The herald., 1895-08-25
His Widow Lives in Los
Angeles and Tells the
Story of His Life
GOT FAME AND THREE COPIES
OF His Song for Writing It...He and
Major Bonebrake Tried Raising
Vegetables 0nce.-.Letters
From Notables
BY KATE HANDY

THE widow OF B. r. Handy, the
famous war time song writer, togethe r
with her two children. B. o. Handy and
Mrs. f. d. Jones, are residents of Los An
geles. Mrs. Handy has been induced to
prepare for The Heralds readers the fol-
lowing interesting story OF her husband S
life. SUNDAY EDITOR.)
He who in song touches responsive
chord in the hearts of the people will ever
after be enshrined in their most sacred
memories. Heroes in battle, inventors
and discoverers leave their names to be
passed from one generation to another.
and are known simply as heroes, invent
ors and disCoverors, but when one has
sung to ration out of the fullness of his
heart and struck the keynote that sets
other hearts to vibrating, be the strains
ever so simple, that man will live in the
love of his cOnntrymen.
The morning of the great fstruggle
which heralded the freedom of millions of
human beings was not far distant.
William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips,
Beecher and others. from 1.-THE platform
struck mighty blows for freedom, Uncle
Toms Cabin caused tears of sympathy
for the oppressed to flow from millions Of
eyes. but it was reserved for the singers
of the nation to 60 to the very bottom of
the nations heart. That sweet, patriotic
song, Darling Nellie Gray, written not
long before the war. contained a senti-
ment which deepened this feeling already
aroused and touched responsive chord
which, though many years have passed,
still vibrates. who can, even now. sing
the following touching lines without a
tear for the poor bondm an so cruelty sepa-
rated from his loves
/ There's low, green valley on the old Ken.
Where I'VE whiied many happy hours away,
A sitting and n singing by the little cottage
Where lived my darling Nellie Gray.
| CHORUS
Oh, my poor Nellie Gray. they have taken
And IN never see my darling any more:
I'm sitting by the river and I'm weeping all
For you've gone from the old Kentucky
shore.
/ When the moon had climbed the mountain
and the stars were shining, too,
/ Then "a take my darling Nellie GRAY
| And wee d float down the river in my little red
While my banjo so sweetly would play.
/ One night went to see her but ''she's gonew
the neighbor's say
The white man has bound her with his chain ;
| They have taken her to Georgia for TO wear ner
lie away,
AS she tolls in the cotton and the cane.
| My canoe is under water and my banjo is un-
strung;
| My eyes shall look downward and my song
shall be unsung.
While stay on the old Kentucky shore
My eyes are getting blinded. and I cannot see
Hark there's somebody knocking at the
oh hear the angels calling and l see my
Nellie Gray;
Farewell to the old Kentucky shore.
CHORUS TO LAST VERSE.
Oh, my darling Nellie Gray, up in haven
there. they say.
more;
Pm a coming, coming, coming as the an
gels clear the way
Farewell to the old Kentucky shore.
Benjamin r, Handy, the author of
| Darling Nellie Gray, Old Shady and other
popular songs of like nature. was born in
Rushville, o., July 20, 1888. He was
bright boy and when cnly years old
could sing little songs correctly. When l6
he entered Otterbein college, situated at
Westerville, o., to which place his father
afterward moved for the sake of educat-
inent one ir the place, the father. William
Handy, being a bishop in the United
! Brethren church. Ministers are not pro-
verbally burdened with money, and as
there were number OF younger brothers
and sisters to be educated BENJAMIN
who was the eldest determine to cdu-
cate himself. This he successfully accom-
plshed. entirely defraying his expenses
through college by occasionally staying
out to teach. by conducting singing class
/ es, teaching penmanship and by various
| other means. One venture. however, was
not financial success. He and Major
George H. Bonebrdke of Los Angeles
| who was at that time a schoOmate OF Mr..
| Handy, entered into partnership for the
| purpose of raising vegetables, thinking
! thereby to secure the necessary funds for
| board, tuition, etc. They faithfully dug,
planted and hoed, but either the market
was overstocked or the season was bad.
! Anyhow something was the matter, for
| they found their eXchequer in worse
| condition at the end OF the venture than
at the beginning. Developed muscle was
! the only gain. and who knows but their
! failure as gardeners led .hem into broad
! or fields OF usefulnessP
Mr.. Hanby's standing in the school was
! at once the admiration and envy of his
| fellow students. He never failed III reci-
| tations and it was common remark that
| Ben Handy, as he was familiarly called,
could prepare lesson while on his way
! from his room to the class that others
would spend hours on. 1t was not mem
ory alone that enabled him to do this,
/ but he had way of fixing his mind so
/ intensely on subject that he could abb
/ sorb it at q glance. His nature was
/ most enthusiastic one and be had the
/ faculty OF inspiring others with his spirit.
| He was an excellent conversationalist and
was the life and soul of every company
! into which he was thrown. He always
! had on hand fund of good stories and
/ could at will make peoples sides ache
! with laughter or draw tears from their
| eyes. His talents were so varied that his
services were constantly in demand. He
wrote PLAYS for public entertainments, ar
ranged programmes and furnished the
music. and was always called upon, if
/ anywhere within reach. to superintend
/ decorations. So fond was he of the beau
| tiful. both in natLre and in art. and so
exquisite his taste, that not only while
/ in school, but through his whole life. he
| had to hold himself in check lest he
might entirely overlook the ever present
| homely nccessaries. He graduated with
honor in 1858 and three years later re-
ceived the desree of master of arts.
Darling Nellie Gray was written during
/ his senior year. Both words and music
were the inspiration Of an hour and were
/ put on paper without view to publica-
ton. He, however, sent it for inspection
| to one of the largest publishers in the
| country, and not hearing from it con-
cluded that it had been consigned to the
waste basket. What was his surprise.
after almost a year had passed, to hear
| n no at the far ilinr Of $50 M -.