Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-11-20
THE POWER Of SONG.
HOW IT PUT A STRANDED MINSTREL
ON HIS FEET.
A Georgia Negro Found Little Apprecia-
v ton Of lis Melodies In London Till He
Had the Good Fortune to Meet Party
of Southern Gentlemen.

"As an illustration Of the sentiment
awakened by the old songs that belong
to the Southland" SAID Virginian iii
the corridor of the Grand hotel the 9th
er day, II want 10 relate the story OF
an incident that came under my obser
walton while | was in London eight or
nine years ago.
Il was strar3;or, and TIC rrospcci
was not IL plcasGa5 one. but happened
TO see the name Of man from ny own
state on the hotel register and al
though did not know him determined
to send my card to his room Then
happy thought struck me. and | hunted
! up all the sOutherners who were Ctop-
ping ut the house and running sprig
Of mint through "a number of cards
sent the ballboy 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, and, 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 ia
BILE in 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
a few prelimii " chords. Then in
sweet, melodious baritone, he began TO
sing Ella Rea. Glasses were placed
quietly on the table, the noise and
laughter ceased, and we all were think
ing alike-of home.
81 know / was, for there was u lump
in my throat as big as a yam.
THE musician followed with 'Belin-
da May
Lovely Belinda. Belinda. Belinda,
My sweet Belinda May
] could work in the fields
And be happy all the day
II you would only smile on me.
My sweet Belinda May.
"And then the guitar spoke softly for
a moment, and fancied the old fellows
voice quavered with emotion as the
sweet strains of My Old Kentucky
Hone flooded the room with a mist Of
tender memories.
The hat was filled in a moment
paper money, silver and gold pieces
were fairly showered i'll it, the recipient
looking on in amazement AT last he
broke out with:
Dress Gaud, gen'l'men! You all
must come frum home. Yes, sch, gen.
linen, l knows you do cause dey don
do no sech things as dis yeah in dis
| country. BE-
Where do you come from, uncler"
asked some one, and how do you hap
pen TO be away out here?'
'Lemme tell you, gen linen I
come from Geo gia an | was BON in
Atlanta. You see, | kin sing tol able
well, an one day Yankee gen man
came down our way, an he say as how
he want TO get some culled folks TO
trabble in Europe in "a sort O minstrel
company. Wull, sehs, he done tell we
all how much money we gwine get, so
me an some Of de young folks go long
wild him. He takes US to England fust.
but de business ain no good nohow, so
ut tlN dIIS, All dl las we 20 10 bcT-
many Things kepter gittin wuss, an
so one mo'nin we wake up an fin we all
ain got no manager an no money nuth-
err
Mos OBJ de young bucks dey gifts
chance TO do waitin an sech, but de ole
man jus been workin his way roun dc
kentry singin songs dat nobody seems
TO Wantpr hpah uOlON
" Soon as | see you gcn'l'men tu'n
roun an lis'en DIS evenin know right
erway you all must come frum home,
an | wanter thank you gen i men, deed
an | does. Grechious! / ain see so
much money i'll my life befo'. Genp-
men, do you low der's huff money dere
to git de ole man back home?'
"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 and
enough money to carry him safely back
TO his old home in Georgia "-Cinc.n-
natl Enquirer.
Governor Altgeld.
"There is an incident in Governor