The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-10-01
OLD RossUM, THE BEAU.
What Col. Sparks Knows About this lis-
tOric individual.
From Southern Paner.

| What Col. Sparks Knows About this a ia
tOric individual.
From Southern Paper.
Noticing in the columns of the Sun.
| Enquirer, a few days ago, an article
from Mai. Calhoun, in which allusion is
made to Col. W. Il. Sparks, of New Or
leans, now in this city, as the author OF
/ this well 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 not
better known than any other man of the
old regime of aristOcracy and wealth,
for which the great southwest became
so famous anterior to the war. He is
| the author of highly-interesting book
entitled " Memories of Fifty Years. -
| The colonel Is now over seventy-five
years of age; but still retains his
| health, constitutional vigor, and great
mental strength to a remarkable degree.
| He numbered as his personal associates
and companions of the long ago such
! persoaages as Danial Webster, Calhoun,
Gen. jackson, John Bell, Slidell, and
most of the statesmen of note who
fourished in those times. In conversa-
tional powers the colonel is unsurpassed,
and his familiarity and acquaintance
with all the prominent men and public
incidents of a 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 I give
you Col. Sparks own wordS, together
with the original " Rossum the Beau :"
ATLANTA, Ga, Aug. 81, 1874.
Mr.. W. II. MOORE Afy Dear Sir
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, I wrote the lines I
send you, and they are the first that
were ever sung to the air which became
famous.
Will give you brief history of the
writing, and of the man who inspired
them. When I first went to the west,
in 1926, was some time in selecting a
dCmicile. 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 1 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 a welcome guest at every house.
This habit had continued so long that
he had acquired the sobriquet of
90 Rossum, the Beau" The others name
was Cox, who was a rollicking good fell
low, and the best vocalist 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
to me and remarked in quite a feeling
tone, which he could assume at pleas
ure, and its eloquence was indescrib-
able: 80 Poor old Rossum some of these
sunny mornings he will be found dead,
when he shall have a noble funeral,
and all the ladies will honor it with be-
ing present, I know"
Soon after he left the o4fice, and be-
ing in the humor I seized 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.
have always considered Cox more
entitled to the authorship of the song
than myself.
Hundreds of lines have been written
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. I claim no merit for my lines,
but everything for Cox's singing them.
I have seen him draw tears from the
eyes 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.
NV 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 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 a dozen good fellows,
And let them ali staggering go i
And dig a 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 on it
Here lies old ROssum, the beau.
Then take You these dozen good fellows,
And stand them all round in arrow;
And drink out of big-bellied bottle,
Farewell to old ROssum. the bean
W H SPARKS