The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-25

an hour after such youngsters as Judge How
land yale. "a had gone home. Allowing him
only what he claims as TO years, seventy-ive, DIR.
English is an extremely young-looking man. AL
though the white rredomlnates in his dropping
moustache. his fine. strong head is covered with
a mass of dark hair in which is only suggestion
Of gray. and he speaks with the robustness of q
young orator. And he had only finished a hard
Congress campaign. Really. he looked as II he
were yet on the sunny side OF fifty.
The Abbots and Friars Of the Cloister looked
forward with unusual interest to the visit OF
man OF whom It was published in the American
Cyclopedia twenty years ago: He is the author
Of more than twenty successful dramas: "heis
the author of several novels"; he is the author
Of the 'Gallows-Goers.' a rough but vigorous
poem Of which hundreds of thousands OF copies
were circulated" : he is this and heis that. and
has done this and has done that. and yet who is
known to the whole world only as the author of
Der BOLT"
1t was that most delightful period in the din
ner hour when the dinner Is being enjoyed
having been eaten-and the table bears only
ash trays and coffee. when n comfortable, in
vitinG silence inspires to monologue after tho
rattle of general talk, that DIR. English rose TO
talE 10 the youngsters" as he called them. of
the Cloister. Presiding ABBOT j. l.. Ford had
referred to Dr. English. and II. c. Bunner then
committed the offence with which the Doctor
charged him. abiding to Ben Bolt.
An indiscretion more than fifty
years ago should not be brought up against a
nan al such an hour as this" said the Doctor.
Let me tell about well, say, about the pop
gun tariff bills. for you know I have a short ses-
sion &c serve yet in Congress-"
The Friars laughed him down and called for
Ben Bolt"
We'll" said the Doctor, IT thought when
wrote
And sweet Alice lies under the stone.
I had done with her and her possible sweetheart
Ben BOLT sgt it appears not ! yrete y these
New York Mirr6r as the Neir Mirror. Willis
asked me for = sra song. and | started one. But
have had tina, same experience, when you have
set out II write something to order"
William Dean Howe, L., and the novelist laughed
eiier from Altruria was sometimes stuck when
so nnaltrgistic as 70 write ANYTHING 70 order.
some1Sinig else, nearly SRished i, patched RseHe on on a
Thing 10 W ILLS, telling him e itdid not suit MOTTO
and signed only my initials. thought SO little
OF il. The editors were pleased with 1t and pub
yor Of sept IS, 1915. But wa not much or a
sea song.
side OF the table. '"Thsre was at least one line
"Bsn Bolt Of tn: ALT sea sa,,,
and that out OF thirty-two lines would be con-
sidered PRETTY good, n not quite sufficient, from
the slandards Of today
with a bow. il compensaticn for much that i
have suffered hecause az that song,
We'll. the. lines became popular. 1t was
copied. without credit. in the English papers,
where u was assumed 70 be Of British birth.
SONG would no well to music. and EDOke 10
several composers about II, but they all answer
ed ID: IT. Mont ;in e. dx ihG Ssn y wCSIf and took
music Ior the words myself.
This wa; The S;st inttmstion any one at the
ents WAS q musician. and Friar Waller, VINO
teaches budding %geniuses how q compose IN the
from before him ia order 20 have a clearer view
Of the speaker,
that adapted from "a German song by IA young
singer and actor named Wilson kneAss, a son Ot
opportunity 10 APPEAR In a stage production II
he, could furnish a new aud popular song. A
l rs p2!!InS AYE RIA GHmea % KRSat: an tEslisGmani
IL as "a song. lie had seen the words in an Eng
lish paper and remembered them. Kneass
made an immense hit, not only ia this country,
but in England, where II was sung, parodied.
answered, and illustrated. IL created a fuTure
in London, and VA, of course. rtill supposed to
be strictly british. After several r~iVivals, |
sup until recently that l hal heard the
last ~ II. but now a gentleman named Du
MauFier, whom | never harmed IN my life, re-
wives il IN 'lTilby.'"
By the way, although Dr. English did no; tell
this. Eor much else that might b- considered
hattering Ia him about the history OF ben
Bolt" Mr., Du Maurier WAS not the hrst novelist
10 make the sObg u theme IN fiction. In London,
in 1871. a novel was published in which the
singing ~ Bsn Bult WAS the incident which
Brought lh1uI the haPW c'imaXtl the story,
the reconciliation OF the lovers.
When | inst went a. Congress, four years
ago" the doctor went on when the FrlarS de-
mandcd more . Ben Bolt, :" A." was duly reported
In the papers as the author OF that song, and il
brought me many curious interviews. One
member introduced me TO his wife whose three
Christian names were Alice ben BOLT an
other assured me lie had Teen lulled 10 sleep In
his cradle by his mother singing Ben Bolt
and a third .intoriIcd me when he introduced
me 10 his wife that II was her singing of Ben
Bolt that won III, proposal ~ marriage. am
sorry for IT, | answered That ! wrote H., 1
added. Tor seemed IA Ice misunderstood,
During the diu1er hour. while talk was yet
general, snmething had bren said shnut the
great pru0ts { mudcru plnEwrightS, aud Angus
tus Thomas OF Alabama ' fame had been al
ludvd 10.
+" Profits were smaller but production was
larger in the forties and nfties than With you
young gentlemen" said the Doctor. turning TO
Mr.. Thomas. who sat near him. II recall being
VarW Wuall satiahed with Iha RacaiUE OF 100 for 4