The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-03

"Hlawatha" came into existence
only little more than ten years ago
and no song within the last decade
has brought such instant fame 70
to its author and composer. James
, lODea. who wrote the words. and
Neil Moret. the music. IL made
both famous, though still young
men, and since its composition they
have brought out many other songs
which have become almost equally
as popular. Nothing since Silver
Threads Among the Gold took the
public fancy as did the pretty love
song to the Indian maiden.
The music OF "Hiawatha" was
composed first. and had quite a run
as an instrumental composition be-
fore O'Dea took the tune and ar
ranged suitable words TO IT, The
music was rather odd. and for a
long time il was considered that
words could not be written TO the
air. In a certain raggy portion of
the piece it had become a popular
diversion to accompany the music
of IL with the dimes:
Let the women do the work-do
the work-do the work,
While their bubbles make the mon
ey. O."
o'Dea thought he could beat this
doggerel. at least, and he set out
TO find just the true spirit that ex-
listed between the brave Hiawatha
and the pretty Minnehaha, the
daughter OF Old Nokomis. The re-
suit was a set Of words that htted
the tune admirably, and assisted
equally with the music in making
"Hiawatha" so tremendously popu-
lar. II reads:
%. the moon is all sgleam. on the
stream, where I dream
Here of you. my pretty Indian
maid"
With three rhyming words in the
first four anapestic feet of this
line OF verse, followed by two and
quarter feet of some other meter
that is beyond scanning. according
TO any law OF versTfication. the eff
feet is a very pleasing one. And
with words and music stalking
abroad hand in hand for a number
Of years TO the extent OF 100000
copies annually, II is not strange TO
contemplate why IT was that Long
fellow put into the mouth of all the
wild things of the forest: DO not
shoot me. Hiawatha."
James O'Dea is 20 be classed in
literature as a stage-author He
was born in Hamilton, Canada, on
Christmas Day. 1871 Since 1897
he has written more than 500 sets
OF song words. popular. semi-classi-
cal and classical. principally for
stage use. He lives at present in
New York City He has written
and published the following: Dad
dy Longlegs" (book OF songs for
children). 1900: "Jingleman Jack"
(verse for children). 1901; Blooms
Baby Ballads" 1902, and lyrics for
Wizard of o." Earl and the Girl
THE Grafters," and other musical
comedies.
Neil Moret, who composed the mu-
sic Of the song. writes under that
name as nom de plume. his right
name being Charles Daniels. In
stead of selling the manuscript of
the music outright to a publisher
he contracted to receive HIS pay at
the rate Of 8 cents a copy. and out
of "Hiawatha" alone is said to have
made a small fortune. not to con-
slider the large sums he has made
on scores of other Of his popular
compositions.
Daniels was born and raised IN
Kansas City. After he became pop
ular as a composer he removed to
St Louis. where he opened an Of
fee An interesting story is told
in connection with the inception of
the song. The composer had a
sweetheart In Hiawatha, Kans-
Copyright, 1910 The