Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-11-14
A SONGS HISTORY.
English Pape-.

CNcI udu ouCu q oolC hh0 SOA hO
publisher ever reaped so much profit
from a song as did MIR. Turner from
the publication Of "Ever Of Thee. y
But there is q romance attaching to
it which until now has not been writ
ten.
1t happened in this way: On cold
day in the January of 1850 the door
of Mr.. Turner's music shop in the
Poultry, London, was nervously open
ed, and most unclean, ragged speci-
men of humanity dragged himself 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 that COM
munity.
"One of the clerks said to him,
"You get out of here
The two ladies who happened to be
in the shop noticed his woe-begone
look, and we're about to offer him
some money when Mr.. tt a clerk
in the establishment, seeing the poor
fellow shlvering with cold and appar-
emily hungry, pitied him and brought
him into the work shop to "warm up
by the stove. A few minutes after
Mr.. Turner, the proprietor, came in,
and seeing the ragged individual,
asked what he wanted and "Who al
lowed him in?"
II did," said Mr.. T; "the poor
fellow looked so cold and miserable l
couldn't send him out in this piercing
wind without giving him warm, and
besides, he says he has some business
with you."
"Business with me?"
"Yes, sir; l have song would
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 beg.
ged to be allowed to play the air of
his song, which he then unearthed
from his rags and handed to the music
publisher. Turner looked at it and
said:
"Who wrote this?"
II did SIR" came from the rags.
"You! Well, I'll have it played over,
and if it's any good I'll give you some
taing for It,"
II beg 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.
In few minutes the bundle of rags
was seated at the 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 dilapidated looking
tramp MAKE the piano almost speak.
His touch was simply marvellous, and
his ve-y soul seemed to be at his fin
ger tips. When he had finished, he
turned to his little audience and said:
"Td like to sing for you, but have
q terrible cold. l haven't been in bed
for three nights. I'm hungry sir,
and l feel I could not do it Justice"
Turner was almost dumb with
amazement. The air would take, he
knew it would be success and he de-
cided that this man had history
which, perhaps, might advertise the
song. So he determined to cultivate
him, and in fattery (as he thought)
pressed him to sing ''just one stanza."
Dawson protested, but finally agreed,
and if Turner was amazed when he
heard him play he was positively en-
raptured when that hungry voice,
hungry with love. hungry physically,
poured out in the sweetest of tenors
the first stanza of the song in which
bis 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 thai 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 decid-
edly apparent that he had procured
great song,
Addressing Mr.. M, he said:
"Take this man along; get him a
bath, shave, some clean clothes, in
fact, fix HIM up like gentleman and
bring him here and we shall see about
this song"
T. 'took him along" He took
him to bath, and while the unclean
was being 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 a clothier's, and, having re-
moved the rags, Lawson was quickly
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 distinguished appearance.
But the hat was still there, and mir
ror-like chimney-pot was purchased to
complete the makeup. T laughed
when all was finished.
He was in his working clothes, and