The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-09
HOW SONGS ARE MADE
"REMINISCENCES ABOUT THEIR
 INSPIRATION.
The old Story of Refusal by Pub fishers of Work That Has Since
 Become Famous-Fortunes
 from Single Composition.

New York sun.
 Few who hum or whistle. or listen to the popular airs" stop to think of the cire rmstances that gave birth to the song, or of the man or woman, perhaps. who wrote it. Yet about the story there is halo sometimes of the deepest human interest.
 Here is tale of songs and song writers. It comes form one who knows them both intimately and by experience.
 of course. you~remember poor Charlie Graham? No? He died in abject pover- ty, though he was one of the most prolific song writers. He wrote night and day, and his compositions were very much sought after by publishers. Gra- ham composed If the Waters Could Speak as They Flow" Two IAttle Girls in Blue,' the Picture That Was Turned Toward the Wall and other popular songs. He got his idea for his song If the Waters Could Speak as They Flow. strangely. He was bathing at the sea- shore, where he was filling an engage ment, for Graham was quite singer himself. While the bathers were splash ing in the surf Graham, who was ever on the alert for ideas, abruptly turned to a friend and said:
 Bob, if these waters could speak as they how.' wouldn't they tell lot of funny thingsr
 "'You bet was the frinds rejoinder, Charlie, that would make fine title for a song. wouldn't it?
 When Graham went to his room in his hotel that night he sat down and com posed the song. which soon became very popular Graham came to write Two Little Girls in Blue by a mere accident. One afternoon while he was racking his brain for a new theme he went to a window in his home in Brooklyn and gazed into the street below. Across the way from his home was primary school.
 "Two Little Girls in Blue"
 It was about o'clock and the children were just leaving school. Graham noticed two little girls. They were very pretty and presumably sisters. for they looked very much alike. and both were dressed in blue. Without any ado Gra- ham quickly left that window. took out his pencil and jotted down in his note book 1.-TWO Little Girls in Blue" That same night he wrote the words and com- posed the melody, and in the course of an hour it was all ready for the publisher. The following day he went from one publishing house to another and tried to dispose of the manuscript. At almost every place he failed to get encourage ment No one seemed to want the song. At last, in despair, he induced one pulp fisher to buy the song for $25. We'll, l guess you know the rest. The song was one of the biggest hits in years. and is probable sung somewhere tonight. The publisher who bought the composition says he made nearly $6o000 out of 1t.
 Graham never thought much of the song himself, which goes to prove that writers of this kind of music have little business ability Grahams other hit The Picture That Was Turned Toward | hhe Wall had checkered career before it found a purchaser Charlie received his inspiration from scene in the play Blue Jean.' You remember that par' where the old man--I think it was Sue'i father-tSsns her picture to the wall? Ora ham who ih my estimation was genius say capital idea in that incident and used it. for his song This song practi caiIy made the house which published 1t The firm is rated at present among ths best music publishing houses in the co,in' | try T don't know how much Graham received for the manuscript. but don't think it was more than Si5. He sold most of his stuff outright. and did not care tc take chances on royalties, .-. An Idea from Sick Man. Paul Dresser. who has more successes to his credit today than any other song writer in the business. has novel way