Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-11-25
"WHAT MY LOVER SAID"
cHAMIEG roEN ATTRIBUTED 70 HORACE
GREELEY.

| GREELEY.
! New York Correspondence 10 Phlladelpliis Times
The Park Theatre was Just out and
number Of actors and newspaper
men had gathered in the Palette Club
beer rooms on Twcnty.secOnd street
There were present Barton Hill, his
son Henry, Of the editorial staff Of the
Herald the veteran night editor, DIR.
j. B. Wood, and w. A. Curtis, Tom
Mcguire, Of San Francisco Colonel
Gllner, who recently came back from
Arctic explorations with Lieutenant
Schwatka Chief Judge DAILY, w. +.
Sheridan, Cyrus Searle, Leander 7.
Richardson, and one or two other fel-
lows. Townsend Percy came in and
there was chaf' TO him about the play
of the "Bafiied Beauty" which woke
angry answers from him, and made it
necessary that the conversation should
change, lest something be said to the
author or by the author of that rather
peculiar drama for which there would
be regrets. And this is the way the
conversation turned. Tom Mcguire
said to Barton Hill "Why don't you
repeat your evening with Unknown
and Forgotten Poets, Hill ?" and Hill
said "the affair was SO much of a per-
sonal compliment to me by the people
Of San Francisco that I'm afraid it
won't work here"
"lt was so personal" said Mcguire,
that the tickets were put at 50 and
the great hall was crowded. | su,-
poet it was the most remunerative
piece of work that Barton ever did"
The title of the entertainment at
tracted attention and the question was
put as to how and from what sources
the poets had been brought. There
upon Mr.. Hill drew programme
from his pocket and read the names of
his selection and the authors of each
when they could be had. As he ran
through the list he read :-"What Nv
Love Said, written by Horace Gree
ley" when DIR. Wood interrupted, re-
marking :-"Greeley wrote some poet
ry, but | don't remember that. How
does it go?' And half dozen voices
called out :-"Ies; lets have it,"
The actor set back in his chair and
repeated it. 1t is impossible to convey
any idea of the reading, of the soft
modulationS of voice, the tender and
delicate phrasing of the thlcc lines at
the end Of each verse. When he had
finished there seemed to be n finer
sentiment pervading the little crowd,
the next order for beer was in lower
and less authoritative tones. 80 that
the bar-man came half hcsitatinglv. a.
II fearing some outbreak, and copies
and history Of the piece were generally
asked for. This is the poem
By the meros' chance. In the twilight gloom.
In tb~ orchard path Do met me
In tn" tall vet gTass, with tu faint perfume
Aud tired t. I.As-. bot he made NJ room.
Oh tried, Int be would not loi me
So stood and hlu.hcd tn The Erns. grew rel
with my face hcnt down above H.
" Whtlc b" took my hand, ~ hs Shi,pcrlnr said
How the clover lifted each pink sweet head
To listen 20 all that NJ, lover said
oh the clover ia blp0m--I loyeii'
In the high vet Eras. went the path To- hide.
And the low. vet leave. hung over
But could not Tass on either side
For found mysolf when vainly tried
In the arms oi my sieaifssi lover
And he held ~" there and he raised nv head
While he clo rI the Path before me
And b" looked down into my oyrs ard said
How the loA's bent down from their bnuPls orhead
To listen 90 all nv lover said.
Oh ? the leaves hanging loWly o'of me
Had he moved aside lut A little var
could surely then have Iassci him
Aud he knew cuuld never vish 10 .tsy
And would not have heard what he had 10 s,v
Gould only asii- have ca.t him
II Nas almost dark and the moments sped
Ana To" searching night wind found va
Hut he drew M" nearer and softly snd--
How the pure sweet wind grew still iustcad
To listen to all that my lover sEid
Oh the Whispering vinds around ~.
am sure be knew. when he held me fast,
That must ho all unwilling.
For uicd 20 CO. aud would haSc passed
A. the night wAs come with iis drus at la.t
Ana the ky with its stars filling:
Hut hr ciasped me clpsc. when | would have fel
Aud he made me hear his story
Aud his soul came out from his lips and said
How the stars crcrt ont when the white moon led
To listen to all that my lover said
Oh ] the moon and stan Ia glory,
know that the grass and tine leaves will not tell.
And m sure that th" wind, precious rover,
" III carry his secret too safely And well
That no being shall ever discover
One word of the many that rapidly fell
from the eager lips of my lover
And the moon and the stars that look ed over
shall never reveal what a faify.like spell
They wove ruund about us that night In the dell
In the path through the dew laden clover:
Nor echo the whispers that made my heart swell
As they ivll from the lips Of my lover
Then Mr.. Hill said 81 was in Seat.
tie, California, some years ago-two
or three-when Mr.. c. II. Larabee, of
that place, recited this poem. | was
so pleased with it that | obtained a
copy and committed it to memory.
Mr.. Larahee told me that he had cut
it from the Erening Post, of New
York, some twenty-five years before.
In that publication it was ascribed TO
Horace Greeley. l promised to look
up the history of it, but all my en-
deavors up to this time have proved
unavailing."
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