Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-06-15
New York SUM-

Environment ana occupation are
often at swords points. For instance
witness those Of Paul Dresser, writer OF
the home and mother songs.
The office building where Mr.. Dresser
spends most OF his working day is like
a three ringed circus In activity. Maid
ems with manuscript songs dart in and
out of doors with the rapidity and sur
prise of a comic opera; pianos are go
ing on every side: voices MARBLE in one
ear, Put Me to sleep Mother" and in
the other. Tell Me When Papa Wakes
with equal impartiality. People come
and ask what you want and disappear
before you have an opportunity to an
swer An agile youth darts out occa-
sionally from an inner room. whirls
about, says: I'm so busy don't know
which way to turn" and answers the
enigma by turning every way.
Mr.. Dresser appears occasionally and
excuses himself. He does that five
times till you feel rather hurt when he
comes for good and announces that it
is your turn.
All through the interview the door
flies open like the cover of jack-in-
the-box at irreular intervals. Voices
of different tone reproduction announce
with staccato fervor: "A lady to see
you In the orchestral department" "A
man outside" "A woman at the door"
"A girl at the telephone" Mr.. Dresser
smiles blandly through the disturbance
and never seems to realize that ii ex-
lists.
"You are a great friend of the Ia
dies?" Is asked tentatively,
well. they come herein buches. if
that's being a friend. Usually they
have a manuscript in their hands and
have letter from a friend of mine.
when they begin: Mr., Dresser. I
understand from Mr.. So-and-So that
you are the most charm--rising accent
ing man. then I know what is COM
ing.
Il always tell them to leave the song
and will look 1t over. AS friends they
are OF friend of mine OF course.
have to. There Is just about one song
In a hundred that is any good. The
rest are the worst ever-simply inn
possible. Then when they return they
demand-Simply demand-that tell
them what n the matter with the song.
"Oh. these song writers! Every once
IN = while somebody says: %. Mr..
Dresser. have the loveliest words that
! want you TO set to music would II
I bad time. bat It's % easy for YOU
Or. perhaps, they come in, hum a mel
ody they have dreamed. and ask me to
write the words and the harmony. I
suppose people who write have the
sams trouble. Don't people come to
you with the loveliest ideas for stories
that they haven't time to write but
could easily II they had the time? Yes:
thought 20"
Mr.. Dresser had seated himself on a
blue cushion deliberately worked with
frogs and a motto. "On the Banks OF
the wabash
The Banks Of the Wabash Is
your"
- my URsoS popuidT eoUH- l
pose have sold at least 500. 900 copies.
How did come to write it, was i'll
and at he 'th resort ard felt home
sick. and some way the words and the
melody care to me by lnspirationfi az
all my best work always comes and l
wrote IL. never expected that it would
make the success that IL has.
Il get letters from all over the world
about It. Just a day or two ago | re-
ceived one from Catholic priest writ
ten on vessel between Auckland and
Sidney. In which he told me that while
In Yokohama he heard The Banks of
the Wabash played at one Of the hotels
and that II WAS down on the regular
musical program and that he had seen
that song and The Blue and the Gray.
for sale all over the world in every
place he had been.
There Is another song OF mine called
Here Lies an Actor which has been
very popular. particularly with the pro-
fession. short time ago l received a
Ietter from the wife Of an actor who
Nett here suffering with consumption
completely broken down. and went to
Denver. where he founded the big
sanitarium there for consumptive pa
sients and prolonged his own life many
wears. -
That was Away. his favorite song
and by request 4 u1s sung over his
srave. the cathollc clergy permitting
The choir to sfnG 4, His wife also
wrote me that IL grst line was to be
ehiseied on hi menument. That il a
compliment I srsatly spprecaasA
How % vrss : song. II deAends
On what yeu cails soags. sonse Of the
sosserei ~ WaicA am guilty / wrtte
eAywhere-hsre IN the once ON 4 wit.
- pad sometinses: but the real SONGS
seem to come 70 me all at once. N .
nash. m inspifAtion. I have a big or
gan I'm my place at the Gerard and
sametfmes I gse up At night and NAV
softiy on It when have thought Of a
melody.
7 have never taken lessons in song