Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-18
PERIL IN LOVE SONGS.
Mr.. Bennett lust Looked Into Miss Blough's
Eyes and Sang "Oh Promise Me-"
Chicago Times.

Chicago Times-Herald. -. -
Young men who think they can sing,
as well as young men who can sing, had
best beware of the love song.
1t has become dangerous under certain
conditions, which are apt to prevail.
There are maidens whose hearts are too
susceptible to be trifled with. be the tri-
fling ever so gentle. They are subject to
attacks of seriousness, when they should
be gay or Indifferent, and as result are
capable of causing trouble.
Take the case of Miss Minnie Blough,
belle of Davis Junction, ILL.,, who has been
listening to the melodious voice of George
M. Bennett. Other Davis Junction girls
heard Mr.. Bennett sing, and were salts
fsd with the quality of his chest notes.
They agreed that many worse barytones
had been heard in church choirs and
comic opera companies, and thought he
was making a mistake in not letting the
wide, wide world hear him. Mr.. Bennett
was content with this need of praise.
He just kept on cultivating his voice at
home, and buying the latest songs of the
day to try it on.
Fatal Passion in the Lines.
Mr.. Bennett might have been singing
with lighter heart today If Reginald De
Koven had never been inspired to COM
pose "Oh, Promise Me-" Or, If Mr. De
koven had not breathed quite SO much
passion into the words and music of the
song, things might have been more prom
Using for Mr.. Bennett 1t is very proba-
BILE, too, that If Mr.. Bennett had only
expressed himself to a moderate extent
when he sang the song to Miss Blough
he would not be confronted with $4,000
breach of promise suit.
Miss Blough is in earnest in spite of
her name. She alleges that Mr.. Bennett
was in earnest too, when he poured forth
his soul in the song to her accompani-
ment on the piano. Mr.. Bennett claims
that proposal Of marriage was the last
thing he was thinking Of when he sang
to the young woman, but when the case
comes to trial he will, no doubt, be called
upon to explain what he did mean by such
words as these:
Oh, promise me that some day you and
VIII take our love together to some sky,
Where we can be alone, and faith renew,
And find the hollows where those flowers
Those first sweet violets of early spring
Which come in whispers thrill us both, and
OF love unspeakable that is to be.
Oh, promise me. Oh, promise me-
Mr.. Bennett will scarcely attempt any
explanation of this first verse, since 1t
is said that Mr.. De Koven has repeatedly
refused to analyze his own language.
Miss Blough herself will probably be
troubled to tell the court how she could
promise to go with Mr. Bennett on
hunting expedition for hollows in some
sky where the soil was good for flower
raising.
They Caused Her Heart to Flutter.
1t is the sec nd verse, no doubt, which
caused f1uttering of the young woman's
heart, and upon which she bases her
claim for damaged affections. If Mr.
Bennett pressed his hand to his heart and
looked straight into Miss Blough's eyes
when he sang these words he was indulg-
ing in dangerous amusement:
Oh, promise me that you will take my hand
The most unworthy in this lonely land
And let me sit beside you; in your eyes
Hearing Gods message While the organ
rolls
It's mighty music to our very souls.
No love less perfect that life with thee
Oh, promise me! oh, promise me!
This last verse means business, spoken
or sung, but if the court decides that 1t
can be considered as a marriage pro-
posal it would have been better, thou
sand times, had Mr.. De Koven never pub
lished the song. Young men will simply
be compelled to stop trying to sing in the
presence of young women, unless they
wish to use that method of expressing
their hearts desires.
All of these high-priced foreign tenors
and barytones and bassos would be con-
tinually exposed to the attacks of wo-
men, who could take advantage of such
a legal precedent.
man who sings would be to chew his
words until they could not be understood.
Some of them do this already.
Warning by Example.
Whatever the outcome of Miss
Blough's suit, she will have been pub
lie benefactor. Mr. Bennett may escape
without having to pay her $4,000 damages,
but he will be more careful hereafter
what kind of songs he selects for hot
weather singing. So will all other young
men unsteady inclined when they see
how easy it is to awaken false hopes in
the hearts of guileless maidens.
Instead of rehearsing such suggestive
songs as "Oh Promise Me" on Sunday
nights it will be safer to tackle THE Fa-
tai Wedding" or II Long to See the Girl
Left Behind" or 81 Love Nobody, No
body Loves Me-" or Take Back the En-
gagement Ring" These songs are harm
less and cannot be misconstrued into
tender avowals by the most susceptible
girl that ever lived They will serve to
pass away the evenings without causing
any heartburnings.
Mr.. De Koven was not in the city yes
terday or he might have been given a
chance to state his position before the
public in this little affair at Davis juno
ton. 1t is safe to say that he will be
generally relieved Of all responsibility
Miss Blough. When he composed the
song he certainly never dreamed 1t
would fall into the hands of a young man
who would draw the fullest meaning out
SO effectively. If Mr.. Bennett Is ordered
to settle by the court he can rest assured
that his financial question will not be in
doubt. Mr.. De Koven will probably offer
him fabulous salary just to sing his
song as he sang 1t to Miss Blough.