The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-06

The Sweetest Story Ever Told" is
one of the sweetest of love songs
ever written. 1t is one Of a very
few of the songs of this character
which has lived and is as popular
to-day as when IL first swept the
country about fifteen years ago.
with its pretty melody and appeal
ing sentiment II reached that same
responsive chord as Annie Laurie.
Robin Adair." and other compost
lions of its class.
Robert NJ. Suits, the composer, is
still living. and is engaged in the
piano business in Philadelphia Al
though still a young man he has al
ready composed upward Of 500 dif-
ferent songs ana piano selections.
most of which have attained a con-
siderable degree of popularity. Mr..
Suits tells the following story as
to the composition of this song:
I'm 1890, when I was connected
with the sheet music department Of
the firm Of Otto Sutro & Co. Balti-
the store one morning whom I rec
ognized to be an actress of some
distinction. She asked to see some
new songs. After showing her sew
eral she asked If some one could try
them on a piano for her. ] went
upstairs with her and she told me
that she was Mira Mirella, a leading
contrelto OF the Tar and Tartar
Opera Company, then playing in
Baltimore.
she said that az the opening of
the second act she was singing an
interpoiated song that did not fit
the situation very well. and that
she wanted a pretty love ballad
which she could introduce. played
over several songs for her and none
seemed to please her. I said, Sup
pose I write you song, to which
she consented.
Il introduced myself to her and
promised to have the song for her
the next morning, II she would call.
went home that night and sat
but seemed TO be unable to get an
idea for either the subject or title.
After fruitless effort of an hour
or so. my wife. who was sitting in
the room reading a book, and hav-
ing finished it in the midst Of my
struggles. threw it upon the table
with the expression, That's the
sweetest story ever told
There was my title-'the sweet
est story ever told II brought to
me wealth of thought. The
sweetest story ever told'-tell me
that you love me.
81 Immediately took the cue and
wrote the words down. and in two
hours had the entire song com
pleted, words and music. The next
day 1 saw Miss Mirella and gave
her the song. She was very much
pleased with It, and after making a
copy of It I gave the original manu-
script to her and sent the other
copy to the Oliver Ditson Company,
Boston, for publication.
Miss Mirella sang the song all
through the South that season and
q demand sprung up for IT at once.
although the Ditson firm did not
put It on the market for two or
three months after they received
the manuscript. 1T did not become
a big seller at once. but after 1t
had been taken up later by other
professional singers. it became the
rage and has continued a big seller
up to the present time.
There have been sold at least
1000, 900 copies of it In this coun-
try. 1t is now arranged for all
voices. for orchestra. and all COM
binations of instruments. In time
The Sweetest story Ever Told be-
came very well known abroad. and
an English edition OF it was print
ed in 1898 through arrangement
with the Ditson firm. ! have now
IN my possession copies of the song
published in German. Danish. and
other foreign languages. There have
been several pirated copies of 1t
Copyright. 1910, "Th