Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-12-27
STORY OF THE HOUN' SONG.
To the Editor of The Graphic:

To the Editor of The Graphic: Early in the fall of 1906 MT. George T. Graves of CaIbool, Mo, while making a trip through the Ozark country of South Missouri, stopped at Gainsville, Ozark county, and while standing in front of one of the principal stores there noticed a lad, evidently from the country, seat ed on farm wagon and having a very heated argument with a bunch O. the boys about town. He also noticed a long-eared dog taking refuge un- der the wagon.
 Having nothing much to do and be- ing interested in the violent protests from the young lady on the wagon, he walked over to him and inquired the cause of his trouble, to which the lad replied that the boys were trying to kick his dog around. Finding sym pathetic listener in MT. Graves the lad went on to tell of other times when upon his arrival in town the boys had started kicking his "dawg" around, and there he used the words: Every time I come to town the boys start kicking my dawg around.'
 Having transacted his business in Gainsville MT. Graves proceeded to Bakersfield, Mo-, which is twenty-five y)o oh tied country. While driving over the lonely road the words of the boy kept running in his mind, and as MT. Graves knew the dog to be hound he put the second line to it, as a companion piece, so when he arrived home at CaIbool, after thousands of involuntary" rehearsals, he had evolved the following:
 Every time I come to town
 The boys start kicking my dawg
 aroun'.
 It makes no difference if ne Is houn' They've gotta quit kicking that dawg
 aroun'.
 MT Graves has small cigar fac tory at Cabool, and upon his arrival there the next morning he began to sing, involuntarily, the words which had occupied his mind so much the day before. The others took it up and his force, as it seemed to affect oth- CTS as it did him. So he had to make ruling that the dawg song should only be sung after work hours.
 The years went by and the craze ov- CT the dawg song died out, as all things will, but it still slumbered in the breast Of MT. Graves, and the beautiful sentiment expressed in the last line began to mold and shape MT. Graves life, so that whenever he saw the weak oppressed, or the defense less abused, the beautiful words of the dawg song would rush to his lips, and as he sang "it makes no differ ence if he is a houn', they've gotta quit kicking that dawg aroun'," he would step in and take the part of the oppressed and drive off the oppres- sor. He got to be known as "Old Houn' Dawg George"
 Time went by, and, like other mo- ble thoughts and sentiments, it re- mained in obscurity. It was early in the fall of 1911 crowd of Sring- field business men, equipped what was known as a boosters train" from Springfield. Mo-, to Mammoth Springs, Ark.
 The crowd reached Springfield and there dispersed, some going even to Chicago, but in the minds of all the dawg song was uppermost.
 In gilded cafes and banquet halls of the elite the plaintive strains of the "dawg song" swept all other mu- sic into oblivion. It's hidden beau- ties were at last seen by the states man of the States of its nativity and it was deemed worthy of the high! place it now holds as the battle song of Missouri's most favored son, and the song and music by which the next President of the United States will march to the White House to take the obligations as Chef Executive of the United States. and the solemn promise that "the people," though they may be as hounds, shall not be kicked around.