The Press., 1896-12-17
THE POWER OF SONG.
HOW IT PUT A STRANDED MINSTREL
 ON HIS FEET.

HOW IT PUT A STRANDED MINSTREL
 ON HIS FEET. 1 A GeORGia Negro Found Little AppreCia- tiOn of His Melodies In London Till He Had the Good Fortune to Meet a Party, of Southern Gentlemen.
 "As an illustration of the sentiment awakened by the old songs that belong to the southland" said Virginian in the corridor of the Grand hotel the oth. CT day, II want to relate the story of an incident that came under my obser- vation while 1 was in London eight or nine years ago
 ''I was a stranger, and the prospect was not a pleasant one, but I happened to see the name of man from my own state on the hotel register and al- though did not know him determined to send my card to his roonL Then happy thought struck me. and hunted up all the southerners who were stop ping at the house and running sprig of mint through a number of cards sent the hallboy to deliver them. A half hour later eight men-two from Virginia, four from Kentucky, one from Georgia and two from louisiana lined up before the bar, an l, we'll, the friendship thus formed lasted through the week, and few evenings before my steamer was to sail the party was aug mented by five more from the new world, who were gathered around ta- ble in 8 comfortable cafe partaking of farewell supper.
 In the midst of the noise and laugh ter no one noticed an aged negro who entered and stole quietly to one corner of the room. Placing his hat on the floor, he swung his guitar into position and attracted our attention by striking few preliminary chords. Then ill a sweet, melodious baritone, he began to sing Ella Req. Glasses were placed quietly on the table, the noise and laughter ceased, and we all were think ing alike-of home.
 "I know 1 was, for there was lump in my throat as big i:> |, ...l
 1.-The musician fol4oI,tu \. lth 'Belin- da May
 'Lovely Belinda, Belinda Belinda My sweet Belinda May, l could work in the fields And be happy all the day | you would only smile me, | My sweet Belinda May
 And then the guitar spoke softly for 8 moment, and fancled the old fellow $ voice quavered with emotion as the sweet strains of My Old Kentucky tender memories.
 ''The hat was filled in a moment. paper money. silver and gold pieces were fairly showered in it, Il recipient looking on in amazement At last he broke out with:
 "'Bress Gaud, gen'l'mcnl You al! must come frum home Yes. sch. gen linen, knows you do, cause dey don do no sech things as dis yeah in dis country.
 l Where do you come from, uncle?' asked some one, and how do you hap pen to be away out here?'
 'Lemme tell you, gen'l'men. come from Geo'gia, an was bon ill Atlanta You see, kin sing tol able well, an one day Yankee gen 'mar came down our way, an he say as how he want to get some culled folks tc trabble ill Europe i'll a sort O minstrel company. Wull, sehs, he done tell we all how much money we gwine get, SC me an some of de young folks go Tong wid him, He takes us to England fust but de business ain no good nohow, SC he try Paris, an at las we go to Ger many. Things kepter gittin wuss, al so one mO'nin we wake up aR fin we al ain got no manager an no money nuth er'
 Mos ob de young bucks dey gifts Z chance to do waitin an sech, but de Olt man jus been workin his way roun de kentry singin songs dat nobody seem! to wanter heah nohow,
 Soon as I see you gen'l'men tu T roun an is'en dis evenin 1 know righ erway you all must come frum home an I wanter thank you gen linen, deeC an l does. Grechiousl ain see s( much money in my life befo' Gen'I men, do you low ders huff money dert to git de ole man back homer
 Well, there's not much more to tell only the following Saturday saw the old fellow on one of the big steamers with his passage paid to America anc enough money to carry him safely bacl to his old home in Georgia ''-Cinc.n D uati Enquirer
 The Independent Stage Driver.