The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1907-06-05
THE SWEET REFRAIN
Of Famous Song, "My Old
Kentucky Home"
AND HOW IT FIRST ORIGINATED
Charmed the Birds, the OAR
kieS, and Later the En-
tire Country.

This song was written by Stephen
Collins Foster, a resident of Penn
sylyania. while he and his sister were
on a visit to Judge John Rowan, a
short distance east of Bardstown, Ky.
Ono beautiful morning, while the
darkies were at work in the cornfields
and the sun was shining with
mighty splendor on the waving grass
first giving 1t the color of light red,
then changing it to golden hue
there were seated upon bench in
front of the Rowan homestead two
young people-a brother and a sis
ter. High up in the top of tree was
a mocking bird warbling its sweet
notes. Over in the hidden recesses of
a small bush the thrush's mellow song
could be heard. A 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 in sweet
mellow voice, sang
"The sun shines bright in my old
Kentucky home;
IT'S summer, the darkies are gay;
The corn tops ripe and meadows In
the bloom,
While the birds make music all the
day.
The young folks roll on the little
cabin floor,
All merry, all happy and bright;
a By-'n'-by hard times comes a-knock-
in at the door
Then my old Kentucky home, good
night"
On her finishing the first verse the
mocking-bird descended to a lower
bough. The feathery songster drew
his head to one side and appeared to
be completely enraptured at this
wonderful voice of the young singer.
When the last sweet note died away
upon the air, her fond brother sang
in deep, bass voice:
"Weep no more, my lady; oh, weep
no more to-day;
Well sing one song for the old Ken
lucky home,
For our old Kentucky home far away
The darkies had laid down their
hoes and rakes; the little tots had
placed themselves behind the large,
sheltering trees, while the old black
women were peeping around the cor
ner of the house. The faithful old
house dog never took his eyes off
the young singers. Everything was
still: not even the stirring of the
leaves seemed to break the wonder
full silence. Again the brother and
sister took hold of the remaining
notes, and sang in 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 glimmer of
the moon
On the bench by the old cabin door.
The day goes by like shadow DER
the heart,
With sorrow where all was delight;
The time has come when the darkies
have to part
Tbon p,x, old Kantuckv homo pOOd
night.
The head must bow and the back
will have to bend
Wherever the darkies may go;
A few more days and the trouble all
will end
In the field where the sugar cane
grow,
A few more days to tote" the heavy
load
No matter, it never will be light;
A few more days till we totter on the
road
night"
AS the song was finished tears
flowed down the old darkies' cheeks;
the children crept from their hiding
places behind the trees, their faces
\ wreathed in smiles; the mocking-bird
and thrush sought their home in the
thicket, while the old dog still lay
haskin0 in thn Sun
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