Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-05-12

Orded her Snr r.tuted the affection
/ escorted her every where, WIS at her
beck and call morn. nOUn and night,
and it Was currently believed that Mss
Blank and | Aere engaged. | had 10
return Ia London on business, and when
/ went back 10 Brighton she was gone.
Three months afierward / met her
at a ball. She had just finished "a waltz
with tall, good-loOking man. and wa
promenading the hall IN his arm. She
recognized me But when | said. How
do YOU do Miss Blankg she quickly
replied:
I'm well. 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, nevor
called again, and-Well, am married. ,
:" TO whom | ga~ped.
Ito Mr.. Prize she replied,
pointing at the same time TO the
gentleman with whom she had been
dancing.
That coded my life My Marie. my
dream, was gone | left the hall, went
to low gambling place, aud in drink
and gambling endeavOred to kill my
grief. It lasted but little time, for in
four months | was penniless.
Then came my trial. Then men
who PLAYED with me Stunned me. My
friends shut their doors, and few days
later my last sovereign was gone.
was utterly stranded, homeless and un-
happy as it would be possible to make
a human being. For nights slept in
the cabmen's coffee house; till | was
considered nuinance, and some door
step served me for bed. pawned
every trinket, decent suit of clothes
everything, and finally spent three
months in a workhouse under an as
sumed name.
1T WAS there the presence of Marie
haunted me again One day-Christ-
mas day-we were at dinner Several
rich people came to distribute among
us such gifts as tobacco. warm clothing,
etc. | was hungry and didn't look at
the visitors, when suddenly u voice !
knew said TO me: My good man!
which would YOU prefer, some warm
clothing or some pipes and tobaccUP
looked up Il was Marie, and | rushed
from the table out into the helds, and
there | was found, hours afterward,
nsCnsible
'In my bed, there in that workhouse
hospital / wrote the words OF the song
you heard me sing to-day. Then | got
well, and, sick of that life. left the
place and became night Waterman at
some new building hey were putting
up in Aldersgate street. While there
the music of my song came to me. |
got q scrap of manuscript music paper
and dotted it down, and for time
was happy. My old friends often pass
ed me at night, jolly and careless, little
dreaming that james Lawson was the
poor night Waterman who answered
their ndolent questions.
"Often, when all was still, | poured
out my soul in this little song, and after
awhile the night gaminS used to come
and listen to mt. II pleased them To
me ii brought back the memory OF a
dead love and ruined life But You
are firing of my story. There is little
more % tell.
II could not endure the solitary med
itauon u my past | again oegan to
drink lost my situation. and as
last resort | thought that perhaps my
little song WAS worth few shllings,
aud brought It To Mr. Turner
Al tins the poor fellow burst into
tears When he was himself again.
they went out, aid few minutes at
lerward. Mr. Turner, addressing Law
son. ssid:
MIR Lawson. here is ten shllings.
l. will BIZ enough TO get your supper
and decent room tonight. To-mur-
row morning | want YOU to call here,
and ! shall give YOU good position in
my warehouse. AS for your song,
want YOU to remember this: If YOU
keep sober / will pay you good royal
~; but If you spend this ten shillnos in
drink, not another penny will YOU get =
Lawson left the shop and did not
make his appearance for five DAYS
Then he was in condition almost MS
bad as when he first entered it. HIS
Vest was gone. his boots were exchanged
fer old one, his hat was-well. it was
an apology for hat. His coat tan old
one) was buttoned tight around his
collarleSs neck, and his face was I'M
kempt and unshaven, as uuclean as it
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 known tie took half-crown
from bis pocket, handed il to Lawson.
and turned on his heel Addressing
MIR. p. he said: IF this man
comes here again. put him out.
The composer OF Ever of Thee" i'm
mediately left the shop. aud heaven
only knows what his fate has been
Certain il is that he never called at
Turner's AGAIN.
Men. women and children Of every
color and cline sing the song of the
tramp. Lawson And the composer,
and his sad life is forgotten and unrec-
ognized in the deal-old song, Ever Of
Thee
Renuhlipau State Convention,