The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-06-22
LITTLE ANNIE ROONEY.
The True story of Youthful Devotion
Sung by Thousands.

Few of the many who have beard the
strains Of this song sounding from the thea
tire orchestra or the street organ have pom
dered the exceedingly beautiful sentiment
which peryades the verses.
The story is touching One-Of Youthful
love and of hope and home; the motive
which runs through the words is one of pure
affection.
The person represented as thus pouring
out the story of his love is doubtless a young
mana very young man, if we are to judge
by his ingenious disclosures throughout the
poem, especially i'm the chorus, where he
SAYS, ''I'm her beau" and heightens the ei
feet by declaring in the next line that lac II
her Joe: Joe evidently belngan abbrcyla-
ton of the familiar prenOmen Joseph.
In the first verse he describes Miss Rooney
a. possessing "a winning way. a pleasant
smile, dressed so neat, hut quite IN style
In these few words he draws an effective
pen picture of his lady love. 1t will be no.
ticed all through the piece that i'm his en-
thusiasm he frequently dsdains the conven-
tiOnalities OF grammar, a noticeable fad he
ing the choice of adjectiyes where adNerOs
should be used. and gives vent To his emo
tiOns with true poetic feeling. Especially
may this be observed IN the final stanZa,
where his meaning is yelled by an ambiguity
almost equal TO Browning. II is where he
says
My friends declare Pm In jest,
Until the time comes will not rest,
But one who knows its value best,
Is little Annie Rooney"
The first line of this verse would argue
that Joseph is of the gay l.Othario type Of
young man, the frivolous butterfly who flits
from flower TO flower; but anyone who ap-
preciates the frank Outburst in the chorus
can understand that this is not SO. His
faithfuness and cOnstancy is proved in these
lines:
Every evening rain or shine
make a call 'twiXt . and -
On her VINO shortly ~tll DE mine,
Little Annie Rooney.
This proves that ordinary obstacles such
as bad weather or ice in the river do not
dismay this modern Leander. Dsdaining
the prOmptings Of sellishness, which tempt
the ordinary man 10 stay in when IL rains,
he dons macintosh and rubbers, and sal
lies forth 10 visit her whom he touchingly
describes as "The one Love 80 Dear"
And then what a sweet picture of home he
draws in the second verse!
The paIlor's small, though neat and clean,
md sci with taste SO seldom seen.
And you can bet the household queen
Is Little Annie Rooney.
The enthusiastic young admirer of Miss
Rooney is evidently prepared 10 back his
sentiments with hard cash, and his lapse
into the sporting yernacular proves him to
be man of the world, who has probably
become weary OF the trammels Of society
and seeks surcease in the company Of this
gifted young lady, who, he tells, has
merry chat your time To VILE"
What happy scene he puts before us
when he says:
The fire burns cheerfully and bright.
Asa family circle round each night
We form, and every ones delight
Is pttle Annie Rooney.
We gather from this that Joseph is admit
ted as one Of the home circle, and that he Is
superior to all vulgar pangs OF jealousy is
attesied by his proclaimng with evident
relish that Miss Rooney is appreciated by
others than himself.
We imagine that the Use OF the descrlp-
tive adjective Little" is simply "A term OF
endearment and Miss Rooney is probably
tall and slender as lily stalk, and Will be-
comingly bear the orange blossoms that she
is soon 10 wear, for her fiance says;
..We've been engaged close on year
The happy lime Is drawing near
And then again:
Soon we'll marry. never TO part.
Joseph Is not entering into the matrimo-
NAL state with any misgi,ings Of future IN
felicity. lie anticipates No interruption OF
his domestic bliss: he considers no Chicago
divorce, but looks forward with keen antic-
ipaiion 10 lifetime OF happiness IN the So
ciety Of Little Annie Rooney. Kate Mas
terson In New York Dramatic Mirror,