The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-22

TALENTED woman. the wife Of
al once well-known Indiana lawyer
and Democratic politician. is liv-
H692I ing quietly amid comfortable sur
roundings in the Alexandria
apartment house in this city. Her clever
ness has been more especially in the line
OF music and she has written some hymns
and ballads that have beeen sung far and
wide Years ago Bayard Taylor wrote
poem and called it The River of Time"
Years later ne was startled in listening to
q concert one night to recognize his poem
set 70 sweet music. The singer was cara
Louise Kellogg and to her Mr.. Taylor went
10 find out who was the author Of the elo-
cuent notes he had just heard. He learned
who she was and wrote her a note thank
ing her for the pleasure her music had
given The woman retains the note to this
day as one of her keepsakes. She is Mrs.
Sue Mcwilliams widow of the late George
w. McWiiliams, who at the time of his
death at Covington. Ind, in 1873, was one
of the brightest and abiest lawyers In this
State. Three years before his death Mr..
McwHliams made the race for Congress
against the Hon. NJ. ID. White, OF Craw-
louisville, who defeated him for the office.
Charlottesville was then in the old Eighth
district Mr.. White had no walkaway for
the contest was close.
WROTE MUSIC AT AGE OF TEN.
When ten years of age Mrs. McWilliams
wrote her first music. setting TO music the
beautiful words of Mrs. Charles Dana $
poem, Pass Under the Rod" Mrs Nc
Williams wrote the song In hotel In Ham
ilton, o., where she visiting relatives
at the time She Is an old woman now and
time has put the silvery touches to her
hair. Her voice, though, has not lost its
sweetness nor its strength.
There had whispered a voice,
Twas the voice OF her God:
love thee love thee,
Pass under the rod.'
Is the way one of the ssanzas closes and IT
was this one that attracted the attention
OF the girl CT ten when she sat in the parlor
Of the Hamilton hotel more than fifty years
ago and read Mrs. Dana's poem. 1t is said
the John Church Company realized in the
neishborhood of $4,000 out of this hymn.
One of Mrs. Mcwilliamss songs which
she is particularly fond OF singing, and
which made a reputation for itself. Is en-
titled Two" and 1t has history. Mrs
Mcwilliams wrote the music under rather
unusual circumstances. The words are by
Frank M. Seaman. who lived at Craw-
louisville at the time Mrs. McWilliams re-
sided there. Seaman was an unusually tai
ented young fellow OF a remarkably happy
disposition. There came a time in his
career, however, when gloom entered his
soul. An unhappy love affair in Craw-
louisville threw him into state of mel
ancholy and one evening he presented him.
self at Mrs. Mcwilliams's home with some
stanzas he had written. She was familiar
with the affair OF the heart from which he
suffered and knew the girl. who has since
become prominent in the literary world
Seaman had poured ont his heart in the
little poem he called Two" A verse OF
IL ran:
1.-TWO when the autumn has put on its glory,
SIT by the shores OF the beautiful past,
Whose solemn waves break with wonderful
story.
OF fanciful ships that went down In the
blast"
Mrs. McWilliams read the words and then
went to the piano. 1t was in the twilight
the hour for just such a song as this
- brpke en- hearfed man needed All the SEN