The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-06-19
STORY OF A SONG.


had such sale, and certainly no publisher
ever reaped so much profit from song as
did Mr.. Turner from disqualification Of Ever
Of Thee" But there Is a romance attaching
to it 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.. Turner's
music shop, in the Poultry, London, was ner-
vously opened, and a most unclean, ragged
specimen 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 speci-
men of tho most degraded class of the COM
munity.
One of the clerks said to him. "You get
out of here"
Two ladies who happened to be In the shop
noticed his woo begone look, and were about
to offer him some money, when a Mr.. T 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 hive swarm
up" by the stove. A few minutes after, MFR.
Turner, the proprietor, came in, and, seeing
the ragged individual, asked what he wanted,
and ''who allowed him In ~
~ did, " said Mr.. T; 1.-THE poor fellow
looked so cold and miserable | couldn't send
him out in this piercing wind without giving
him warm, and, besides, he says he has got
some business with you"
Business with mcln
Eyes, sir; have a song should like you
to listen to.
Turner eyed him from head to foot, and
then laughed outright
The miserable looking object at tho stovo
began to grow uneasy, and begged to be
allowed TO play the air of his song. which he
then unearthed from his rags and handed to
tho music publisher. Turner looked at it and
said:
"Who wrote thisF'
~ did, sir," camo from tho rags
"Youl Well, I'll have it played over, and
IT it's any good I'll give you something for
it,"
II beg your pardon. sir; I'd prefer to play
1t for myself"
-"WhatI you playa 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 tho concert grand piano. and Ever
of Thee was played for the first time by Its
composer, James Lss,s .ssss.
His listeners were electrified when they
hoard this dilapidated looking tramp make
tho piano almost speak. His touch was
simply marvellous, and his very soul seemed
to be at his finger tips. Whom he had fin
ished be turned to his little audience and
said:
"I'd like to sing it for you. but have a
terrible cold. haven't been IN bed for five
nights. I'm hungry, sir, and feel could
not do 1t justioo.n
Turner was almost dumb with amazement.
Tha afr rr.al1 faly la
success, and he decided that this man had
history which, perhaps, might advertise tho
song. So he determined to cultivate him,
and in ilattery las he thought pressed him to
sing Just one stanza." Lawson protested,
but finally agreed, and II 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 tho story of a lost love, but no cher
ished it, and as he sang 1t WINS 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, 1t was
decidedly apparent that he had secured a
great song.
Addressing Mr.. T., lie said: mr. T.,
take this man along; get him a bath, ashave,
some decent clothes; in fact, fix him up Ikea
gentleman, and then bring him here and we
shall see about this song.n W ''''
T.. took him along" IIetook him to a
bath, and while the unclean was being made
clean, he bought for him a shirt, n pair of
shoes, some socks, collars, cuffs and under
wear Then be bad him shaved. Then they
hied to clqthier's, and having removed the
rags Lawson was quickly clad ip fine raj
ment. The change was beginning to tell
Already the tramp seemed TO he the guide
and treasurer. He was O splendid looking
fellow and had quite distingue appearance
But the hat was still there, and mirror like
chimney pot was purchased to complete the
make up. T. laughed when all was fin
ished. 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 a
tramp He was gentleman all over, and
he looked It, T. said 10 him:
"Mr Lawson. wish you would go into the
shop before me. They won't know you and
1t will DO such a joke"
II don't mind that, Mr.. T, but won't
you let me have drink want it-please
lot mo have a drink"
T refused to stand the drink; he told Mr.
Lawson that If he wanted dinner he could
have it, but drink he could not have. Finally
the two went into the Ship and Turtle din
ing rooms, and over chocolate and sirloin
steak the author of Ever Of Theen told the
following story;
III was once rich MIR. T.. You know
what nm now. You were astonished to
hear me play the piano SO well. That little
song has been the only companion from
which | gained any comfort for tie past
twelve months 1t brought back to me the
days when was rich, loved, looked up to and
happy. or course 1t has its sad side for me.
But tho memory Of what 1t recalls Is the
dearest thing in my existence"
Z interrupted him at this point and indi-
Gated that It was growing late.
Please bear with me-" rejoined bis COM
panion. LET me tell you how and why
composed the little song. Two years ago /
met girl IN Brighton. II God ever allowed
one OF his angels TO come on enltn she was
that one | adored her. She seemed to re-
turn the affection. 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. had to re-
turn 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 | said, How do You do. Miss Blankf
she quickly replied
" I'm wen, Mr.. Lawson, but am surprised
to hear you call me Miss Blank. When you
left Brighton so suddenly thought should
never see you again. You left no address,
never called again, nnd-weli, am married.
TO whomp gasped.
- TO Mr.. Prize she replied, pointing at the
same time TO the gentleman with whom she
had been dancing.