Mexico weekly ledger., 1881-12-01
LORENA'S LOVER.
History of the Song that Carried Al
Hearts Twenty Years Ago.
From the Rochester Star.

History of the Song that Carried All
| Hearts Twenty Years Ago.
From the Rochester Star.
About the year 1853 there appeared
in the musical circles Of the West q
song which for twelve years had a
run rarely attained by popular melo-
dies. The music had peculiar charm,
the words were singularIy touching,
and their length, extending to eigth
long verses, suggested to the reader
a story back of them. In fact, the
extreme pathos of the words contrib
uted as much, perhaps, as the music
to give the composition its wonderful
success. 1t was sung everywhere, in
parlors, in concerts, on the street,
and in the camps of the contending
armies. In the Northern army it was
immensely popular, and found its way
south through Louisville and Cincin-
natl, and during the rebellion it was
the only piece sung in Southern
homes, and. excepting martial airs,
about the only one sung in the Con-
federate camp. Everywhere was
"Lorena." A steamer on the Ohio
was named Lorena, engines on West
ern roads we're named Lorena, and a
person now sometimes meets in soci-
ETY. young ladies named Lorena, call
ed that by mothers twenty years ago.
That the song had story everyone
familiar with it supposed, and supposed
correctly, and it may not be uninter-
esting at this late day to give admir-
ers of the famous melody the facts in
the love affair.
The author of the words was Rev.
H. D. L. Webster. He studied in
the Columbus Academlcal and COL
legiate Institute, and was editor of the
college paper. In the year 1848,
being then twenty-four years of age,
and full Of poetry and romance, he
was. enjoying his first pastorate in
GAINESVILLE, o. His leading parlshoner
twas a wealthy manufacturer, whose
residence was upon one of the many
hills which surrounded that smoky
town. The house was about half q
mile out, and the eminence upon
which it was seated was the one re-
ferred to in his song:
Twas tiowery May.
When up the hly slope we climbed
To watch the dying OF the day
! And hear the distant church bells chimed.
There lived in this family younger
sister of his wife, who was the lead
ing singer in the choir. She was 19
years of age, small of stature, had
blue eyes and light brown hair, and
was as fair as lilly. 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 ''prosper WE'LL" for the family
were proud and aristocratic, and
"had higher notions for the girls
future than a poor preacher" As
she was dependent upon them for q
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. 1,
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. indecisive il
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 sis
ter's unconquerable opposition, heard
his fate, and took quiet but painful
farewell, very little being said. 1'ha
night she wrote him last letter, ir
which she uesd the words, so we'll re
membered by those familiar with the
song: ''If 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.
| Yes, these were words of thine, Lorena;
They burn within my memory yet,
They touch some tender chords, Lorena,
Which thrill and tremble with regret.
There Is Il future, Oh , thank God,
OF life this is so small part.
| 'Tis dust TO dust beneath the sod,
| But there, up there, tbs heart to heart.
The effect of the separation was t.
crush the young man, and writing t,
a friend, FIVE years ago, twenty-si,
. years after the occurrence, he says
81 doubt if all dark lines are erased
from my heart yet" He resigned
his pastorate, and sought anothe
field, smothering his pain by hare
study and work. And the only sigl
of that pain the world ever saw wa
the heart-cry in the song of "Lorena
In 1856 he was residing in Racine
Wis. where he met J. P. Webster, tn
, composer, who, though of the sam
) name, is no relation to him. The,
| soon became very intimate. j. p
t Webster was writing song music
and was troubled to find appropriat
words. Rev. Mr.. Webster told hin
he would write song, and in tw
! days he produced it, entitled" Bertha,
: a mere fancy name. When the com
poser came to set it to music b
wanted name of three syllables, &C
l cented on the second, and the autho
: then made up the name of "Lorena.
| The young lady's name was not Lo
/ rena, however, nor Bertha, but Ella
1t is said that she lost her vivacity
and her sunny, witching ways afte
:, they parted, and never regained them
, and that she is now a sad. sickly VIC
:, man, past the prime of life. Whe
last heard from, however. sewers
y months ago, she was travelling /
h Europe. Her proud and haught
4 sister has long since passed over tn
8 river, where '''Tis heart to hear,
;, instead of dollar to dollar" He
y brother-in-law died only few week
ago. MIR. Webster, also past tn
h prime of life, is married and lives i
! Neenah, Wis, minister and til
q editor of local paper.
Distressing Accident.
From the Columbia Sentinel.
After we had gone to press Thurs
day afternoon and part of the preser
a edition had been printed, we learne
hof Ia or =. l.