Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-07-04

T-laughed when all was finished
He was in his working clothes,
and this unfortunate looked like
q. duke. The good clothes fitted him
and they suited him and his ap
pearance much too we'll to continue
f the assumption that Mr.. Lawson
. was tramp. He was gentleman
all over, and he looked it. T-sald
to him:
"Mr. Lawson, l wish you would
} 90 into the shop before me. They
won't know you, and it will bt
such a Joke"
81 don't mind that, Mr.. T-,but
won't you let me have drink
want it-please let me have
drink"
, T-refused to staDd the drink
The told Mr.. Lawson that if he
r wanted a dInuer ne could have it,
but drink he could not have. Final
lv, the two went into the ship and
| Turtle dining-rOOms, and over
chocolate and sirlOin steak, the
| author of "Ever OF Thee" told the
following story ;
81 was once rich, Mr.. t, You
know what l am now. You were
astOnlshed to here NE play the
piano so we'll. That little song
has been the only companion from
/ which 1 gained any comfort for the
| past twelve months. 1t brought
! back to me the days when was
rich, loved, looked up to aud hap
py. OF course, it has its sad side
tor me. But the memory of hat 1t
recalls is the dearest thing 10 my
existence"
T interrupted him at this
point, and Indicated that it was
growing late.
"Please bear with me-" rejoined
his companion. "Let me- tell you
how and why l composed the little
song, Two years ago l met a girl
in Brighton. If God ever allowed
one of His angels to come on earth
she was that one. l adOred her.
She seemed to return the affection.
1 escorted her everywhere, was at
her back and call morn, noon and
night, and it was currently believed
that Miss Blank and | were engag-
ed. l had to return to London on
business, and when | went back to
Brighton she was gone.
"Three months later | met her
at a ball. She had just finished a
waltz with tall, gOod-loOking man,
and was promenading the hall on
his arp. She recognized me. But
when l said, 'HOw do you do, Miss
Blank 2 she quickly replied :
"G am well, Mr.. Lawson, bat |
am surprised to hear you call me
Miss Blank. When you LETT Brigh-
ton so suddenly thought l should
never see you again. You left no
address-never called again, and
well, am married.
"'TO whom = | gasped.
"'To Mr.. Prize she replied,
pointing at the same time to the
gentleman with whom she had
been dancing.
"That ended my lie. Ny Marie,
my dream, was gone. left the
hall, went to low gambling place,
and in drinking and gambling en-
deayored to kill my grief. 1t last
ed but a little time, for in four
months [ was penniless.
"Then came my trial. The men
who played with me shun ned me.
My friends shut their doors, and a
few days later my last sovereign
was gone. | was utterly stranded,
homeless, and unhappy as fr would
be possible to make a human be-
ing. For nights | slept in the cab
mans Ofiee-houses then | was
considered a nuisance, and some
doorstep served me for "a bed.
pawned every trinklet, decent suit
of clothes-everythlng, and finally
| spent three months IN a work
house under an assumed name.
at was there the presence Of
Marie haunted me again. One day
Christmas Day-we were at din
ner. Several rich people came Il
distribute among us such gifts al
tobacco, warm clothes, etc. | wa
hungry aud didn't look at the Yisi
tors, when suddenly a voice salt
to me:
"'My good mfn, which woul'
you prefer, some warm clothing o
some pipes and tobacco p ! locke
/ up. 1t was Marie. rushed frOr
3 the table out into the fields, an
there | was found hours after il
: sensible.
"In my bed, there in that wOrl
t house hospital, I wrote the word
4 of the song you heard me sing f
dov Vrho0 I 0Of xuaIl ouH Qtak .