Arizona republican., 1913-02-13
THE DEBUT OF
 MISS CHEATAAM
How a Quaint Old Negro Song and a Very Rainy Night Gave the World One of It's Very Greatest Artists.

Some years ago Miss Kitty Cheat
 ham. the world famous diseuse, who is
 comlng to the Elks next Monday, was a
 young actress in the old Lyceum Stock
 company in New York and greatly to
 the regret of her many admirers, gave
 up what promised to be a very brilliant
 career, retired from the stage and went
 abroad to live.
 A few years ago conditions arose which made it necessary for Miss Cheatham to again become a bread winner. She was visiting friends in an old chateau in France at the time ond one particularly rainy and windy night she and her hostess were discussing what it might be wisest for her to do. somehow" said Miss Cheatham in Los Angeles few days ago. the noise
 of the wind and the rain on the roof filled me with a longing for my old southern home. Sitting there before d log fire, pictures came to mind which I thought had been completely forgot ten during by long stay abroad. Lone some and homesick, sitting on a low stool in front of the fire, I began to | Eum snatChes of the old time negro melodies. Memories came to me like a flood. I began to rock to and fro and | sing Swing Low Sweet Chariot" For l the moment 1 was a child again. | could hear the voice singing to me. | I could feel about me again the arms l of my old black nurse whom I had 1 loved with devotion impossible to de- i fine.
 | When the song was done I un- | consciously turned to my hostess with ] blurred eyes The tears were stream l ing down her cheekc. Suddenly and | earnestly she said, my dear, you must 1 go to London and sing those songs 1 She was an American woman herself
 the wife of q French nobleman. I will | give you letters to members of the roy l al family. They are so kind and will l do much for you Think of all the old ] negro songs and stories you ever knew
 and sing them just as you have always | done, and promise me always to sing
 first Swing Low Sweet Chariot" | was almost afraid to try it. Those old negro songs had always seemed a part of my life; but I could not believe | they would hold and interest people ! entirely unfamiliar with the conditions 1 of the dear old south However I took the advice of my hostess and two weeks later. at a large musicale in the home
 of one of Queen Alexandras ladies in | waiting. sat in big chair before the
 smartest folk of London and song
 1 Swing Low Sweet Chariot" without
 accompaniment.
 T shall neer forget that night and
 my intense nervousness. The other ar
 lists were Mme. Albani. that marvellous
 soprano from your own home town n T Canada, and Johannes Wolff, the yio- llnist, so you may realize my nervous ness was justified. You know the rest: Here I am. I have sung many songs in many tongues but do you wonder that I love Sweet Chariot" best? Shall l sing it for you now? and she did "Swinm low sweet chariot Pray let Ter me enter in: Case I doan wan for to stay heah No longer. Tse done bin tempted An Fse done bin tried Ise bin to de water An Pse bin baptized Ii An I dOan' wan for to stay heal No longer. . Yes. down to de water I wuz led
 My soul wuz CT filled wid de heabenll bread
 An I doan won fo to stay heah No longer. \ O. sweet horn ob Gabriel Blow trumpet and call me home II Case I doan wan to stay heah \ No longer. | There it is; that dear old sonE whicl \ was the means of bringing out tn greatest delineator of childhood, th'
 greatest interpreter of the old tim \ negro folk lore which the world ha II ever known.