The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1895-03-27
A MEMORY OF THE THgATER.
The Haunting Song Heard During tn
Civil War by an Old Soldier.

"Once, in a captured city," said an old
soldier, Il went to the theater. 1t was
small city, but big theater. Not
just hall, but regular theater, with
circular balcony and boxes and scenery
and footlights. 1t was dimly lighted,
but it had all the fascination of the the
ater about it. the fascination that every
theater has, bright or dim, filled or
empty; and this theater was doubly fas-
cinating to us because it was the first
one we had been in for years. There
wasn't turn in the gallery nor sup
porting pillar; not curve in the front
of the boxes nor a touch in the drapery
of them that did not fix our attention:
and not gas jet flashing or Pickering
fill us with the delight of the theater.
"The house was slim, very slim. We
had seats in the balcony because they
were cheaper. From where we were
we could count, including our own
party, seventeen. No doubt there we're
some in the orchestra under the balcony
that we didn't see, but count of fifty
would have doubtless covered all in the
house. The town had been occupied
about week. 1t was pretty near the
close of the war. and the peope must
have been very poor. That would ac-
count for the absence of the townspeo-
pie, and as for the troops they hadn't
been there long enough to be settled,
and the war was still on and perhaps
the men couldn't get out of camp, and
there may have Leen no recent pay
day, and very likely they didn't have
any money; but, whatever the reason.
there was scarcely anN body there; our
little bunch of half dozen people made
the only solid patch in the house.
"The show was variety, and most of it
was poor, but it was all deeply interest
ing to US, and some of it, too, was very
good. There was one song in particu-
lar that struck us all. An old man with
a long white beard and carrying spade
tottered slowly out from the wings, and
came down the stage carry ing the spade
ahead of him, as an Cd man might
carry cane. and using it as such.
Coming down to the footights, he sang,
in deep bass voice, y song about 3
gravedigger. For all know the song
is famous one, but had never heard
it before, and l have never heard it
since. The singer had sterling voice.
and he sang the song well indeed. l
can give you a verse of it. Perhaps
this verse may be right, or il may be
that as give it to you it is made up of
lines from various verses; but this is it
as remember it:
Near to the grave that was newly made.
Leaned the sexton old on his earth-worn
spade.
A relic of bygone days was he.
And his locks were white as the foaming sea,
And these words came from his lips so thin.
1 gather them in, gather them In
How well he did sing it. And We
all sat silently to the end; and then
when he began to totter off we all called
for more. He came back, and he sang
it over again. three or four times. till
We could reasonably call for it no more.
"Then the show went on, and We en-
joyed it all and stayed to the end; but
the one thing that we remembered. and
that has stuck to one of the party at
least ever since, was this, heard amid
strange surroundings and at time
when Death was very active:
az gather them in, gather them In"