Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-03-27

that laureates should have been CROWN |
ed with leaves, for thus the collective
world of trees could show gratitude to |
their panegyrists.
1t should be a proud thought to |
Americans that of all the singers who
have rendered tributes to our leafy
friends it remained for onr country
man to write the one tree song that is
immortal. George Z. Morris has now
been dead nearly forty-five years. To1
the world at large much of his other
work Is forgotten. Yet 'Woodman,
Spare That Tree" lives in all hearts
and in practically all tongues. Its
fame is self renewing and perennial,
like its subject. 1t has become the
song of great crusade, that for the
preservation of our forests Annually
| throughout the land it is lisped on Ar
Dor day by the myriad voices of chill
dren. Its author Is well entitled, there
fore, to be known as the Laureate of
| the trees"
| In his day General Morris was per-
haps the best known of American song
writers. He sang simply from the
| heart. and his words found an i'm
mediate and widespread echo in the
hearts of the masses. He touched on
| sentiments common to all-home, coun-
| try; love of nature and the hallowed
| things of everyday life. Many of his.
| poems had their place in the school
readers and are yet familiar. To the
gray headed boys and girls a mere re-
/ cital of some of the titles will, seem
like calling Il roll of old friends. Here
are few of them: "a Leap For Life"
is one, beginning
| Old Ironsdes at anchor lay
| In the harbor of Manon.
Who has not felt an apprehensive
thrill as the captains little son stood
far aloft on the main truck and as the
| agonized father seized a rifle and COM
manded him to Jump far out into the
wave!" Famous TO all New Workers
at least was General Morris "Croton
| Ode" sung In celebration of the spar
king mountains whence comes New
York city's water supply. "Land-Ho"
is another of Morris famous songs
loved of all travellers. The Flag Of
| Our Enion" is not so well known as
formerly perhaps. but once promised
to become one of our national songs
Every one knows Pm With You Once
Again, My Friends" even if he does
not recognize General Morris as the
author. Equally famous is My Motif
er's Bible" I'VE Were Boys Togeth-
er" can now be sung by old men who
were boys when this touching song
was written. When Other Friends
Are Round Thee is equally familiar
1.-THE Miniature is fondly known of
all lovers. One of the finest and ten
derest little songs written by Morris
and one of the sweetest in the Ian
guage begins:
Near the lake where dropped the willow
Long time ago.
1.-THE Origin of Yankee Doodle has
fine flavor both of humor and patriot
ism. Two beautiful songs concern his
. daughters. One begins thus:
Where Hudson's wave DER silvery sands
| Winds through the hills afar
Old Gro Nest like monarch stands,
, Crowned with a single star.
, The other, while not so famous, is
t even more touching. Its first line will
} recall! it to many:
t George. come home! LIES tendrils cling
. about thee.
These are but few of General Nor
ris' famous songs. One or two are
D stirring hunting odes, others relate tc
4 the wild, free life of the west, while
some Of the most beautiful are ad
e dressed to the Hudson river. He wrote
| at least two dramas and several the
e atrical addresses quite popular in theil
/ day. Besides, he was one of the earli
est literary editors in the country, hav
l ing started the New York Mirror ant
the Evening Press, which eventual.
became the Home Journal. Associated
with him In all his newspaper enter
: prises was N. P. Willis. The tw,
, brought out many young authors wht
afterward joined Americas little bant
of literary immortals. Among the as
sistant editors were James Parton, Ed
gar Allan Poe