Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-09
A SONG OF SORROWS.
How Mr.. Turner Wrote His Famous
and Popular Ever Of Thee.
STORY OF A TRAMP IN DISTRESS
And of Lyric That Was Evolved From a
WOrkhouse Hospital
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF A LIFE WORK

true to state that no song ever had such
sale, and certainly no publisher ever reaped
so much profit from song as did Mr.. Tur-
ner from the publication of Ever of Thee. "
But there is a romance attaching to 1t
which, until now,. has not been written.
1t happened in this way. On a cold day
in the January of 1850, the door of Mr.. Tur-
ner's music shop, in the Poultry, London,
was nervously opened, and most unclean,
ragged specimen of humanity dragged him
self in. He looked as though he hadn't
been washed for months. His beard was
unkempt, and dirty, and matted. For boots
he wore some folds of filthy rags, and in all
he was a specimen of the most degraded
class of the community. One of the clerks
said to him: "You get out of here. Two
ladies who happened to be. in the shop
noticed his woe-begone look, and were
about to offer HIM some money, when Mr..
Ia clerk in the establishment), seeing
the poor fellow shivering with cold and
apparent hunger, pitied him, and brought
him into the workshop, so that he might
have "warm-up" by the stove.
FIXING THE RESPONSIBILITY.
A few minutes after, Mr.. Turner, the pro-
prietor, came in, and seeing the ragged in
dividual, asked what he wanted, and "Who
| allowed him in?' IT did," said the clerk;
''the poor fellow looked SO cold and miser-
| able, couldn't send him out in this pierc-
| ing wind without giving him a warm. and
besides, he says he has got some business
with yon." Business with me?" "Yes,
sir; have song l should like you to listen
to-" Turner eyed him from head to foot,
and then laughed outright. The miserable
| looking object at the stove began to grow
uneasy and begged to be allowed to play
the air of his song, which he then un-
earthed from his rags and handed to the
music publisher. Turner looked at it and
said: ''Who wrote this?' ''I did sir" came
from the rags. "You! Well, I'll have it
played over, and if it's any good I'll give
you something for it. 'I beg your pardon,
sir; I'd prefer to play it for myself"
"What! you play? Well, bring him up to
the piano room when he gets warm and
we'll humor him.
HAD A HISTORY.
In a few minutes the bundle Of rags was
seated at concert grand piano, and "EVer
of Thee" was played for the first time by its
composer, James Lawson. His listeners
were electrified when they heard this dilapi-
dated looking tramp make the piano almost
speak. His touch was simply marvellous,
and his very soul seemed to be at his finger
tips. When he had finished, be turned to
his little audience and said: "I'd like to
sing it for you, but I have terrible cold.
haven't been in bed for five nights. I'm
hungry, sir, and 1 feel could not do 1T
Justice" Turner was almost dumb with
amazement The air would take; he knew
it would be success. and he decided that
this man had a history which perhaps
might advertise the song. So he deter
mined to cultivate him, and in fattery Gas
he though) pressed him to sing
'just one stanza." Lawson protested, but
finally agreed. and if Turner was amazed
when he heard him play, he was positively
enraptured when that hungry voice, hungry
with love, hungry physically, poured out in
the sweetest of tenors the first stanza of the
song in which his soul lived. 1t was the
story of lost love, but he cherished it, and
as he sang it was easy to see that he lived
and breathed only for that love. Ever of
Thee" has never been so sung since. But
that trial verse made its success, and to the
experienced publisher, Mr.. Turner, it was
decidedly apparent that he had secured
great song.
A TRANSFORMED TRAMP.
Addressing the clerk, he said; "Take
this man along; get him a bath, shave,
some decent clothes; in fact, fix him up like
a gentleman, and then bring him here, and
we shall see about this song" The clerk
took him along He took him to a
bath, and while the unclean was be-
ing made clean. he bought for him a shirt,
a PAIR of shoes, some socks, collars, cuffs,
and underwear. Then he had him shaved.
Then they hied to the clothier's, and hav-
ing removed the rags, Lawson was quickly
clad in fine raiment. The change was be-
ginning to tell. Already the tramp seemed
to be the guide and treasurer. He was a
splendid looking fellow, and had quite
distingue appearance. But the hat was
still there, and mirror-like ehimney-pot
was purchased to complete the makeup.
The clerk laughed when all was finished.
He was in his working clothes, and this
unfortunate looked like duke The
good clothes fitted him, and they suited
him and his appearance much too well to
continue the assumption that Mr.. Lawson
was tramp: He was a gentleman all over,
and he looked it. The clerk said to him:
''Mr. Lawson, 1 wish you would 90
into the shop before me. They
won't know you, and it will be
such a joke" 81 don't mind that, but
won't you let me have a drink? want it,
please let me have drink?" The clerk re-
fused to stand the drink; he told Mr.. Law
son that if he wanted dinner he could have
1t, but drink he could not have. Finally,
the two went into the Ship and Turtle
dining rooms, and over chocolate and sir
loin stake, the author of "EYer of Thee"
told the following story:
THE AUTHORS STORY.
"L was once rich. You know what / am
now. You were astonished to hear me play
the piano SO well. That little song has been
the only companion from which have
gained any comfort for the past Is months.
1t brought back to me the days when was
rich, loved, looked up to, and happy. OF
course it has its sad side for me. But the
memory of what it recalls is the dearest
thing in my existence"
The clerk interrupted him at this point.
and indicated that it was growing late.
"Please bear with me-" rejoined his COM
psnion. Let me tell you how and why
composed the little song. Two years ago
met girl in Brighton. If God ever allowed
one of his angels to come on earth. she was
that one. / adored her. She seemed to re-
turn the affection. 1 escorted her every
where, was at her beck and call morn, noon
and night, and it was currently believed
that Miss Blank and were engaged. 1
had to return to London on business, and
when went back to Brighton she was gone.
Three months after met her at ball. She
had Just finished waltz with tall, good
looking man, and was promenading the hall
on his arm. She recognized me. But when
l said, How do you do, Miss Blank?' she
quickly replied, Pm well, Mr.. Lawson, but
1 am surprised to hear you call me Miss
Blank. When you left Brighton SO sud-
denly thought should never see you
again. You left no address, never called
whom9' 7 oasned tn Mr. Prize she re-