Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-01-24
MAKING SWEET SONGS.
THE WORK DONE BY A WRITER, A
SINGER AND A ToiLER.
Aunt Becky's" Little Back Parlor In
fittsburK from which Came Forth
Many Beautiful Melcdtes-A
Story Of Three Friends.

Who has not been awakened from sleep
In the early morning hours by some party
Of home-going revelers singing, way
down upon the Suwanee rivers" The me-
iodious music invades the half-roused
senses like a dream, and the dreamer does
not resist it, He closes his eyes again to
He has heard the old
song many times before; he can anticipate
every word and note; there is no novelty
IN 1t for him, but he Is not provoked at
being awakened. He listens dreamily
and lets the music bring to him thoughts
of home-not the home of his manhood,
made happy by wife and children, but the
dream home of his childhood, where
mother WAS.
The old song never grows old Every
body sings IL and everybody loves to hear
Il sung. No matter at what time or place
It's music rises, there will be found a re-
'pectful audience. Not even the street
zamin will cry ~chestnuts," He instinct
vely respects the song of home without
knowing why.
JOURNALIST, MUSICIAN AND MECHANIC.
There stood in the city of Pittsburg,
,orty years ago, a cottage at 81 Pearl
street. 1t was cosy home. with vino
covered windows and a broad hearthstone.
1t was the home of Charles P. Shiras and
his mother, familiarity known to her
friends rs Aunt Becky" Shiras. Charles
Shiras had two particular friends Of his
)wn age, Stephen c. Foster and John
Hull. These men had been companions
rom their boyhood, and death alone
broke of their friendship.
Shiras was literary genius He was
Teu-educated, brilliant. and possessed Of
; fertile, active mint He was ambitious
md animated by the noblest purposes
For some years, AID at the time Of his
death, he was connected with The Pitts
burg Commercial Journal All his liter
ary work was full of merit, and many Of
lis productions gained wide attention.
He published two small volumes Of poems,
The best known Of which are Dollars and
Dimes" Redemption of Labor and 'sThe
Iron City These he considered his best
work, but he strangely refused to pub
icly acknowledge the authorship Of the
beautiful songs which would have given
ais name, with that of Foster, Q world
wide fame. He erred in his Judgment Of
he effect they would produce, and, in his
ambition for higher flights, considered
.hem childish and foolish.
Foster was musician and composer.
His soul was full of the poetry Of sound.
He had fine, effeminate face. and his
nature was as soft and yielding ss q
He was . dreamer, often sad
and melancholy, and every tar of his
beautiful, simple music is marked with
he characteristics Of his nature. He
'ound close sympathy in the fine, poetic
mind of Shiras, and both found SYM
oathy and encouragement in the moro
rugged and aggressive nature Of their
mutual friend, Hull.
Hull WAS a mechanic, working for his
iaily bread from earliest boyhood. Un-
ike his friends, he had no education, but
.he circumstances of his life gave him
strong, good sense and clear judgment
he WAS a lover Of the beautiful, and he
ound much to admire in his friends
Shiras and Foster. He had q musical
Toice, and Foster, who could not sing,
,aught him music. He had retentive
and from Shiras he learned
much Of literature He became the
:ritic Of the productions of both his
friends, aud his judgment Of poem or q
voAAS "oS " thtiti
TRIO OF KINDRED SPIRITS.
And so beautiful friendship existed
between these three in boyhood, in youth,
md until their early manhood, when
shiras died. They were together during
III their leisure time, and many happy
hours they squanderedr in Aunt Becky
shiras' little back parlor. 1t was here
hat Shiras, in his resting moments, wrote
hose beautiful songs to please his friend
Foster; it was here that Foster composed
music for them to please himself and his
riend Hull, and it was here that Hull
'ang them for the pleasure Of all.
The first song they published was -Old
Uncle Ned" Foster sold it to Pittsburg
louise for $780, With this money he pur-
.hased small piano and placed it in
Aunt Becky" Shiras' little parlor. And
N this little piano was aftelward played
music which has gone around the world.
Old Uncle Ned" made its appearance
bout the year 1850. and Immediately be-
ame popular. Within three years later
'hiras and Foster together produced -Old
folks at Home, v 'Susannah, Don't You
cry," Gentle Annie Hard Times Come
again No More" MY Old Kentucky
1ome,' -Massa's in de Cold, Cold,
-Old Dog Tray willie,
Ne Have Missed You," Come Where My
.ove Lies Dreaming and others fully Is
popular.
1t is certain that Shiras wrote the lines
4 nearly all these songs, except Come
Where My Love Lies Dreaming" Foster
vas willing and anxious to share their
with his friend Shiras, but the
after often laughingIy told Foster that he
sas welcome to all the reputation he
vould get from their publication.
Poor Shiras died when he was . years
Id, before he dreamed that the songs
vhich he had written in an idle fancy, as
mere pastime, would live in every home
a the Christian world. Mrs. Jane Swiss
elm wrote his obituary. He left a young
Tife and girl baby. Tbs baby is now q
uxom wife and mother Of babies.
Foster lived some years after the death
his friend. He went to New York city,
There he died in 1854. from the effects Of
fall in the Bowery. He was widely known
nd very popular. His funeral was At
ended largely by the literary, theatrical,
nd musical classes.
Aunt Becky" Shiras, who 90 often
-plded "the boys" for staying up late at
light and making SO much noise in her
sck parlor, has passed away. And 50 has
ohm Hull, who first startled good @Aunt
'ecky" with the rattling rhythm Of ~Old
Tncle Ned" and soothed her with the mel
dy of -Massa's in de Cold, Cold Ground"
All are dead. But their music win live
. long as there are homes.-Paul Hull in
hicago News.