Arizona republican., 1904-04-26
A SONG WRITER'S WRECKED LIFE,

So high a musical authority as Louis C. E'zon pronounces stephen C. Foster "the chief folk-song writer on this size of the Atlantic" MT. Bison also says that Fosters career presents "the most pathetic story of AmericaH music"
 Foster certainly was a genius within restricted field that of the utmos- simplicity in melody and harmony. This limitation was probably his own choice, or perhaps due to inGo'ence as the biographies state that he de- voted several years of study to the voice and to the piano. Tn his History of American Music" MT Bison says of Fosters songs: ''The harmOlies s2l- dom go beyond the three chief chords; yet when one tries to initiate this sim plicity, it is found to be most difficult to secure. Some Of the greatest com posers might try for it in vain." Of course, all music springs from these three fchief chords" clusters around them, and gravitates to them; but Eos ter left the elaboratiors and the har mOnic excursions to others, conf1ing himself to the plain purties and origin al principles Out Of these ha evolved "OId Folks At Home" familiar and popular throughout the world, and nu merous other songs which captured tae hearts Of the people.
 The pathetic" part Of his career is fonnd iD his amiabnity, his good-fel- lowship. his convival spirits and lis poverty. Mr. Bison compares him in these respects with Schubert. Yet the parallel is not complete, for Foster, un- sands of dnIIardtashrs shraoshoshrdsh n.r- q frsNHr sands of dollars il royaItI on hs compositions, and might have be wealthy if he had not spent his money in riotous living. His marriage was made failure by himself and a sep nra ton followed. He led g bohemian life in New York. His appearance at that time was shabby and tr1mp-l Ike and he lived a hand-to-mouth existence. His home was a cheap lodging h1u Q, and one night while in his room, he fell and received a cut which scVerel an artery. This was on Janulry II, 1884, and three days later h. died in the common ward of 9 hospital at the age of thirty-thrae years-s0 Mir. Eieo1 says. but other b.ographers say thirty eight.
 Foster was a man of education and extensive reading. being especially fond of poetry. He vas a clever artiS- in water colors, and was familiar with the German and French languages. Yet his life was a waste, except for the heritage of music which it left to the world Mr. Elson says that his story is "the tale of a tortured and troubled carccr. extinSlished in misery Pos sibIy there is room for doubt a to tha torture and trouble. Foster wa ii no sense a victim. He chose his own mode of life. Perhaps he liked it. At Sny rate the theme is not one for tears and sympathy, considering that h.s in come was sufficient 10 maintain 9 com fortEbIa and happy home. Let us rath- CT feel sorry for those who. aGmiring Fosters music, must experience some thing of a shock on learning what k Hi Of a man Foster was. It may b. tru7, as Mir. Els0n says, that this gentle sensitive and dimdent nature caught. something of the celestial gleam," bat. it also caught the fruit of weakness folly, and q carousal of indulgence that was the reverse of admirsb ble.-ROches-| ter Democrat and Chronicle.