The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-01-15

THE AUTHOR OF THAT SONG.
fFrom the new orleans Times.l

[From the new Orleans Times.]
The veteran COZ w. II. Sparks, OF
Louisiana, has been spending the sum
mer in Atlanta, Ga, and though in his
seventy-ffth year, retains his health and
mental and physical strength and VI
vacity to a remarkable degree. The CO.
lumbus, Ga, Enquirer a few days ago
contained an editorial allusion to Col.
Sparks as the author of that once uni
versally known and widely sung Ameri-
can ballad, "Old Rossum, the Beau"
This was shown to the old gentleman,
and in reply he writes a letter to a
friend, which the Atlanta Herald pub
fishes. He says, under date OF August
21st:
It is very true, I wrote the lines | sent
you, and they are the first that were
ever sung to the air, which became IA
nous.
will give you a 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
domicil.
Finally I 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 school master,
who was quite old, and who had been
teachingin that neighborhOod over forty
years. His name was James ROssum.
He was peculiar in his habits. On Mon
day morning neatly dressed and clearly
sliaven, he went to his duty in the old
school house, where two-thirds of his
life had been spent, and assiduously de-
voted himself to the duties of his
ton until Friday evening. On the morn
ing of Saturday he arrayed himself in
his best, and devoted the day in visiting
the ladies of the neighborhood. Hewas
@ welcome guest at every house. This
habit had continued so long hat he had
acquired the sobriquet of Rossum the
Beau The others name was Cox, who
was a rollicking, good fellow, and the
best vocalist | ever knew. He was in
song what Prentiss was in oratory, and
they were boon companions-both died
young.
Cox was frequently at my office, and
upon one occasion whilst he was there,
Rossum walked by the door, and his sage
was apparent in his walk. Cox looked
at him, and, after a pause, turned to me
and remarked in quite a feeling tone,
which he could assume at pleasure, and
its e~loquence was indescribable: "Poor
old Rossum! some of these sunny morn
ings he will be found dead, when he
shall have q noble funeral, and all the
ladies will honor it with being present,
I know.
Soon after he left the Office, and being
in the humOr, | 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 oflines have been written to
the air, by as many persons, and almost
as many have claimed the authorship of
the lines; but this is of no moment. Il
claim no merit for my lines, but every
thing for Cox's singing them. / have
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 shall be met with the warning
Come bury old R0ssum, 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 ROssurn, tie beau.
And when I'm to be buried, I reckon,
The ladies will all like to go;
Let them form at the foot OF my coffin.
And follow old R0ssuIn, the beau.
Then take you a dozen good fellows,
And let them all staggering go;
And dig a deep hole in the meadow,
And in it toss Rossum, the beau.
Then shape out a couple of dOrnicks,
Place out Mt 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,
FarawnH In njd Rnaaum the haaY