Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-01-07

A Georgia NeEro Found Little AppTccia-
ton of His sIelodies in London Till He
Had the Good Fortune to Meet Party
of Southern Gentlcmen.
"As an illustration of rho sentiment
awakened by the old songs chat belong
to the southland, " SAID a Virginian in
the corridor of the Grand hotel the 9th
or day, Il want to relate the story of
an incident that came under my obSer-
walton while | was in London eight or
nine years ago
II was stranger, and the prospect
was not a pleasant one but happened
TO see the name of man from my ow"
state on the hotel register and al
though did not know him determined
70 send my card TO his room. Then
happy Thought struck me, and | hunted
up all the southerncrs who were stop
( Ping &t the house and running sprig
Of mint through number of cards
sent the hali1oy to G.liycr them \
! h.'f Earr latc~ ci-it u'.u-tWO from
Virginia, four from Kentucky, one
! from Georgia and two from louisiana
| lined up before the bar, and well, the
friendship thus formed lasted through
! the week, uad faw evenings before my
steamer was To sail the party was aug
mented by five more from the new
world, who Were gathered around Ia
bic in a comfortable cafe partaking Of
a 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
# the room. Placing his hat on the
floor, he swung his guitar into position
! and attracted oar attention by striking
a few prelimil ~ chords. Then in a
sweet, melodious baritone. be began to
sing Ella Rea. Glasses were placed
quietly ou the table, tie noise and
laughter ceased, and we all were think
ing alile-of home
q know was, for there was lump
in my throat as big as yam
'"1he musician followed with Belin-
da May:
Lovely Belinda. Belinda, Belinda
My sweet Belinda May,
could work In the fields
And ba happy an the day
If you would only smile on me,
Ny sweet Belinda May.
"And then the guitar spoke softly for
d moment, and | fancied the old fellows
voice quavered with emstion rs the
sweet strains OF My Old Kentucky
Home flooded the room with a mist Of
tender memories
Tho hat was filed in moment,
paper money, silver and gold pieces
were fairly showered IN it, the recipient
looking on in amazement AT last he
broke out with:
Dress Gaud, gen lmenl 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
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 in
Atlanta. You see, l kin sing toll able
well, an one day Yankee gen man
came down our way, an he say as how
he want 20 get some culled folks to
trabble in Europe in 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 90 long
wild him. He takes Us to England fust, !
but de business ain no good nohow, so
he try Paris, an at las we go to Ger
many. Things keptar 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 a
chance 20 do waitin an sech, but dc ole |
man jus been workin his way roun de |
kentry singin songs dat nobody seems
20 wanter heah nohow.
Soon as l see you gen'l'men tan |
roun an lis en- dis evenin | know right |
trway you all must come frum home, |
an | wanter thank you gen men, deed |
an / does. Grechious | ain see so /
much money in my life befo'. CENT |
men, do you low der's huff money deere |
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