The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1874-07-01
American Song.

-
American Song.
THE WORK AND Success Or THE MOST
POPULAR BALLAD WRITER OF HIS TIME.
VIII S. Hays, of Louisville, tho
author of "Nora O'Neal," "Drivcn
from Home,' "Shamus O'Brien,"
"Writo Me Letter from IIomc,"
"Mollic, Darling, etc, is to-day the
most successful and popular song.
writer in America, if not in the worlI.
1t is not too much to say that
the ballads of no writer that this
country has ever produced have 80
touched the hearts Of the people as
those of Mr. Hays and there is
scarcely q hcarthstonc in the land
that does not know them. Some of
them pathetic, some Of them gay and
sparkling, all of them seem to have
within them u power which if not
born of genius, is the offspring of
something that maybe said to close
]y approach it. Tho amount Of work
which he has done, and tho success
which he has achieved, arc roma"kas
bic, and We propose to give horc somc
account OF tho man and of the circula-
tlon which his songs have attained.
MIR. Hays WAS born in this city on
the 18th Of July, 1887, is thirty seven
years of age, and is the oldest son of
Mr.. Hugh Hays, an old resident of
louisville, who has been a manufHc-
turcr horc for many years. 1Ic has
dark eyes, dark hair, is fair complex
ioned and is Of medium height. y
handsome, da*hing sol Of man, full
OF life and good humor, he ovcrR )ws
withrodd and comical stories and
anecdotes, which colo,cd by his cxu-
bcrant imag gination, afford ruro enter.
taiment to tho jovial company in
which ho is gcncrally y to bo found
when not absorbed in i, business.
lie wrote his first song, "Evangc.
line," before the war, and it was
published by Silas Braincrd, Clevc-
land, Ohio. Afterwards he wrote
"W andering Refugee" "..onc
Grove by the Sea-" "Drummer Boy
Of Shiloh," "My Sunny Southern
Iome,' and others. Writing atlirst for
amusement, he subsequently offered
to sell his songs to vLrious publishers
vi music, but met with little or no
encouragement. Remembering, how.
ever, the fate Of John Howard Paine,
tho author of "llome, Sweet Home"
the GOODNESS Of the unapprcciptivc
publishers did not dishcartcn lin.
One day, in Cincinnati, he met Jvhu
j.. Peters, the well.known music
publisher Of New York, who had
once been Il boy companion Of his in
Louisville, and hlr. Peters agreed to
take several of his songs at twcnty-
live dollars each. From that time
MS success was assured, and Mr..
Pcters has ever since been his princi.
pal publisher.
Not only is Mr.. Hays the most
prolific ballad writer Of bis day, bat
he is the most successful Nino Of
his best songs have had an i'm.
mcnsc sale. OF "Shamu. O'Brien'
Mr.. Peters has sold 23l, ,375 copies
of "Mollie Dariing:" a37 ,l5O copies,
e7,lo0 copies within two past twelve
months: Of "Nora O'NcnI,' SIG, ,GIl
of "Driycn from Ilomc,' 35G, G,3l5 OF
"Write Mo II letter from lIomc,'
446. 100. The total number Of copio.
of his sorgs sold by Mr.. Peters since
becoming his publisher is no less than
three million one hundred and eighty
eight Thousand. Music publishers in
Cleveland, Now Orleans and Louis.
vile have also sold great numbers
of his productions, and they have me,
with ready sale in European cities.
Alter such figures AS those given
above, wha, Mr.. Peters says iu II
lctterto MIR. Hays seems almost su.
pcrfluous. Mr.. Peters says "When
l tell you that We consider an average
sale OF two thousand i,ir estimate
of popular writer's efforts, You will
sec that your songs have been uuusu,
ally successful"
Probably no song.writcr has bcon
oticrod greater pocuniary induccmcnt.
to write for this country and i,urope
than MIR. lays. His melodies are
extensively used by tho Geneva
(Switzorland) Music box Company
whose instruments arc known ali over
the world. If possible, his lattor
songs arc better and moro in demand
than those Of the Iast, and his powers
OF production appear to be incxhausli.
BILE.
Mr.. Hays has lived in Louisville eve,
since his birth, and now resides with
III two squares Of the place whore he
was born. 1t has been said that he i:
not SO we'll appreciated at home as
abroad, but this is hardly true. His
capacity as pleasing, sparkling
writer is as well recognized here Us
1t can possibly be elsewhere, and
nowhere, is his great success better
known Than in lis native city.-Cou.
y|cr Journai.
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