The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-19
The Long Lost Sweetheart
 Of Dead Composer Is Found
correspOndence Birmingham News.

Correspondence Birmingham News
 ClarksvilIe. Tenn.--The long lost sweet heart of Ferdinand Lust. a once well known composer. has been found and My Rosary his famous death-bed composition. has ful- filled its mission. From far-away Austria comes the news that another chapter has been added to one of the most pathetic tragedies in the history of music and the sequel to one of the most beautiful and most famous songs ever published in America has been written.
 Resting in rosemarked grave in Tenn essee lies the remains of Ferdinand Lust once director of the Boston Symphony Or chestra, instructor to Madame Modjeska's son and the composer of My Rosary" Q song that is sung in the homes of hund reds of thousands of people in this country But it was the composing of this song which brought him the greatest fame as a mu- sician
 When Ferdinand Lust's music was at the height of its popularity. not many years ago. he had all the money and friends he desired. He held the position of orsanist in 6 Vermont church at a salary of $3,000 Q year. and was instructor to ModJeska'S son.
 An opera of his was meeting with success and his royalties from the famous ''rriIby Waltz alone brought him a small fortune He travelled far and wide and visited many parts of the earth. He had all that wealth. health and fame could give him.
 But there came O change. When the years began to creep upon him. wealth. health and all began to fade away He drifted out to San Francisco and taught for a few years, and then went to Colorado Springs Then he became Q wanderer without home or friends.
 He joined the Marie Bell opera company as conductor. but things didn't so well.
 TsIuw wVys rnnH the organization disbanjed
 Was Stranded.
 Without a cent of money the composer was thrown upon his own resources, and tried to earn a few dollars by teaching. But he was lonely, and had no friend. brother sister. His sorrow was increased by a romance of his youth. The girl he had loved in the fatherland. and from whom he had been separated by lovers quarrel had been lost to him, and he knew not whether she was dead or alive.
 W. W. Barkdaie, proprietor of The Leaf Chronicle, helped him get a few pupils. but he was dependent upon charity for the re- mainder of his days. ].
 He talked very little about his past life. but in addition to what is given in the story it was learned that he came to the United States from Germany about thirty-five years ago. He taught Mme Modjeska's son in San Francisco in 1878, when that actress
 
 was chorus master at the Winter Garden Theatre at the same time. He afterward became music critic for S. Brainard's Sons Company. of Chicago. He then went to Boston, where he became director of the Symphony
 But there was one who brought cheer to his last days. She was a beautiful Southern girl with the fair, soft com plexion of the Southern cline She had seen but nineteen summers and was as sweet and unselfsh she was beautiful
 She was his favorite pupil and she always tried to throw a few rays of sunshine into his life. Sometimes. when the lessons ware over, she would pin a rosebud on his coat. or send some little delicacy to his studio. Often there were big punches Of Southern roses. He would place them on the piano and play out his soul to the sweet scented beautiAs Once he pressed a bud in book and pinned 1t to a poem.
 Health Was Failing.
 But prematurviy gray hairs were grow ing thicker among the thin locks. and his health was failing. One morning in the fall. that pretty Indian summer of the South. he went to her home to give a lesson as usual, She saw that he very weak. and she did not-want him to teach that day | But he insisted. He needed the money and she reluctantly yielded. That morning she sang sweeter than usual. and there was