The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-01-19
ABOUT HENRY CLAY WORK
MRS. MORAY AND THE AUTHOR OF
 MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA.


 thews' Article on "rhe Songs of the
 War"-Work Was a Humble Hartford
 Printer and Wrote His Songs and Music
 Here.
 The movement which is now on foot in Hartford to erect a suitable monu- ment to the memory of Henry Clay Work, the author of Marching Through Georgia" brings to mind says the Hartford Telegram, many articles which have been written concerning this almost unknown (by name) man. Not least among these is an article which was written by Flo ,rine Thayer McCray of Hartford, and which was published in the New York World during the month of September, 1887.
 The article is an exceedingly interest ing one, and was written by Mrs. Me- Cray on account of another article which was written in the Century by Brander Matthews eulogizing various writers of war songs, but almost total- ly ignored the writer of that famous melody, Marching Through Georgia. :" This caused Mrs. McCray to bestir her. self and in righteous indignation she wrote an article which brought the un- sung of hero of the old Nutmeg state into prominence which he rightfully de- served
 ThrntyCh ha ly af Cray the article was republished In the Hartford Telegram. and at most fit ting time. It is as follows:
 Hartford, Conn, Sept. 15, 1887. In the August Century Mir Brander Matthews gave us a most interesting article on the Songs of the War" Mrs. Julia Ward Howe's Battle Hymn of the Republic" is reproduced in auto graph, as is also the intense cry of southern bitterness, My Maryland, :" To this song, the words of which were written by a Baltimore man and set to the music of "Lauriger Horatius. < there is given some four pages, which prominence may doubtless be accounted for by the literary interest MT Mat theWs feels in the author and the roup of mutual friends about whom he wrote so charmingly While the writers of the two songs, opposed in sentiment but having common lietrary excel lence, are thus starred there is only small space devoted to the author of Marching Through Georgia and this | in spite of the fact that the writer ac- | knowledges 1t as one of the two or three songs which he thinks will live, count ing 1t with another as the chief musi- 1 cal legacy of the war;
 It is, however, doubtless a fact that I while the literati of the country failed to write a war song which failed to | move the masses, a Connecticut boy of I unpretentious family, or ordinary edu- 1 cation, and by trade a printer. became, through his inherent genious. the most I inspiring and permanently popular song
 writer of the period just previous to, during and following the war. He not | only composed the words which were l in the mouths of every one from the so- l ciety beele down to the gamin in the street, but added to his talent for force l full verse the rarely associated gift of musical composition, sendinfg forth his l songs complete with words and music | thoroughly harmonious, because bear I in the closest brain relationship.
 l Henry c. Work was born in Middle | town Conn, and when boy was ap- | prenticed to a printer. When his pa l rents removed to Hartford he gained a
 release from his indenture there and
 came to this city to be near them. He 1 was fine looking athleticI young fel- i low, his pictures showing a clear-eyed | intelligent face and the wealth of the l hirsute adornment which characterized d | the style of ante bellum days He fin l ished the learning of his trade with Eli | hu Geer and when through his work | used to amuse himself by writing songs | which he carried about in his pocket read to patient though unappreciative l friends, and sat down to the piano and
 adapted to sweet melodies.
 His first successful pieces were writ ten for Christy's minstrels, and many of the striking choral effects which
 their audiences to applause were first | heard in the brain of the printer and
 drummed out on the little piano in the parlor of the old house on Chestnut street Among them was the vel
 known Father, Come Home and who has not sat breathless listening tc |
 harmony with which the changing ca | dences of human voices plead 'Heai | the Sweet Voice of the Child" and fell
 how much more persuasive and fetch | ing than any temperance sermon was this song, which would echo in the
 brain and consistently recur to the mind | when one had passed on in the business | of life. Mr. Work once said, in chat l ting about his songs, that this one
 seemed to have singularly potent in. l fiuence over men addicted to drink, an6
 he had received hundreds of letters thanking him for giving it voice Witt | one from an unknown woman, whicf | expressed deep gratitude for the con
 version of her husband from his bat | habits, was enclosed another from 2 friend, which conveyed the utmos
 confidence in his persuasive powers and confided to him the humiliatine fear that her spouse was likely to b.
 overcome by the attractions of another
 woman She begged Mir. Work to write
 song which should touch his hear
 and induce him to return to his marita | allegiance, But the muse could not bt put in harness. and he was obliged tt
 let the appeal go unanswered.
 l Among the ballads which still hold ar i intrinsic value, which are only deroga
 ted from the change in public taste ant
 the strain after foreign classics whicf
 results in leaving the sub-stratum O
 tune lovers practically musicless, art