The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-04
How Ware Wrote H,

How Ware Wrote It.
How did you come to write Song OF the
Wasnerwoman? David Leahy asked
Eugene Ware
Mr.. Ware told the story n MS character
istic and inim;table way.
One dull day Mr.. Ware was in his Office
and his thoughts were turned to religion by
hearing church bell ring. The following
two lines flashed across his brain:
Human hopes and human creeds
Have Their root in human needs.
hat idea, thought he, would make good
start for song. and his muse encouraged
ii. The lines appear in the last verse. so
that Il can be SAID that he wrote the touch
ing song backward. He created the wash
erwoman out of his wonderful magma
ton and during a cold day in December
he worked out the entire plan OF the piece
In another day he had the entire song ere
ated as the people of Kansas. and. in fact,
the people Of TIE entire world where L IS
known, love and sing it.
The postmaster of Fort Scott in those
days was a literary person, and one morn
ing Mr.. Ware lured him out into sequester-
ed streets TO read IL 10 him. When they
came to the Catholic church they sat on
The postmaster listened TO it with great
attention, and when Ware had concluded
reading the song there was not a word ut
tered in its praise. That postmaster went
10 MS grave without giving single ex-
preston of his thoughts on the washerwo-
man song. The absolute silence of the
postmaster discouraged the poet, who went
to his Office and stuck the song in a pig
eon-hole There 4 remained until the fol-
lowing March.
One very cold day a reporter for the
Monitor blew into the Office, and after shak-
ing the snow off his coat and hat, insisted
that he would camp in Mr.. Wares once
until ne got an item. Mr.. Ware renem-
bered his washerwoman song and dug 1t
out OF his desk.
This is a pretty warm thing" said the
reporter; ''I'll print it this very day." and
away he went, before the poet could re-
monstrate.
Next morning Mrs. Wares uncle came
storming into the home Of the poet with
the paper in his hand. He was furious and
demanded of Mr.. Ware why he deliberate
ly disgraced Christian family by publish
ing such song as that
II don't see anything immoral m 1t.
said Eugene, mildly.
'.It IS damned immoral. sir" said the
uncle, as he tore the paper into million
pieces and left the house.
A few weeks after the song was publish
ed Mr. Ware was quietly walking up the
street on day when prominent gentleman
named Spendlove accosted him
"Gene," he said, you have been writing
some more poetry" and so saying he pull
81 la.t ant of 81 from
a Southern Illinois farmer. He had seen
the song and was SO touched with It that
he sent so bill to his friend Spendlove
TO. give 1t to the poor washerwoman who
continually sung:
II have a Savior for friend
Who will keep me to the end
Mr. Spendlove wanted TO ascertain from
Mr.. Ware where he could find the wash
erwoman.
ITO be honest with you, Mr.. Spendlove,
there is no such woman. She is simply
child of my imagination said Gene.
'If that's the case said Mr.. Spendlove.
"you must take the $40 yourself
Mr.. Ware demonstrated, but he was final
ly persuaded to take the money.
At that time the saloon was still -four
ishing in Fort Scott and Mr.. Ware couldn't
fire a shot in the streets without killing
100 friends. They heard of the SO bill sto-
" and gathered around him. They eio'
quently urged him TO set 'em up" ard
after he promised to do so all the friends
called upon other friends. The result was
that the round cost Mr.. Ware the so and
81 additional.
In the meantime Mr.. Spendlove wrote to
his Illinois friend and told him that the
ati1re 1f fhe
poets ina gination.
In a few days thereafter Mr.. Spendlove
received another letter from his Illinois
friend that was full of wrath. He said
that Ware nor no one else had a right to
excite mans feeling 10 such a pitch of
distress over mythical washerwomen, and
concluded by demanding an immediate re-
turn OF the $40. The result was that Mr..
Ware had TO draw on local banker for
SO
Mr. Ware walked along through the daily
routine OF life for four or five months be-
fore he had any evidence that his song
met with any appreciation and then he
had TO go away from Fort Scott TO meet
it.
One night he was IN Kansas City and
was passing theatsr when some fellow
near the box-office said, There goes Eu-
gene Ware. of Kansas The manager of
the tneater was standing near and with
his hat and coat off ne ran down the street
ike a wild man and took hold of Mr.. Ware
like 4 footpad
"Are you the man that wrote The Wash
erwcman?'" he demanded.
81 am" said Eugene, but didn't think
Il was a crime at that time. / know bet
Ter now, ard l hope you viii spare my
life"
you must take box at my theater,"
said the manager. "It won't cost you a
cent. and you must come home with ne
after the play IS out. / have one boy. ami
l want him TO have the honor OF saying
that he once saw the man who wrote The
Washerwoman' song
That pleased Mr.. Ware more than all
the other tributes paid the poet combined
What To Teach n Girl
Teach her that 10 cents make one dol
lar.
Teach her to arrange the ber-roons as
~ a-