The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-07-09

tleman III NeMDefIy Yesterday Ho'o
you noticed the prominence which the
newspapers throughout the country
are giving the little verse:
"She's the only girl love;
Has a face like a horse and buggy;
I met her leaning on the lake
Oh. fireman. save me child"
"It is being discussed from one end
of the country to the other. as it de-
serves to be. There is something Pc
culiar in that Little verse. 1t was
several years ago that [ first noticed
it, in some newspaper. And since
that time I haven't been able to get
it out of nv head. Some newspaper
man had got it off at banquet some
where-I have forgot how it came IN
to existence-I think it was Editor
Walker Kennedy, Of Tennessee, who
gave it birth-but the verse itself
will not out. I knew that some day
it's literary merit would be recognlz-
ed. and I prophecied it, and now 1t
has come to pass. I am glad. And l
hope those to whose attention it is
now being brought by the press OF the
country will be as much delighted
with it as I was when I first saw it;
and-it may be mean-but l hope 1t
will stay with them as long as 1t did
with me.
'I noticed in the Charlotte OBJ
server several days ago that profess
sor up there in Charlotte was walking
around the streets in an absent-mlnd-
ed manner. occasionally leaning
against telephone pole, and with a
far-a-way expression in his eyes,
softly repeating:
"She's the only girl I love;
Has a face like horse and buggy
and I was glad, with the great glad
ness that comes to a man on a rail-
way train who has slept while the
train passed lis station and carried
him ~, and then finds that somebody
else. in some way, has also passed the
station and must get back to that STA
tion Immediately. and sooner.
THE verse struck ny fancy as
soon as I saw it, and then-::: was all
mp with me. IF the city cf Aew'oerry
had been offered me to forget it, l
couldn't have forcot 1T. On my way
home that night. I found myself re-
peating:
~ r:ct her leaning On the lake
o.. fireman, save me ehild.'
"But on my way home that night,
little did I dream what trouble it was
to get me in before the dawn OF an
other day. I thought that when l
MANAGED to get to sleep, it would
vanish, as does a popular tune which
one. can't help humming for awhile
sometimes. I thought my wife would
make fun of the little verse, and so,
with great effort, I managed not to
let her hear me repeating it before
bedtime. Had I known then what
was coming during the night, I would
have recited to her the poem, and its
history, and everything [ know about
it.
"Some time during the night, in
my sleep, I commenced repeating that
verse. l don't know whether [ got any
further than the first line or not; but
I have good cause to believe that the
first line came from my lips:
"she's the only girl I love''-
And my wife heard it. And what hap
pened next I haven't been able to
forget. either. though [ have tried
as hard to forget it, as [ have tried
to forget the verse. And I am not 60
ing to tell You about it, either,' said
the Newberrian: "because,' he con-
tinued, "it's none Of your business.
And don't you ever mention it to me,
either.
"That was some years ago. l
Thought then that I had got clear OF
#. or had it frozen in me so hard that
It wouldn't thaw during my life time.
But next morning it was with me
again. and. during my busiest NOM
ents, it would rush through my mind
and I would find my mind off my