The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-26

bling eadeavored to kill my grief. lasted
but little time for in four months I was

bling eadeavored to kill my grief. lasted
but little time, for in four months was
penniless.
'Then came my trial. The men who
played with me Stunned me. MY TRENDS
shut their doors, and a few days later my
last sovereign was gone. was utterly
stranded, homeless and unhappy as 1t
would be possible to make human being.
For nights slept in the cabman's coffee
house; then I was considered a nuisance.
pawned every trinket, decent suit OF
clothes-everything- finally I spent
three months in a workhouse under an as
sumed name.
st was there the presence of Marie
haunted me again. One day-Christmas
pie came to distribute among us such gifts
as tobacco, wari.. o.otaissS, etc. l was
hungry and didn't look at the visitors, when
suddenly voice said to me:
'My good man, which would you prefer
some warm clothing or some pipes and to-
bacco?" I looked up. 1t was Marie: l
rushed from the table out into the fields,
and there was found hours after, insensi-
BILE.
'In my bed, there in that workhouse
heard me sing to-day. Then Igot we'll and,
sick of life, left the place and became
night Waterman at some new buildings
that were putting up in Aldersgate street.
While there the music of my song came to
me. got scrap of manuscript music
was happy. My old friends often passed
me at night. jolly and careless. little dream
ing that James Lawson was the poor night
watchman who answered their indolent
questions.
"Often, when all was still, pour out my
soul in this little song, and after awhile the
night gamins used to come and listen to me.
It pleased them. TO me it brought back
the memory of dead love and a ruined
life. But you are firing of my story. There
is little more to tell.
81 could not endure the solitary medita-
ton OF my past. again began to drink. |
lost my situation, and as last resort
thought that perhaps my little song was
worth few shillings, and brought it to
Mr.. Turner"
he was himself again they went out, and a
few minutes afterward Mr.. Turner, address
ing Lawson, said:
sMr. Lawson, here is los. It will be
enough to get your supper and a decent
room to night, Tomorrow morning :.
good position in my warehouse: As for
your song, want you to remember this:
If you will keep sober will pay you good
royalty, but if you spend this los. in drink
not another penny will you get"
i, Lawson left the shop and did not make
his appearance for five days. Then he was
, in a condition almost as bad as he was
when he first entered it. His vest was gone;
his boots were exchanged for old ones; his
) hat-well, it was an apology for hat. His
coat-an old one-was buttoned tight
around his collarless neck, and his hair was
unkempt and face unshaven-as unclean as
he was five days ago.
Mr.. Turner looked at him. He did not
even speak to him. The smell of bad rum
sufficiently told him all he wished to know
: He took half crown from his pocket.
handed it to Lawson, and turned on hit
/ heel Addressing Mr.. t, he said: III
+ this man comes here again, put him OUT
The composer of Ever of Thee immed
lately left the shop, and heaven only knows
what his fate has been. Certain 1t ID thai
4 he never called at Turner's again.
r Men, women and children of every colol
and cline sing the song of the tramp, Law
. son. And the composer and his sad life arr
forgotten and unrecognized in the dear ole
= song, ever of Thee I'm Fondly Dream
4 inpo