Louisiana capitolian., 1881-11-15
LORENA'S LOVER.
History Of the Song that Carried all
Hearts Some Twenty Years Ago.
Boston Star.


About the year 1858 there appear
ed in the musical circles of the West u
song which for twelve years had
run rarely attained by popular melo-
dies. The music had peculiar charm
the words were singularly touching,
and their length, extending to eight
long verses, suggested to the reader
story back Of them. In fact, the ex-
treme pathos of the words contributed
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 it found its way South
through Louisville and Cincinnati,
and during the rebellion it was the
only piece sung in Southern homes,
and excepting martial airs, about the
only one sung in the Confederate
camp. Everywhere was "LOrena."
A steamer on the Ohio was named
Lorena, engines on Western roads
were called LOrena, and a person now
sometimes meets in society young la
dies named Lorena, called that by
mothers twenty years ago. That the
song had a story nearly every one ia
miliar with it supposed, and supposed
correctly, and it may not be unin-
teresting at this late day to give adj
mirers of the famous melody the facts
in the love affair.
The author of the words was Rev.
II. d. l.. Webster. He studied in the
Columbus Academical and Collegiate
Institute, and was editor of the college
paper In the year lo4s, being then
twenty -four years of age, and full OF
poetry and romance, he was enjoying
his first pastorate in GAINESVILLE, Ohio.
His leading parishioner wasa wealthy
manufacturer, whose residence was
upon one of the many hills which sur
round that smoky town. The house
was about % half mile out, and the
eminence upon which it was seated
was the one referred to in the song
Twas fowery May
When mp the hilly slope we climbed
To watch the dying of the day,
And hear the distant church bells chimed.
There lived in this family a younger
sister of his wife, who was the leading
singer in the choir. She was 10 years
Of age, small of stature, had blue
eyes and light brown hair, and was
as fair IT'S "a 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 at
tached. Their loving did not, how
ever, "prosper well," for the family
were proud and ariStocratic, and chad
higher notions OF the girls future than
to sanction her marriage with a poor
preacher" AS she was dependent
upon them for home, she was forced
to yield to their counsel Mr.. Web
ster says he now thinks it wise coun-
sel-and they were obliged to give
each other up. 1t was, however, the
strong will and the proud will of the
sister, more than the opposition Of
the brother law, that separated
them, or, rather kept Lorena from
him. Lorena seems to have been
passive, indecisive 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 unconquerable opposi-
tion, heard his fate, and took a quiet
but painful farewell. very little be
ing said. That night she wrote him
last letter in which she used the
words, so well remembered 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"
We're 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 future. Oh thank God
OF life this is so small a part,