Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1881-12-15
LORENA'S LOVER.
HISTORY OF THE SONG THAT CAR
RIRD ALL HEARTS TWENTY
YEARS AGO.

YEARS AGO.
Boston Star.
About the year 1858 there ap-
peared in the musical circles of the
West song which for twelve years
had a run rarely attained by pop
ular melodies. The music had
peculiar charm, the words were
singularly touching, and their
length, extending to eight long
years, suggested to the reader a
story back of them. In fact, the
extreme pathos of the words con-
tributed as much, perhaps, as the
music to give the composition its
wonderful success. 1t was sung
every where, in psrlors, in concerts,
on the street, and i'll the camps Of
the contending armies. In the
Northern army it was immensely
popular, and found its way south
through Louisville and Cincinnati,
and during the rebellion it was the
only piece sung in Southern homes,
and, 1cepting martial airs, about
the only one sung in the Confeder-
ate camp. Everywhere was "Lore-
ma A steamer on the Ohio was
named Lorera, engines on Western
roads, were named Lorena, and d
person now sometimes meets in
society young ladies named Lorena,
called that by 1nothers twenty years
ago. That the song had a story
nearly everyone familiar with it
supposed, and supposed correctly,
and it may not be uninteresting at
this late day to give admirers of the
famous melody the facts in the love
affair.
The author of the words was
Rev. II. D. L. Webster. He stud
led in the Columbus Academical
and Collegiate Institute, and was
editor of tue college paper. In the
year 1848, being then twenty-toul
years Of age, and full of poetry ano
romance, he was enjoying his first
pastorate in GAINESVILLE, 0. His
leading parishioner was a wealthy
manufacturer, whose residence wa.
upon one of the many hills which
surround that smoky town. Tn,
house was about half a mile out
and the eminence upon which j
was seated was the one referred t
in hsi song:
Twas fiowery May,
When up the liilly slope we climbed
TO watch the dying of the day.
. Aud hear the distant church bell
. chmed.
0 There lived in this family a youh
ger sister of his wife, who was tn
: !, leading singer in the choir. Sh'
was nineteen years of age, small o
stature, had blue eyes and ligh
. brown hair, and was as fair as
lily. She was not only a swee
singer, but she was as full of poetr
and romance rs her pastor, an
they soon became very much at
tached. Their loving did rot, how
+ ever, "prosper well,' for tho fani
. lv were proud and aristocratic, ant
chad higher notions Of the girl
future than to sanction her mar
riage with a poor preacher" A
| she was dependent upon them fo
a home, she was forced to Weld
their counsel-Mr Webster say
he now thinks it wise counsel-an
they were obliged to give each otl
er up. 1t was, however, the stron
/ will and the proud spirit of the sis
: ter. more than he opposition Of th
n brother-in-law, that separated then
= 3 or rather kept Lerena from hin
Lorena seems to have been passiv'
lndecisive in character, ana submi
sive in the hands of her strong-wil
ed sister.
% Mr.. Webster saw her for ths la
Q time at her hene, learned of tn
% sisters uncouquerable opposition
80 heard his fate, and took a quiet b,
% painful farewell, very lit lie bein
90 said. That night she wrote him
I'd last letter, in which she used tt
words, so we'll remembered
at those familiar with the song: ''
1s we try we may forget" 1t W
It eight years after that he wrote:
Is For 'sIf we try we may forget"
II, II, Were words Of thine long years ago.
er
i, Yes, these were words of thine. Lorer
Of They burn within my memory yet,
They touch some tender cords, Loren
Ice Which thrill and trembls with resr
ant There is a future. o! thank God,
OF life this is so small a part.
'Tis dust to dust beneath the sod,
: But there, up there, it's heart to hea
The effect of the sanaratlon Y