Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-14
LORENA'S LOVER.
History Of the Song that Charmed all Heart
Some Twenty Years Ago.

1 SouO WAY ACoAS n.y.
About the year 1853 there appeared in
the musical circles of the West, song
which for twelve years had run rarely
attained by popular melodies. The mu-
SIC had peculiar charm, the words were
lsingularly touching, and their length, ex-
tending to eight long verses, suggested
to the reader story back OF them. In
fact, the extreme pathos of the words
contributed as much, perhaps as the mu-
sic, to give the composition its wonderful
success. 1t was sung everywhere, IN par
lors, in concerts, on the street and in the
camps Of the contending armies. In the
Northern army it was Immensely popu-
lar, and it found its way South through
Louisville and Cincinnati, and during
the rebellion was the only piece sung IN
Southern homes, and, excepting martial
| airs, about the only one sung in the Con-
federate camp. Everywhere was "Lor-
ena." A steamer on the Ohio was named
Lorena, engines on Western roads were
called Lorena, and person now some
times meets in society young ladies'
named Lorena, called that by mothers
twenty years ago. That the song had a
story nearly every one familiar with it
supposed, and suppoaed correctly, and it
may net be uninteresting at this late day
the facts IN the love affair.
The author of the words was Rev. Fl.
L. Webster. He studied in the Col
umbus academical and collegiate insti-
tute, and was editor of the college paper.
In the year 1S4s, being then "a years of
age, and full of poetry and romance, he
was enjoying his first passionate in Zanes-
vile, Ohio. His leading parishoner was
wealthy manufacturer, whose residence
was upon one Of thes many hills which
surround that smoky town. The house
was about halt mile out, and the emin-
ence upon which it was seated was the
one referred to in the song:
Twas fowery May,
When up the hilly slope we climbed
To watch the dying of the day,
And hear the distant church bell chimed.
There lived in this family young SIS
ter of his wife, who was the leading sing
or in the choir. She was 10 years of
age, small of stature, had blue eyes and
1lSul OIOWu uulls StuSl was do 1uu do d
lily. She was not only sweet singer,
but she was as full of poetry and romance
as her pastor, and they soon became very
much attached. Their loving, did not,
however, prosper we'll" for the family
were prond and aristocratic, and had
higher notions of the girls future than
to sanction her marriage with "poor
preacher" AS she was dependent upon
them for home, she was forced to yield
to their counsel-Mr. Webster says he
now thinks it wise counsel-and they
were obliged to give each other up. 1t
was however the strong will and the
proud spirit of the sister more
than the opposition of the brother
in-law, that separated them or
rather kept Lorena from him. Lorena
seems to have been passive, indeclsive in
character, and submissive IN the hands of
her strong -willed sister Mr.. Webster saw
her for the last time at her home, learned
of the sisters uncomfortable opposition,
heard his fate, and took qu1et but pain
full farewell, very little being said. That
night she wrote him last letter in which
she used the words, so well remembered
by those familiar with the song, eff we
try we may forget" 1t was eight years
after that he wrote:
For "If we try, we may forget"
Were words of thine long years ago.
= J: !: =
Yes, these were words }. thine, Lorena,
They burn within my memory yet,
They touch some tender cords, Lorena,
Which thrills and trembles with re-
greet,
There is future. Oh! thank God,
OF life this is SO small part.
Ills dust to dust beneath the sod,
But There, up There it's heart to heart
The effect of the separation was to
crush the young man, and, writing
to friend five years ago, twenty six years
after the occurrence, he says: doubt il
all dark lines are erased from my hear
yet" He resigned his pastorate and
saught another field, smothering his pair
by hard study and work. And the only
sign of that pam the world ever saw was
the heart-cry in the song of "Lorena." In