The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-09
roE's VERSION OF THE BELLS
Mr.. John sartain. the Original Pub
fisher, Gives Their History.


fisher, Gives Their History.
From the Philadelphia Record.
1t was with sympathy and affection that
Mr.. Sartain referred 10 the genius Of Ed
gar Allen Poe, and the old magazine pub
Usher. George Rex Graham. who died in
July last in the Memorial hospital.
Orange. n. j., penniless and without
friends. for it was in Graham's Maya
zine. at one time the leading journal in
the country. that many Of his best minia-
ture engravings were published In
speaking of this periodical. Mr.. Sartain
said:
Two score years ago-and it seems a
very, very long time to memo man was
better known in literary circles than Mr.
Graham, the hrst American publisher 70
pay respectable prices for literary wares.
lie was generous employee. and in many
instances the discOVerer OF some OF the
best known writer's.
''Bayard Taylors earlies, poems We're
published in this magazine, ne being ten
dered upon one occasion a check for SO
Tor two poetic effusions. For The Vii
LACE Blacksmith Longfellow received
$50, while for The Spanish Student pub
hshed at a later period, he was remuner-
ated With the snug sum Of $3.50 Poe as
the editor. wrote regularly from five to
seven pages every month, for which he
received $500 per annum-in those DAYS
considered a very liberal salary.
III 1890 Dctdilt proprietor ana eNlLOE
or Campbells Foreign Semi-Monthly
Magazine. in which appeared the song
OF the Shirt the Bridge OF Signs The
Drop Of Gin and other pieces of kin
dred nature, which afterWard became so
Mluely popular. Agassiz's article. cntit-
leo a Period in the History of Our
Hlanet' appeared as early as 1913 when
the name OF that scientist was hardly
lantic.
IN the fan of 1s4s 1 purchased a one
In,
known throughout the country as Sar-
tam Magazine. OF WhIcl, toward the
latter part Of ITS career. / acted as man
aging editor. Poems and snort stories by
Zoe occasionally adorned it's columns for
a strong friendship had sprung up be-
tween that poet and myself through our
association on Gvaham's Magazine The
famous poem OF The Bells was frsr
pupllshed In Sartain's Magazine, and
strange TO say, IN three versions. all of
which l bought. The first copy was sim
ply ccnglOmeration of juggling words
SSonstructed in eighteen meaningless
The engraver paused for moment
went to a small bookcase in "A corner
OF the room, from which he took "A neat
leather bound volume of Sartain's Maya
zine, dated November. 1913. Opening the
book to a pencil page and point
ing to a poem in the right hand corner
he said: This is the first version as it
appeared"
The BELLS hear the bells,
The little silver bells,
How fairy-like monody there sweIs
From the silveE-tinkhng cells of the bells
The bells, all, the bellsi
The heavy iron bells.
Hear the tolling of the bells;
Hear the knells;
How horrible monody there floats
From their threats!
From their deep-toned throats;
How shudder at the notes
From the melancholy Threats
OF the bells. of the bells!
Il did not publish the above lines at
first, for / do not believe even TO this
day, that they possess any extraordinary
merit As might be expected, the author
became incensed, and, after an unsatis-
factory explanation on my part as to why
the poem was not published, wrote a
second version, more elaborate and ex-
tensve than the original which ! like
wise declined to publish. Explanations
and outbursts of indignation were again
in order. though they were all forgotten
upon my acceptance and promulgation of
a third version nome other than The Bells
we know to-day"