The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-16
BROKE, but 4 SONG SAVED HIM.
How IA Georgia Negro Minstrel Earn
ed His Passage Home From Lon
don.

ed His Passage Home From Lon
don.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
"As an illustration of the sentiment
awakened by the old songs that belong
to the southland" said a Virginian in the
corridor OF the Grand hotel the other day.
II want to relate the story of an incident
that same under my observation while l
was in London eight or nine years ago.
Il was stranger and the prospect was
not a pleasant one, but | happened to see
the name Of man from my own state
on the hotel register, and, although / did
not know him, determined TO send my
card to his room. Then a happy thought
struck me and / hunted up all the south
erners who were stopping at the house,
and running Sprig of mint through a
number Of cards, sent the hall boy to
deliver them. A half hour later eight
men, two from Virginia, four from Ken
lucky, one from Georgia and TWO from
Louisiana lined up before the bar, and
well, the friendship thus formed lasted
through the week, and few evenings be-
fore my steamer was to sail the party
was augmented by five more from the
new world, who were gathered around a
table in a comfortable cafe partakiug of
a farewell supper.
In the midst Of the noise and laughter no
one noticed an aged negro who entered
and stole quietly to one corner of the
room. Placing his hat on the floor ne
swung his guitar into position and at
tracted our attention by striking a few
preliminary chords, then In sweet, me-
lodious baritone he began to sing ELLA
Rea." Glasses were placed quietly on the
table, the noise and laughter ceased, and
we all were thinking alike-of home.
know | was for there was lump in
my throat as big as a ham.
The musician followed with Belinda
May"
Lovely Belinda. Belinda, Belinda,
My sweet Belinda May;
/ could work in the fields
And be happy all the day
III 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 quivered with emotion as the sweet
strains Of 1.-THE Old Kentucky Home"
flooded the room with a mist of tender
memories.
The hat was filled in moment. paper
money, silver and gold pieces were fairly
answered in ii, the recipient looking on
In amazement, at last he broke out with:
-BfeSs Gdud, genPmen. You all must
come from home. Yes, sch, genI'men. /
knows you do, cayse dey don do no sech
things as dis yeah in dis country?"
Where do you come FROM uncle " ask
ed some one. and how do happen to
be way out hereY
"Lemme tell you, genPmen. I come
from Geo'gia, an / was bon in Atlanta
You see l kin sing torable well, an one
day a yankee gen'Pman came down our
way, an he say as how he wants to get
some cullud folks TO trabble in Europe
in a sort o. minstrel company. Will
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 ami
no good nohow, so he try Paris, an al
las we go to Germany Things kepter
gittin' wuss, an so one monin we wake
up an fin we all ain got no manager
an no money nuther.
Mos Oh de young bucks dee gifts a
chance to do Waitin' an sech, but de OF
NO trsa4 a
kentry singin' songs dat nobody seems to
Wanter heah nohoW
soon &c j see you genPmen tun roun'
an listen DIS evenin' / know right erway
you all must come from home an i
wanter thank you, gen linen, deed m
does. Grechious! 1 ain see SO much