Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-10-29
The Story Of n Song.

oIe of the songs used by the min
strel companies just now was evolved
interestingly. The story is told by the
Utica Oberver." AT an annual din
ner in memory of Gen. Grant the COM
pany included Gems. Sherman, Sheri-
dan, and Carr. Anecdotes Of curious
ly wuund-d men were given, and one
of the narratives was by Gen. Carr.
1t related to soldier in the Second
New York Nolunteess, at which Carr
was Colonel at the outset. In a battle
a piece of an exploded shell struck the
man on the head and gave to him what
would ordinarily have proved a fatal
wound. He lay insensihle among the
dead for hours, nobody suppOsing that
he was alive.
Those who went TO him found in
one hand a small portion of a letter
from his wife. In this she spoke of 4
furlough which had been granted TO
him and which he was going to use
for visit 10 his home, his health be-
ing poor. She wrote afiectionately of
their wedlock, reminded him of a will
low tree under which they had done
some of their courtship, and told him
on the day for his arrival she would
meet him there. In the hurry and
confusion he was left lying with this
paper still in his grasp.
Night fell upon the battle field with
the dead unburied. In the morning
the bodies Of the slain were hastily
buried in q trench. Ii was supposed
that our soldier was among them. But
he was not. During the night he had
revived and wandered away. Word
was sent to his home that he was dead,
but as a matter of fact he wandered OF
TO n distant hospital, remained there
unidentified until his wounds healed,
and was discharged utterly without
mcruOTy of the past. 1t happened that
he retained ths mercSt scrap of his
vife's letter, but without name or
place left on it.
This he retained, and with 8 vague
knowledge that il was from his wife,
who was waiting for him somewhere,
he tramped here and there over the
country for four years. Then mere
sh nee or shadowy recollection of
his home led him TO the very spot
where his wife had promised to meet
him. II was the willow tree close TO
his old home, and there he actually
found her. The shock of JOY and rec
OgnitiOn nearly if not quite cured him
of his malady. Gen. Carr told the story
very touchingly, and it made pathct
ic impression upon his hearers. One
of them was rhy MISTER, and turning
10 Gen. Sheridan said: ''You ought TO
make verses out of that"
at should have mu-ic, too" Sher-
man suggested. "It would make @
splendid song"
The rhymster promised to undertake
Che job, and TO get a friend TO compose
an air, with the proyiso that the three
Generals mentioned should get togeth-
er and hear it sung The result was
song with the title and refrain of
"Where the willow makes a shade,N
that being suggested by the willow
tree tryst of the anecdote. The music
was composed by Ellis Brooks. Gen.
Sheridan died before the verses were
musically arranged. Gen. Carr under
went severe surgical operation for
the removal of a cancer, and il was in
his apartment, while he was recover
ing, that a hhf dozen friends, includ-
ing Gen. Sherman, assembled TO hear
the song. The singer gave effective
expression % the story of the tramp
veteran, and the observers" account
saws it was sight to see the two Gem
erals listening raptly to sle melodious
strains of the war story which one of
them had told. The minstrel vocalists
of the IIaverly-Cleveland and other
roups are appealing to audiences, es-
pecially to war veterans, with the song
thus singularly provided.