The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-03-14
BLOOMSBURG PA, FRIDAY, MARCH H. 1879
MY GRANDNATHER'S CLOCK.
SONG THAT WAS SUDDENLY MADE PoPU-
LAR-HENRY c. WORK s MELODIES

| ooNd THAT WAS SUDDENLY MADE POPU-
| LAR-HENRY G. WORKS MELODIES
Not to know 'Grandfather's Clock argues
yourself unknown. With its accompani-
ment of winding up, striking ticking and
running down, it is nightly played in thea
tire and concert hall to applaudng auditors
and is whistled by unnumbered puckering
mouths. But not to know the words of this
latest musical hit, or name the aathor is
simply to enroll ones self with the thousands
who would be obliged to confess to the same
ignorance. Two years ago the writer was
shown sheet music by Chauncey NJ. Cady.
The music was entitled "Grandfather's
Clock" Mr.. Cady hummed it and said,
That's going to be popular. twill be just
the thing to catch the popular ear" This
was in rs. Mr.. Cady's prophecy has come
true in '7S, and yesterday he himself told
how it was done. 'Tt was written by Henry
Q. Work." said Mr.. Cady. "You know
him No Bless you his life is a little ro-
nance. Let me tell you about him. In the
first place, his father was Alanson Work
who with Burr and Thompson were in 1S41,
condemned to twelve years hard labor in
the Missouri state prison for assisting fugi.
tive slaves across the Mississippi river. Well
about the time of the rebellion Henry
| Work came to our Office in Chicago
II was then with Root in the firm of Root
u Cady) with the manuscript of song. He
was then printer struggling for living.
We saw that he had something in him, and
not only bought his song, but engaged him
to write for us for term of years, agreeing
to pay him stipulated copyright. After he
turned out Kingdom Coming" and one or
two other popular songs, we increased his
copyright almost voluntarily. His songs
make great hit, especially 'Nickodemus,'
Babylon is Fallen and Marching Through
Georgia You didn't knew he wrote that
Yes, indeed, 1 told you that he had it in
him.
His proceeds from his songs, continued
Mr.. Cady, "made him rich" He travelled
extensively in this country and in Europe,
and in 1867 he went from Europe with
snug fortune. Then he went to Vineland N.
J.,and with his brother invested his earnings
in houses, and prepared to establish ar ex-
tensive fruit farm. But the hard times came
on, his investments were improbable, and
he lost all his property. Added to this were
domestic trials of the most heart rending
nature, and finally there only remained to
him his little daughter Nellie. He finally
disappeared from view. No one knew where
heswas.
Meantime the Chicago fire dissolved the
firm OF Root g. Cady. We lost 1915 600 and
recovered flom insurance companies OILY
$4,000. Itl was a severe stroke to NJ
l was threatened with brain fever and had
to quit work. About three years ago came
here and started in business again as music
publisher. | wanted some one to write pop
uar music for me, and l thought of Henry
G. Work. But couldn't find him. He
had secluded himself so effectually that it
was six months before found him, and then
it, was by meeting him accidentally on Broad.
way. He was very poor, and was trying to
support himself and little daughter by writ,
ing magazine articles. Well, the result OF
our meeting was that Work wrote three
songs for me, THE Mystic Veil" "Sweet
Echo DELL" and "Grandfathers Clock ,
These were all published in 1876, and sole
well from the start, but the latter piece
has elpsed the others. and in fact al
other songs recently published. II is the hi
of the times"
"But how did you make it popular, Mr.
Cady? You showed it to me in 1876, hu
| did not hear of it again until 1873"
"Pll tell you. | have collected the name
of thousands of musical people, dealers anC
the like, and | send them circulars with tn,
idea of my words and music publications
So did with "Grandfather's Clock" Tn,
first that the large music dealers knew Of tn,
success of the piece was from the large order
received from the country. Iii fact the pieci
had been popular in the country for over
year. Last winter it was just as popular il
Philadelphia as it is now in New York anC
Brooklyn and for over year aud hal
it has sold in large numbers on the Pacii
coast. think the first concert troupe tina
brought it out was the "Hyer Sisters Com
bination." They are negroes. They brough
it out in New England Sam Lucas singing
the solo, and an invisible quartet the chorus
| saw by the papers that it was successful
and went to New Haven one might to hea
it. 1t was certainly good thing. The au
4 dience gave him double and triple encore'
l As Sam Lucas said, they tore up the bench
4 es,' mus tell you funny experience
: had with the San Francisco minstrels, for
e was a good joke on Wambod. When tn
n song was first published | took copy
c Wambold and told him thought it woul
make hit. He laughed at me. Said h
got bushels Of such stuff every day. | wei
away. After the song began to sell we'll
the country | went there again, and he trea
= ed me no better. Said he didn't want az
one to come telling him what was in h
. line : that he wouldn't have such trash {
- his programme. | wasn't over and abo,
pleased, and said to myself as | went ava
+ : shan't 60 there again, but Mr.. Wambdl
!. you'll have to sing that song yet And nc
every night you may read on the program
of the San Francisco minstrels, Mr. WaI
" bold will sing "Granitather's Clock" l.
y" going up there some lime and ask Mr.. Wal
bold if he hasn't some champagne on ice
u me. | think the joke is on him."
"Well, then, Mr.. Work is no longer
very poor?'
y "Poor l should say not. | pay HI
~ $3.50 month on "Grandh.her's Clocl
a'one,and he gets good thing on others
lr has written "You know he wrote the
o. nous temperance song, Father Coz
II Home" He now has another of SINH
re character, not a temperance song, thoul
le called Shadows on the WALL" and he Ii
y just finished a sequel TO "Graudhthe
Al Clock" And, another thing, Work not OF
u writes the songs, words aud music, but