Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1885-12-19
"LoRENA's" LovE1

About The year 1858 there appeared 10
che musical circles Of the West song which,
for twelve years, had a run rarely attained
by popular melodies The music had pc.
culiar charm, the words were singularly
touching, and their very length, extending
to eight long verses. suggested to the reader
. story back Of them. In fact, the extreme
pathNs of the words contributed as much,
perhaps, as the music to givs tae compost
ton its wonderful success. It was sung
everywhere, in parlors, ir .ctncerts, on the
street and in the camps OF the contcnding
armies. In the northern army it was i'm
me<saiy popular, and it found It's way
south, through Louisville and Cincinnati,
and during the rebellion it was the only
piece sung in southern homes, and, except
ing 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 roada
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 . STORY
nearly every one familiar with 1t supposed,
snd supposed correctly, and it may not bt
uninteresting at this late day to give ad
mirers of the famous melody the facts ia
the love affair.
The author OF the words was
THE REV. II. D. l.. WEBSTER.
He studied In the Columbus Academical and
Collegiate Institute, and was editor Of the
college paper. In the year 184S being then
"a years Of age, and full Of poetry and 70.
nance, he was enjoying his first passionate
1t GAINESVILLE. Ohio. His leading parishioa.
or was q wealthy manufacturer, whose re.-
tdence was upon ono of the many hills
which surround that smoky town. The
house was about half o mile ont, and the
emiuence upon which II was seated wss shs
ooe referred to In the song:
When up the hihy slope climbed.
To watch tie dying OF the day,
And hear the di-tant church beih ohimcd.
There lived In his family q younger sister
Of his wife, who was the leading singer In
the choir. She was 10 years of age, smnil
Of stature. had blue eyes ard light, brown
hair, and was rs fair a. lily. She was not
only sweet singer, but she was - full II
poetry and romance ~ her pastor, and they
soon became very much attached. Their
loving did not, however. prosper well,"
for the family were proud and sristocratic,
and had higher notions of the girls fu-
ture than to sanction her marriage with a
poor preacher" A she wss dependent
upon them for a home, she wss forced &c
yieid to their counsel-Mr. Webster says he
now thinks II wise counsel and they were
obliged TO give each other up. It was,
however. the strong will and tho proud
spirit of the sister. more than the opposition
Of tho brother -inlaw. that separated them.
or rather. kept Lbrena for him. Lorers
seems TO have heen passive. indecisive in
and submissive in the hands of
her strong willsd sister Mr.. Webster saw
her toI ;As last time Al her home, learned
Of
TI-E e!srYU's cT~orOUERADIE orPosT-
TiON,
he--i his fate. ard took quiet but painful
fazew ell. very little being said That night
she wrrt< him last letter. IN which ahe
uec' ,''e worls we'll Remembered by
thu fam liar with The Song IF we try,
We 'n"y fore: Ii WAS eight yeas Si;es
tha, .,e wrucc:
For n "" 'ry. -~e r.isv Sc-pc's
Nt'. .'i>.- o. .,..... .orlS yoSis aga