Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-05-12
STORY OF A SONG.
LIVERPOOL MERCURY.

publisher ever reaped such a profit
from a song as did Mr.. Turner from
the publication of Ever of Thee.
But there is romance attached To IL
which until now has not been written
IL happened in this way: On cold
day in January of 1850 the door Of Mr..
Turner's music shop. in the Poultry.
London, was nervOusly opened, ana a
most unclcan, ragged sreciman OF hu-
manity dragged himself in He looked
as though he hadn't been washed for
months His beard was unkempt, and
filthy, and matted. For boots be wore
some folds Of filthy rags, and all in all
was a specimen OF the most degraded
class of the community.
One of the clerks aid to him: You
get out of here.
Two ladies who happened to be 10
the store noticed his woe BECOME look,
and were about to offer him some mon
ey, when a Mr.-(a clerk in the
establishment seeing the poor fellow
shivering with cold and apparent hun
ger, piitied him and brought him into
the workshop so that he might have
warm up bv the stove. A few nin-
utes afterward, Mr. Turner, the propri-
etor, came in, and, seeing the ragged
individual, asked what he wanted, and
who "allowed him in. "
II did said Mr.. + 1.-THE poor
fellow looked so clld ana miserable |
COULDN'T send him out in this piercing
wind without giving him warming,
and, besides, he says he has got some
business with you. ."
Business with me.
"Yes, sir; have a song should like
you to listen TO
Turner eyed him from head to foot
and then laughed outright
The miserable looking object at the
stove began TO grow uneasy, and beg
ged to be allowed to play the air of his
song, which he then unearlhed from his
rags and handed the music publisher
Turner looked at it and said: "Who
wr1te this?'
Il did. sir, !" came from the rags.
"YOul Well, I'll have it PLAYED oyer,
and if it's any good I'll give GU som,-
thing for it.
81 beg your pardon, sir; I'd prefer to
play 1t for myself.
What. YOU play? Well. bring him
up to the piano room when he gets
warm, and WEN hulnOr him -
In few minutes the bundle of rags
was seated at the concert grand piano,
and Ever of Thee" was played for the
first time BY its composer James Law
son.
His listeners were electrified when
they heard this dilapidated looking
tramp make the piano almost speak.
His touch was simply marvel Gus, and
his very soul seemed to be at his finger
tips. When he had finished he turned |
10 his little audience and said:
I'D like 10 sing for YOU, but have |
terrible cold haven been in bed for
five nights. I'm hungry. sir, and feel
| could not do it justice
Turner was almost dumb with amaze |
ment. The mir would take; he knew it |
would be success, and he decided that |
this man had n history which, perhaps. |
might advertise the song. So he deter
mined to cultivate him, and in llattery |
Gas he thoughD pressed him to sing
lust one stanza Lawson protested, |
but finally agreed, and if Turner was
amazed when he heard him play, he |
was positively enraptured when that |
hungry voice. hungry with love. hungry |
physically, poured on: in the sweetest |
of tenUrs the first stauza Of the song in |
which his soul lived.
II was the story Of a lost love- but he |
cherished it, and. ~ he sang, it was
easy to see that he lived and breathed |
only for that love, Ever OF Thee
has never been so sung since. But that |
nj
experienced publisher MIR Turner. it |
was decidedly apparent that he had Sc
cured great song
Addressing MIR. tt. he said: "Mr |
r, take this man along. give him
bath, a shave. some decent clothes; in
fact, fix him up like gentleman, and
then bring him here and we shall see
about this sony.
t. took him along He took
him TO BATH and while the unclean
was being made clean he bought tor
him a shirt, pair of shoes. some socks,
collars cuffs and underwear Then be
had him shaved They then hied to
a clothier 5, and, having removed the
rags, Lawson was quickly clad in fine
raiment. Ihe change was beginning
to tell
Already the tramp seemed to be the
guide and treasurer. he was splcn-
did looking fellow and had quite a dis
tingue appearance. But the hat was
still there, and mirrof-iile chimney
pot was purchased to complete the
make mp. laughed when An was
finished HeSWls in his working clothes,
and tins umd crGate lookedli dude
The good }octs fitted him, and they
suited him Ye, his appearance much 10
well TO & ,nuo the assumption that
MI Lawson was a tramp He was
gentleman all over and he looked it.
u said to him:
Mr. lawson, wish YOU would go
into tbs shop before me They wou'l
know you and if will be snch a Joke.
Il don't mind that, Mr. tt, but
woa YOU let me have 4 drink? want
itplease let me have drink
t refused to staud the drink; he
told MIR. Lawson if he wanted dinner
he could have it, but drink be could not
have. FinallY the two went into the
Ship and Turtle dining rooms. and