Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-01-10
FROM OLD KENrucKY.
A Familiar Strain which, Heard In Rom.
Made an Americana Throat Lumpy.

1Aauc <AinoEAc0hb AAEO1b Auhpys
$50 you came back, after all, colonel?
When saw you in Paris two years ago
you told me that Paris was your home.
You said that it fit you like an old
glove; that the boulevards were made
for you, and that you never expected to
come over to this side of the pond again.
How came you to change your mind?"
81 got homesick"
"Homesick? Homesick2 Well, that's
good. Like schoolgirl, eh2 What do
you think of that, gentlemen? The
colonel got homesick. He, who hasn't
had home for thirty years-who has
been roaming the earth ever since Lee
surrendered Touch the button, colonel.
The drinks are on you"
with pleasure, judge, but pardon
me if l fail to understand the cause of
your merrimenL AS the doctor says,
it has been many years since I have
known a home; but-don't keep the boy
waiting. A little bourbon for me. Yes,
many years, gentlemen, many, many
years. But was homesick, just the
same. And 1 confess that the incident
that sent me back will probably appear
trivial and absurd to you. had made
For wanderer like me it seemed about
the proper haven. 1 like its ways
like its play houses. In fact, 1 like
every thing about Paris-except it's taste
in the matter of drinks. But you don't
have to drink absinthe unless you care
to, and 1 thought was at last satisfied
to settle down. felt so thoroughly es-
tablished that began to think of do
ing some work. and actually did a little
writing. This went ON for a year or
more, and was fully determined to
stay right there like an old hull on the
beach, until the timbers fell apart
"At last, some way or other, however,
began to feel q strong feeling of I'M
rest got nervous began to worry
about my liver. l consulted a doctor
He, the idiot, advised me to quit smo-
king; and / advised him to go to that
place where people are supposed to
smoke forever. l decided that would
run down to Rome and see the gay old
town of dirty beggars bid farewell to
meat 1t was just the time for the
carnival, SO to Rome I went didn't
enjoy myself l met many people
knew, but none for whom cared. It's
hard for n man to make merry all alone.
l wondered who I had ever seen in the
carnival before. had a personal griev-
ance against everybody who was enjoy
ing himself. When some one threw q
handful of confetti over me I swore. l
made up my mind to stay it out how
ever. had a good window on the
Corso, near the piazza del Popolo, and
there was no use running away. The
blue devils would have followed me-
You can imagine me sitting there all
alone, biting a cigar and frowning down
at the gay crowd in the Corso. Little
girls pointed me out and threw confetti
at me and then, when did not smile,
said something about the evil eye and
got away. The noise made my head
ache. Some friends called to me from
passing carriages and almost forgot to
return their salutation. But all of a
sudden my ears caught Whit of an
old melody. At first, gentlemen, was
not sure. thought the tune was just
running through my mind. But some
one was surely singing. Above all the
noise 1 could catch the song and the
tinl1ling of banjos away down the
street Very faint, but coming nearer:
Weep no mo- my lady, weep no mo- to-day,
For Ill sing one song OBJ de old kaintucky
home,
OBJ de ole kaintuclzy home so far away.
doctor, don't know just what
you would have made out of a study OF
my brain when caught those words,
but do know that it darted electricity
through every nerve in my body. The
singers were coming my way-four
good, strong American boys, Woodford
county boys, I'll bet They were in an
open carriage and were blackened up
to look like darlzeys. When they got
under my window 1 jumped up and
gave a rebel yell that shook the vatican.
They looked up, laughed and kept on
singing. 1 strained my ear as they
went on down the Corso and when ]
caught the last echo, hang it, gentle
men, there was a lump in my throat as
big as your fist 1 sailed for New York
the very next week, and three weeks
later l took drink in Louisville.
"Well, here's the boy. Everybody
standing, please. Here's to The Old
Kentucky Home "-Kausas City Star