The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-01-13
"MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME"
The Stor. of the Origin of This En-
Old Song.

nous old Song.
| The song My Old Kentucky Home"
was written by stephen Collins Foster
resident of Pennsylvania. while he
| and his sister were ON Il visit to Judge
| John Rowan. IL short distance east of
BardStown. Ky. one beautiful morn
| ing while the slaves were at work in
| the corn field and the sun was shining
with y mighty SplcndOr ON tie waving
grass first giving it the color of Il
| light red. then changing it to Il golden
hue there were seated upon Il bench in
front of the Rowan homestead two
| young people. Il brother and Il sister.
High up in the tree was mockin% bird
| warbIing its sweet notes. Over in the
hidden recess of IL small brush the
thrush's mellow song could be he;-cd.
| \ number of small negro children were
playing not far away. When Foster
had finished the first verse of the song
his sister took it from his hand and
| sang in a sweet. mellow Voice:
THE sun shines bright in the OLD Ken
lucky home;
IT'S summer, the darllies gay;
Inc corn top ) rise, ana the HCtlIO" : IN
the bloom.
While the birds make music all the day.
THE young folks roll on the little cabin
floor.
All merry. all happy. all bright:
By N by hard times comes a-knockin' at
the door
Then. my old Kentucky home, good
night"
On her finishing the first verse the
hooking bird descended 10 Il lower
branch. The feathery sOngstcr drew
his head to enc side and appeared To hh
completely cnrapturrd at the Vnndrr-
full voice Of the young singer When
the last sweet note died away Upon the
air her fond brother sang in Il deep
bass voice:
Weep no more, my lady; oh, weep no
more today:
Well sing one song for the old Ken
lucky home
For our old Kentucky horne far away.
"a few more days to tote the weary load.
No matter. twill never be light
A few more days till we totter on the
road
Then. my old Kentucky home, good
night"
The negroes had laid down their hoes
and rakcS. the little tots had placed
themselves behind the large sheitcrinS
trees. while the old black women We're
peepin% around the corner of the house
The faithful old house dog never took
his eyes off the young singers. Every
thing was STILL not even the stirring of
the leaves seemed To break the wonder
full silence. Again the brother and sis
ter took hold of the remaining notes
and sang III sweet accents:
THEY hunt no more for the possum and
the coon
On the meadow. the hill and the shore;
They sing no more by the giimmer of the
moon.
On the bench by the old cabin door.
The day goes by like Il shadow DER the
heart.
With sorrow where all was delight:
The time has come when the darlicS
have to part
Then. my old Kentucky home, good
night.
The head must bow and the back will
have to bend
Wherever the darby may go;
A few more days and trouble all will end
In the fields where the sugar cane
grow
As the song was finished tears flowed
down the Old peoples cheeks the chill
dren rrept from their hiding place be-
hind the trees, their faces wreathed in
smiles; the mocking bird and the
thrush sought their homes in the thick
ct while the old dog still lay baSking
in the sum- Rardstown (ky.j Record.