The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-16
AGED AUTHOR OF "BtN Boil IT,

Il
: Thomas Dunn English reached the sse
80 on Thursday. June -. This ststemei
takes an additional slgnihcancc whom Il
TACT 10 recalled that Or. English Is I,
9 author Of the most popular ballad ev,
penned By an American. and that long befoi
: most OF us were born he had won an intel
4 national reputation and was engaged in a
rectinr literary bombsheils at Edgar ALA
Poe. He now lives in delightful retiremer
IN Newark. N. j.. but can look back on
career that has comprised at times the yocs
lions OF lawyer. physician. poct. Journals
ana politician. That he has achieved credit
able success in most OF these lines Of ments
activity comoels the conviction that he mish
nave mounted higher had he given his eners
and ability to one thing only.
Dr. English. who was born in Philadelphia
was only one child. His father died In h
early boyhood. when I was g." said he I
the writer not long axo, II could read an
write, and at was at the head OF tn
class In the private academy where l wa
educated. was endowed with a remarkable
memory. and was that little honor. show
ocy But Wilson. the master. was cruel
The rod was never out of his hands. Their
Dr. English paused to repeat those two we'll
known lines:
And don't you remember the school. Ben Bolt
With the master SO cruel and grim.
| ~
Those lines" the doctor went on. ''carne
10 me as reminiscense OF that schoolmaster.
nave never forgotten him. That hatred OF
tyranny and Injustice which has always been
my strongest trait began thus carly could
NOT stand his uncalled-for punishment. 70 one
oas went fishing and I fshed on for a
week. Wilson complained to my father OF
my trunncy. I explained how brutally l had
oeen treated. and wound UP by saying to my
father that would not 10 back and that II
forced to return l should try to kill Wilson.
never went back, but was sent instead to q
Friends Academy at Burlington, N. j."
Then Dr.. English told of another school.
ard the facility with which he acquired
Greek and Latin. This was his preparation
for entrance into the University Of Penn
sylvania. where no took his medical de-
gree in 1889. Almost Immediately thereafter
he began the study OF law and was admitted
to the bar of Philadelphia in ls42. Meanwhile
his literary career had begun. IT had made
verses very early" said be. land. of course.
wrote bad ones. Once dropned Into the
of Philadelphia. when Joseph r. Chandler
was editor. the COPY OF some verscs. II was
printed. properly ticketcd TT. D. e.. and oh.
now chuckled!. was then 15. wrote
more verses. ! somehow had what might be
caiied fatal acceptance. and was constantly
hnding my way into type. One fne day a
song was printed. and there appeared my
verses arranged to music. Then. indeed. ]
thought I had been launched"
~
At matter OF fact. DR.. English was al
ready recognized as a writer OF promise
when. in 1913. Nathaniel p. Willis. who with
George p. Norris had lately revived the
New York Mirror wrote to the young medi-
al practitioner. whom a chronic throat
rouble had forced to abandon the law and
who was pursuing literature a. Q pastime.
lskins for sea song which he thought
would help the venture along. II started q |
ea song" said the doctor. "but stuck before
got half way through-a not unusual OK
'erience with those who SGT out to write
poetry to order. A few days later. falling
nto reminiscent mood. I produced four
tanzas and half Of something else. patched
n few lines of the unfinished sea song
nd Ben Bolt was complete. / sent II to
Wills with note telling him to burn 1t n
did not suit him. and that would send
i'm something better when more in vein
did not give the song a title, and signed
My my initials, I thought so little Of It,"
~
willis was pleased with the song" con-
nued the doctor. land published II with
ome prominence in the New Mirror OF Sep
,mber 25. lS43. To my surprise 1t won quick
ie English papers. where 1t was assumed to
0 OF British birth. After saw It in print 1t
ccurred to me that the song would go well
} music. and l spoke to several composers
bout II. but they all told me that 1t wouldn't
ng. ! thought II would and took the matter
to my own hands by writing some music
r the words myself. However, my music Gid
ot become so popular as that coupled with II
, Nelson Kneass. son OF celebrated actress
the period. 1t was In 1916 that an English {
rnstormer, having seen the lines in an {
nglish newspaper. recited them to Kne s. I
no was in need OF a song The latter |
empty adapted an old German air TO the l
ng and sung II In Pittsburg In a nelo- l
anna called The Battle OF Buena VISTA F"
In 1873 Dr. English took up Ills residence {
th the Morning REGISTER and the Journal {
ID where In 1890 he was elected to congress. I
was reelected two years later over men
BIO we're generally regarded as being much :
ara 'populer' than the doctor. IL