Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-12-09

looked closely al the original as II was
printed ifty-one years ago. he'd have
seen from its colloquial English as shs
is spoke In the United States, that it
was of American origin.
I'm the first s.snza are found the
words
"a slab Of the granite so gray.
ssThe word slab. donating a fat. thin
mass OF stone, is almost peculiar 10 the
United States as noun, aud has passed
out OF use In England even as al ad.
iective. Aside from all this internal
evidence, however. 1t has been shown
again and again that the song never
appeared anywhere until 1913, when II
was printed in the Nelp Mirror over my
initials,
"a few years since l bad strange
illustration of the truth OF these linesi
Grass grows on the masters grave, Ben
Bolt,
The spring Of the brook Is dry,
And Of all the boys who were schoolmatea
then,
There are only you and l.
al was seated in my parlor one day
whan ring came at the door. The
servant happened 10 be out and an.
swered the call myself. An understood,
elderly gentleman, old. but we'll pre-
served and with q sprinkling OF gray
in his hair, put out bis hand and saidl
"'Tom Dunn English. how are yon?'
81 resented his familiarity, and. draw
Ing myself up, said: i sm not In the
habit OF having myself addressed In that
way, even by my most familiar friends
"'Oh, come, now, that won't do the
newcomer replied. The last time saw
you we played foot ball as boys In the
school at Burlington, and / don't want
you 10 put on any airs
"'Come in, said, and let me see
who the deuce you are
"Then 1t was discovered that this
vrs an old. schoolmate at Friends Aca-
DENY, in Burlington, where / received
part of my education. We compared
notes and made mutual inquiries after
old schoolmates Alter careful inves-
tisatIou We found that we two were the
the only survivors OF the boarding and
day pupils AZ the school.
"'Well, said /, the lines Of the old
song coming 10 my aid:
Ofall the boys who were schoolmates then,
There are only you and |.
"yYhen Hrst entered Congress, OF
course, my authorship OF the song
aroused some interest In my fellow
mem bers One OF them came to me
aud said that his wife bad won him by
her singing OF Ben Bolt Another
said that his mother, In his childhood,
had sung him 10 sleep with IL.
al don't wonder at that / said 20.
him.. Il have no doubt that II has most
excellent soporific qualities
There was oHe more surprise In
store for me. A gent oman OF some
standing and position was introduced
10 me, and said: Doctor, am very
glad to meet you. My wife Is daugh-
ter OF one OF the General Picketts OF the
Confederate army. She was born In 1854
and she was chrstened Alice Ben Bolt
"Ben Bolt has, l believe, had a moro
extended popularity than any song be-
fore or since. The reasons for this arc
that IL is more easily understood,
and It's melody is SIMMER than
those Of It's rivals. Then the
incidents awaken memories 10 the heart
of every nan. All men hare had q
little Alice at some time or other-an
experience that may call a calf love.
Everything teAied to make II popular
the simplicity OF It's dictIon and colo
ouial English, as spoken in Pennsyl-
vauis, being lesdink features.
Il L., 40 4 ~
WORTHY u take place in the perma-
nent literature OF AmeKlcs, however,
that ] almost wish that Ven Bolt had
never been written. IL 10 unpleasant
TO see so much fuss made over = merely
ephemeral creation"
DR.. English's library Is large room,
lined with books, whose luxurious
bindings bear evidence TO the artistic
taste OF their owner, and almost its
sole ornament is q bust OF Dante. which
occupies the place OF honor over the
center OF the mantelpiece.
81 bought IL cheap Bt an auction
sale, said the owner indlfferently, "snd
10 has stayed with me ever since. Ny
favorite authors are Burns and Byron.
To my mind there have only been
three really great poets in the worid -
Shakespeare, Burns and Byron."
DR.. English is a particularly modest
man. Although he has been author,
poet. dramatist, physician, lawyeT,
Congressman and journalist In the
course OF his long career, be sums up
his life IN this autobiographical sketch
which appears 10 the Congressional DE-
rectory. 1t is che OF the shortest 10 the
book:
Thomas Dunn English OF Newark
was born 10 Philadelphia. Pa, June
%. 1919; was graduated doctor OF medl-
cine at the University OF Pennsylyania
ia 1889, and called TO the Philadeiphia
bar In 1912, but has mainly pursued
authorship and Journalism; In lse2-o4
served 10 the New jersey Legislaturs;
Ia 1876 received the degree OF doctor OF
laws from William and Mary College,
Virginia; was elected 70 the Fifty
second and Fifty-thlrd Congresses AZ q
Democrat, receiving 2i.e5I votes,
against 20, ,2sI votes for Parker, Rep,
20 votes for Buchanan, Peoples. and
412 votes for Downs, Pro."-Nctr York
sun