guest at every house. |
This habit had continued so long that |
be had acquired the sobriquet of |
Sc Rossum, the Beau" The others name |
was Cox, who was rollicking good fell |
low, and the best vocalist l ever knew. !
He was in song what Prentiss was in
Oratory, and they were boon compan-
ions. Both died young.
Cox was frequently at my office, and |
upon one occasion while he was there |
Rossum walked by the door, and his
age was apparent in his walk. Cox
looked at him, and after pause turned
20 me and remarked in quite feeling
jone, which he could assume at pleas
Ire, and it's eloquence was indescrib-
lble: {" Poor old Rossum! some of these
Junny mornings he will be found dead,
when he shall have a noble funeral,
md all the ladies will honor it with be-
ng present, know"
Soon after he left the office, and be-
ng in the humor 1 seized the ideas and
Vrote the following doggerel lines.
soon after Cox returned, and 1 handed
hem to him. He got up, walked and
lummed different airs, until he fell
Ipon the old Methodist hymn tune, in
which they have ever since been sung.
l have always considered Cox more
ntitled to the authorship of the song
han myself.
Hundreds of lines have been written
o the air, by as many persons, and
lmost as many have claimed the au-
horship of the lines; but this is of no
claim no merit for my lines,
nut everything for Cox's singing them.
have seen him draw tears from the
yes of the old and the young:
Now, soon, on some soft, sunny morning,
The first thing my neighbors shall know,
Their ears shall 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 I'm to be buried, 1 reck on,
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 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 couple of dornicks,
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 a row;
And drink out of a big-bellied bottle,
Farewell to old Rossum, the bean.
W. H. SPARKS.