The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-06-23

tigation, proved to be the fAct The friend to whom the music and fees had been given had fallen dead the day alter the trust had been con- mitted to him. Ten years afterwards the identical proof-sheet given to Cleveland was found-still rolled up and covered with dust-thrown up out of sight upon the top of book case in the probate clerks office in New Haven.
 Over a million copies of the song had been sold by one Boston firm alone, who admitted that they had made the largest profits they had ever made on single sheet of music; but neither the author of the words nor of the music ever realized a penny from this, the most popular college song ever written.
 One of the most curiously written of compositions is the celebrated song, "Evangeline," by Will S. Hays, the prolific song writer, author of "Mollie Darling" "Nora O'Neil" and some POO other melodies.
 "Evangeline" Is without doubt the first song on record to he penned upon & plank fence. It was one of Hays earliest lyrics, and was the result of a frolic, being written when he was quite young.
 The author was one of party who one evening chanced to attend so- cial gathering in small village in Kentucky. Among the ladies present was one who so strikingly resembled the ideal portrait of Longfellow's "Evangeline" that she was at once given that nickname by the young composer.
 The company had organized quar- tette and had given a large number of popular selections during the evening. It was a bright, moonlight night when they started to return home, and "Evangeline" tuggeste d that they try some new song.
 "I will write you song," says Hays, "if you will promise to sing 1t before we go home."
 This was enthusiastically agreed to. It so happened that there was & new white plank fence just opposite them at that time. A fire had recently been built near by and a number of charred sticks lay scattered around. Picking up several of these Hays walked over to the fence and pro- ceeded to write the first verse of his song on the top plank, and the notes for the quartette of voices on the four .Iap lyc music they stood hack short distance and had no difficulty in singing it.
 The girls insisted on having a cho- rus, and the author went to the end of the fence and there wrote out the chorus. The party sung 1t over and over. and at last went home with 1t on their lips.
 The following day MT. Hays was requested by "Evangeline" to write out copy on paper, but he laugh- ingly told her that she could go down to the fence and copy it off. The young lady took him at his word, and though it was raining hard she started out and returned with the words and music complete.
 To reward her Hays then added an- other verse, and soon after the lady re- turned to her home in St. Louis, talk ing the song with her. On her sing ing 1t there 1t attracted much atten- tion, and she finally sent it back to the author to have 1t published.
 The manuscript was sent to nearly every publisher in America; but, like Dexter Smiths song, was probably re- garded as too good, and was returned until 1t was nearly worn out. The only offer made for 1t was one of ten dollars, which the writer refused, but indignantly made the publisher a present of the song, saying that 1t would teach him how little music pub- fishers know of the real value of com- positions.
 The song writer's words indeed proved true, but not to his own profit, as he received no remuneration what ever, while the lucky publisher dis posed of not less than 300 1000 copies.
 It is safe to say that, after his experience, the talented writer was somewhat more business like in his methods, since he has realized well on his many later compositions. The owner of "Evangeline", however, was never able to obtain another lyric from his pen, though he afterwards offered as high as $500 for a single song Free Press.