The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-03-14

per acre-S. a. Cook, Georgia, IN
American Agriculturist.
HIS SONGS MADE OTHERS RICH
Charles Graham, who is one OF the
most Successfuz of American song
writer's is; an ex ample of man whose
Genius has made fortunes for others.
While he has written many songs that
have attracted widespread popularity,
Mr.. Graham is still poor. The music
publishers who have sold his songs
have all got the profits and Mr. era
harm has got only fame
He says that the public VINO near
the newest great song OF the day
ground out on piano-organs or warbled
in concert halls little imagine the hard
sf1ips and struggles that have often
to be endured by the bright fellows
who are the origfnators of these pop
lIlar melodies, and in whom the love
of song is rarely accompanied by the
business instinct which would enable
them to coin their songs into dollars.
Charles Graham was born in Boston.
England, in 1863 He inherited his
musical gifts, for his father was
musician and composer of good repute.
The boy after learning to play the
piano at a Boston college gave evil
dence of a promising future and at the
age of ten years composed little mel
odieS which were sung in chorus by
mis- college companions.
In 1880, being then II years OF age,
he landed at Halifax, \. S. At first
he saw no opening for his musical
genius, and he accepted a position in
a hotel. Then. after maraging several
local quaI-tets, in which he himself
sang bass, he drifted to New York
City.
His first song for publication was
composed in 1884, when he wrote
Don't Forget You, LaSsie." pub
lished by Willis Woodward, of New
York, and created a stir. as the music
world realized that new genius had
come among them. 1t was fitting
about this time that the writer of love
songs should himself plead guilty to
the tender passion, and SO it happened
that in 1856 Charles Graham took unto
himself a bride. But although in his
married life he has been very happy
and is the father Of four children, and
although his songs have repeatedly
won success, it has always been the
publishers who have cut off the cou-
pons. while the author and composer
gathered. as it were. only ''the crumbs
that fell from the rich mans table,
A few months after his marriage he
wrote that wonderful success which
even today is standard favorite at
many of our best concerts, ''If the
Waters Could Speak as They Flow"
From this song the publishers have
m de- of <l1lJ
the composer only managed to secure
a few hundred. After this he contin-
ued to write rapidly, and T. B. Harms
u Co. published many of his songs that
still have a steady sale.
lie now received from an unexpected
source suggestion for a song that
was destined to be sung by almost
everybody all over the world. His
brother went to the theater one, eve
nlng and witnessed a performance of
Blue jeans" Playgoers will remem-
Der that, in one of the scenes, the old
man enters and demands the picture
OF the heroine turned towards the
wall.
Granams inventive faculties grasped
pne Idea at once, and, although too
SICK with rheumatism to venture out, |
lie tnere and then wrote and COM
posed that most pathetic of all song
stories, entitled '"The Picture That Is
Turned Towards the Wall"
From the sale of that song Graham
made, in small amounts at a time. |
about $500 altogether in ROYALTIES. |
The publishers made from that same
song the enormous sum of SO.
Mr.. Graham cites these figures to |
show the discrepancy between the
reward Of genius and that of business
TACT and to impress upon the bud
ding song-writers. who imagine that
a few rhymes lead to instant popular
ity, how ill-paid a profession song
writing is
Still the young writer stuck to his
post, but life had become very I'm
settled with him. Home and Bohem-
la did not get along we'll together;
one or the other had to be neglected.
and, although desiring to be faithful
to his hearthstone duties, the spirit of
was growing stronger,
and the popular composer was quick
~ surrounded by friends who took
all, but gave nothing in return.
Then came another wonderful suc-
cess from Graham's pen, ''Two Little
Ilrls In Blue" sung, played, whistled
and parodied everywhere. lisped by
the tinieSt tots and yelled with de-
light by the strongest men. There
nave been few such songs that have
Jumped SO instantaneously into pop-
liar favor, yet for this song Charles
Graham received the paltl.y sum of
80, and at the time was glad to get
t. After the song became popular he
'eceived am additional 5000 from thei
,TlhJishars