Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23
LABOR AND INDUSTRY
some ITEMS OF INTEREST TO
UNION WORKMEN.
The Building Trades Trouble n Chicago
Illinois Central Railroad Employees
Buying shares OF Stock - German
Eosses to Fight Labor Unions
Ben bolt.
(Old FaXorite Series.l

tolu ocIltS.I
Written by Thomas Dunn English, OF
New Jersey. poet. novelist. dramatist
physician, lawyer and politician, who Is
now about eighty years of age. DR.. Eng
lishs account of the writing of Ben
Bolt" is as follows: IL wrote those
verses in 1913 at the request OF N. +. Will
lis, who, with Geo. p. Norris had revived
the Mirror as the New Mirror Willis
asked me for a sea-song and l started
one. But l stuck. Then l began some
thing else, nearly finished it, patched on
a piece of the unfinished sea-song and
sent the thing to Willis, telling him II 1t
did not suit not to return 1t, but to burn
1t l did not give 1t title, and signed
only my initials. l thought 50 little of
it. The editors were pleased with 1T and
published 1t with some prominence In
the New Mirror of September 25 1873
The lines became popular. 1t was copied
without credit in the English newspapers
where 1t was assumed to be of British
birth. After saw 1t in print, it seemed
to me that the song would go well with
music, and l spoke to several composers
about it, but they all answered 1T won't
sing. l thought 1t would. and took the
matter into my own hands by writing
some music for the words myself. But
my music did not become so popular as
j that adapted from a German song, by
young singer and actor named Wilson
hnedSS, IL son Oh CeleDTdteu dctIeSS VI
that name. He had an opportunity to
appear in n stage production If he could
furnish a new and popular song. A fel-
low player named Hunt, an Englishman
recited ben Bolt to Kneass and sug-
gested it as a song. He had seen the
words in an English paper and remem-
lbered them. Kneass adapted the music
as / have said, and the song made an i'm
mense hit, not only in this country, but
I'm England where it was sung, parodied
answered and illustrated"
The recent marked revival in popular
ity was caused by the use made of the
song by Du Maurier in "Trilby." We
give below the song as usually sung; but
1t differs somewhat from the original.l
oh! don't you remember sweet Alice
Ben Bolt.
Sweet Alice whose hair was so brown,
Who wept with delight when you gave
her a smile,
And trembled with fear at your frown?
In the old churchyard, in the valley, Ben
Bolt
in corner obscure and alone.
They have fitted slab of the granite so
gray,
And sweet Alice lies under the stone,
They have fitted slab of the granite
so gray,
And sweet Alice lies under the stone.
Under the hickory tree, Ben Bolt
Which stood at the foot Of the hill,
Together we've lain in the MONDAY
shade.
And listened to Appleton's mill.
The mill-wheel has fallen to pieces. Ben
Bolt
The rafters have tumbled in,
And quiet that crawls round the walls
as you gaze,
Has followed the olden din,
And quiet that crawls round the walls
as you gaze.
Has followed the olden din.
And don't you remember the school, Ben
&c, Bolt,
With the master so kind and so true,
And the sii4-aed nook by the running
brook.
Where the fairest wild flowers grew?
Grass grows on the masters grave. Ben
Bolt.
The spring of the brook Is dry,
And Of all the boys who were schoolmates
then,
There are only you and I,
And of all the boys who were schoolmates
There are only you and 1.
There is change in the things 1 loved, Ben
Bolt.
They have changed from the old to the
new:
But feel in the depths of my spirit the
truth,
There never was change in you
Twelve months twenty have past, Ben
Bolt
Since first we were friend, yet / hail
Thy presence blessing, thy friendship
truth,
Ben Bolt of the salt sea gale:
Thy presence a blessing, thy friendship a
truth,
Ben Bolt of the sarc sea gale!