The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-03-20
POETS OF ONE POEM.

This is rather satire than a serious
recipe for securing fame. II is more easy
to remember q single masterpiece than a
multitude of splendid things, and great
authors names generally 60, in public
mention, with the name OF some single
great work of theirs. It is surprising
to find how many people of real merit
have I" sung one song and died" They
saved themselves q world of useless labor
for fame by striking twelve the first
time. Somewhat like the following, the
author and his best production, have
found Judgment in our minds:
Henry Carey-God Save the King.
Hopkins-Hail Columbia.
Key-Star Spangled Banner.
John Howard Payne-Home, Sweet
Home.
Chas. Wolte-Burial of Sir John
Moore.
Chas. Kingsley-The Three Fishers.
Edgar A. POe-The Raven.
Tom Hood-The Song of the Shirt.
Julia Ward Howe-Battle Hymn of
the Republic.
Bret harte-The Heather Chinee.
The history of some of the poems
which have immortalized their authors
will be found interesting.
Hoods touching lyric, The Song of
the Shirt" was the work of an evening.
Its author was prompted to write it by
the condition OF thousands of working
women of London. The effect OF its pro-
duction was foreseen by two persons, the
poets wife, and Mark Lemon, the editor
of Punch.
" Now mind, Tom mind my words
said his devoted wife, this will tell
wonder ully. It's one of the best things
you ever did"
Mr.. Lemon, looking over his letters
one morning, opened an envelope inclos>
ing poem, which the writer said had
been rejected by three London journals
He begged the editor to consign it to the
waste-paper basket il il was not thought
suitable for Punch as the author was
''sick at the sight of it." The poem was
aligned Tom Hood, and was entitled the
g Song of the Shirt"
1t was submitted to the weekly meetN
lug OF the editors and principal cont ibu-
tors, several of whom opposed its publ,
cation as unsuitable to the pages OF a
comic journal. Mr.. Lemon, however,
was so firmly impressed with it's beauty
that he published it on December 16,
1913
''The Song of the Shirt " trebled the
sale of the paper and created profound
sensation throughout Great Britain
People of every class were moved by it.
1t was chanted by ballad singers in the
streets of London and drew tears from
the eyes of princes. Several years after
the authors death the English people
erected monument over his grave. The
rich gave guineas, the laborers and sewing
women gave shillings and pence. Sculp-
tured on it is the inscription devised by
himself: He sang the Song of the
Shirt"
The Old Oaken Bucket" was written
fifty or more years ago by printer
named Samuel Woodwork. He was in
the habit of dropping into noted drink
ing saloon, kept by one Mallory. One
day, after drinking glass of brandy and
water, he smacked his lips and declared
that Mallory's brandy was superior to
any drink he had ever tasted.
No." said Mallory, you are mis-
taken. There was drink which in both
our estimations far surpassed this"
What was that?" incredulously
asked Woodwork.
"The fresh spring water we used to
drink from the old oaken bucket that
hung in the well, efter returning from
the fields on a sultry day.
Very true" replied Woodwork
teardrops glistening in his eyes.
Returning to his printing Office, he
seated himself at his desk and began ia
write. In half an hour
1.-THE old oaken bucket, the iron-bound
bucket,
The moss covered bucket which hung in the
WELL"
was embalmed in an inspiring song that
has become rs familiar as a household
word.
Mr.. Kingsley's song of " The Three
Fishers" was not the mere creation OF
his imagination, but the literal transcript
of What he had seen of " men who worked
and women who wept," while he was a
boy in the fishing village of Clovelly.
His father was the clergyman of the
parish, and such was his sympathy W tn
the fishermen that when the herring
feet put to sea, he would hold a short
religious service on the wharf.
The hardy men aud boys, and their
anxious mothers, wives, sisters and
sweethearts would join in singing the
prayer-boOk version of the 21sJ psalm
{" Sheltered beneath the Almighty's wings
Thou shalt securely rest"
II was sung rs only those can sing
who with stout hearts go out, because
it is their duty, TO danger and TO death.
It was one evening after being weaTied
and worn out by the work and trials OF
the day, that Kingsley wrote the song
which reproduced the scenes Of his
youthful days.
Three fishers went sailing out into the west,
Out into the west, as the sun went down"
Authors do not always appreciate
their good work. We all have enjoyed
Csmpbelrs Hohenlinden," and every
school boy has shouted
" The combat deepens on ye brave,
Who rush to glory or the grave %
Yet Campbell did not know whether
this fine ballsd was worthy of publIca.
ton. lie and Sir Walter Scott were
once travelling in stage coach, and, as
they were alone, they repeated poetry, in
order to beguile the time. At last Scout
asked Campbell TO repeat some of his
own poetry. Campbell said there was
one thing he had written, but never
printed. 1t was full of "drums and
trumpets and blunder~busses and thun-
der" but he didn't know if there was
anything good in it. Then he repeated
&" Hohenlinden."
Scott listened with the greatest inter
eat, and when he had finished broke out
with: But, do you know, that's very
fine. Why it is the finest thing you
ever wrote, and must be printed /"
Mrs. Hemans' The Boy Stood on the
Burning Deck " is familiar to every
school boy; but the history of the little
hero thus immOrtahzed is not generally
known. Owen Cassabisnca, a native Of
Corsica, WAS born in 1888. His father
wSs a distinguished French politician
and naval commander, and his mother a
beautiful Corsican lady. But she died
young, and little Owen went with his