Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-01-23
THE VOICE FROM OLD KENTUCKY.
A Familiar strain Heard Abroad Made
an American HomesIck.

$50 you came hack, after all,
Colonel? When l 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 boule-
wards 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 mindp"
81 got homesick."
"Homesick? Homesick? Well, that's
good. Like schoolgirl. Ell? 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 fail to understand the cause of
your merriment. AS the doctor SAYS,
1t has been many years since I have
known home; but-don't keep the
boy waiting. A little bourbon for me.
Yes, many years, gentlemen, many,
many years. But l was homesick, Just
the same. And | confess that the in
cident that sent me back will pro- bly,
appear trivial and absurd TO you.
had made up my mind to make Paris
my home. For wanderer like me it
seemed about the proper haven. |
like its ways. | like its playhouses.
In fact, like everything about Paris
except its taste in the matter of
drinks. But you don't have to drink
abslnthe unless you care 10, and l
thought | was at last satisfied to settle
down. Ifelt SO thoroughly established
that | began to think OF doing some
work. and actually did little writing.
This went on for 4 year or more and
was fully determined to stay right
there like au old hull on the beach, IN
til the timbers fell apart.
AT last, some way or other, how
ever, | began to feel strong feeling
of unrest. got nervous. ] began to
worry about my liver. l consulted a
doctor. He, the idiot, advised me to
quit smoking and l advised him to 90
TO that place where people are sup
posed to smoke forver. 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 l went.
didn't enjoy myself | met many
people | knew, but none for whom !
cared. It's hard for a man to make
merry all alone. | wondered who ]
had ever seen in the carnival before.
l had personal grievance against
everybody who was enjoying himself.
When some one threw a handful of
confetti over me | swore. l made up
my mind to stay it out, however. |
hoh q rrnn1 window Tho
| 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 cigar and frowning down upon
the gay crowd in the Corso. Little
girls pointed me out and threw con-
fetti at me and then, when l 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 | al.
most forgot TO return their salutation.
But all of a sudden my ears caught q
Whit of AN old melody. At first, gen.
tlemen. | was not sure. I thought the
tune was just running through my
mind. But some one was surely sing
ing. Above all the noise could catch
the song and the tinkling of banios
away down the street. Very faint, but
coming nearer:
Weep no mo-, my lady. weep no mo today,
For / Il sing one song oh dc old Kaintucky
homo
oh de ole Kaintucky home so far away.
Doctor. | don't know Just what you
would have made out of study of my
brain when caught those words, but
do know that it darted electricity
through every norye in my body.
The singers were coming my way
four good, strong American boys,
Woodford County boys, III bet, They
.eie in an open carriage and wer.
blackened up to look like darkies,
When they got under my window
jumped up and gave rebel yell thai
shook the Vatican. They looked up,
laughed, and kept on singing.
strained my ear as they went on dowr
the Corso, and when caught the last
echo, hang it, gentlemen, there was
lump in my throat as big as your fist
l sailed for New York the very mex
week, and three weeks later l took s
drink in Louisville.
We'll, here's the boy. Everybody
standing, please. Here's to The OLD