Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-02-22
CONNECTICUT WOMEN ARGUE
Daughters of American Revolution Ri
vided on the Subject-Words
of the Song.

the songs sung was THE Darby Ram
1t was stated that as Washington one
night enjoyed the hospitality of Oliver
Ellsworth lie took the twins upon his
knees ana in jovial tones poured forth
the song This is the ID. A r. version
of it.
AS was going to Darby
Upon market day
] spied the biggest ram. sir.
That was ever fed on hay.
CHORUS.
Oh. hockey. dinlley. Darby ram:
oh. hockey. dinkey, ia,
oh. hockey. Ginlley. Darby ram:
oh. hockey. dinkey. da!
He had four feet to walk. sir;
lie had four feet to stand.
And every foot he had. sir.
Covered an acre of land.
The wool upon his back sir.
1t reached TO the sky;
The eagles built their nests there.
For L heard the young ones cry.
The wool upon his tail. sir.
l heard the weaver say
1t made three thousand yards OF cloth.
For he wove it in a day.
The butcher who cut his throat sir.
Was drowned in the bloos,
And the little boy who held the bowl
Was carried away in the flood.
Heard mt ID. 4. IL. Meetings.
Since the dedication this song has
been heard at many ID. y. II. gather
ingS in the state of Connecticut being
sung upon the recent visits to Derby of
Mrs. Donald Mclean of New York, the
president general of the ID. y. r.. and
the excuse for singing it has been that
it was a favorite of Washington.
Some of the members of the Sarah
Riggs Humphreys chapter of Derby
scout the idea that the Father of His
Country ever poured forth his soul in
such trifling melody, even to entertain
the famous Ellsworth twins. They say
that the prototype of the Darby ram
was q merinO sheep brought from
Spain TO Derby by n connecticut man.
Colonel David Humphreys. 1t is al
legged that Washington could never
have heard the words of the song used
today, for they were written after the
sheep had reached this country, il 1902.
several years after his death.
Colonel David Humphreys and his
merino sheep were at one time The talk
Of all New England. The MaSsachu-
sets Society For Promoting Agricul-
ture voted him n gold medal for his
patriotic eXertiOns in Introducing into
New England this breed OF sheep. The
song parodied the feeling following the
landing of the sheep at the Derby
docks.
When the vessel reached Derby peo-
pie flocked from all the country around
10 see the high prices offered, but Colo
mel Humphreys declined to speculate
and distributed the sheep TO responsible
farmers in Connecticut and MaSsachu-
sets, selling them at 800 a head. which
sum did not cover the cost. But as ev-
cry one saw fortune in the mixture of
the merino and native breeds some of
the farmers We're not proof against the
tempting offers, and soon Humphreys
merino bucks brought from $500 TO
$1,000 and ewes brought from $1,000 to
$1,000. y few bucks brought $1,000
each.
Lost ON Sheep.
Authentic statements. which have
come down show that the people were
merino sheep crazy. Many farmers
suffered heavy losses on account of ac-
cidents which overlook their valuable
For instance. John Bassett
of Derby refused an offer of $1,000 for
a full blooded merino eve lamb. A
few days later fox stole the lamb
from the sheepfold and carried the
body nearly to its den before the loss
was discovered, and the trail was TAX
en- up. Two young farmers paid ST 800
for buck, and in less than an hour
after the purchase the buck died while |
to swallow an apple. In
view of this excitement it is not sur
prlsing that the Darby ram was cele-
brated in verse.
Colonel Humphreys opened fullIng |
mill in Seymour after bringing the |
merinos to the country and produced |
ne broadcloths, and there the cloth for |
he American made suit of clothing |
which was worn by Jefferson at his |
second Inauguration was made from |
he wool of merino sheep.
While the Connecticut Daughters
nay not be able to determine whether !
sang THE Darby Ram" |
o the Ellsworth twins. they have
to light n good deal of infor-
nation about one of Connecticut's dis /
inguished citizens and about one of
almost forgotten indus
rieS.
FrightfuIIy Burned.