The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-12-08

singuhrly Beautiful Prose- Poem.
Written BY Winston Fish. Lawyer.
philosopher, Railroad Man.


written by railroad men. The 9th.
or Is the brief will OF the late Il. II
Hartman. who I'm less than 100
simple Angio-slxon words. devised
and beoueathed his great fortune
and vast interests solely and alto
Eether to his wife
This last will and testament OF
Charles Lounstury." one of the OBJ
scure treasures OF English literature
was composed by williston Fish
lawyer. Of the Chicago Railways
Company and now vice president in
charge OF the Railways Company of
West Penn Traction Company.
Until the Railroad Mans Maya
zisfe unearthed the history OF this
singuiariy beautiful prose poem 1t
was generally supposed to have been
written oy an insane lawyer in an
Illinois institution.
The Lounsbury will" was first
printed In Harper's Weekly In the
year 1897. II attracted some atten-
ton at the time. and was occasion
ally copied In other public cations
with incorrect history and sloveniy
credit Finally The Scrap Book
resurrected IL from a yellow r,ass
OF clippings and reproduced II with
what at that time seemed to be the
correct history of the work and the
character OF its author.
Nothing more was publicly heard
CT the Lounsbury will for many
years thereafter. 1t was treasured
b. those who kept the files of The
Scrap Book. and references to the
simple beauty of its thought and its
clean dignity OF diction sometimes
occurred In the conversation Of
writer's and editors.
IL was I'm this way that the will
came to the notice OF Irving Berlin.
the writer of Popular ballads. He
looked II up In the Scrap Book. and
was inspired to write when I Leave
the World Behind" The refrain
begins,
'1'n leave the sunshine to the flow.
ers.
TN leave the springtime to the
trees
Across the title page Mr.. Berlin
caused to be printed this graceful
Acknowledgement OF his debt to the
man who was supposed to have died
IN a mad house:
Respectfully dedicated to the
memory OF Charles Lounsbury.
whose legacy suggested this song"
Sbere was a real Charles Louns-
bury. although he never wrote. read.
or even heard OF. the will that made
his name famous He was a big,
hearty. bright York State farmer.
kin to Mr.. Fish three generations
back II took the name of Charles
Iounsbury." writes Mr.. Fish,, Ito
add strength and good will to my
story"
The song reached Prof. f. II.
Wocdruff. OF the Cornell University
College OF Law. Professor Wood
run happened to know the real his
tory OF the will. He wrote to Mr.
Berlin and told him that the master
piece was purely the imaginative
work OF q practical business mar.
Mr.. williston Fish. of the Chicago
Railway Company. Mr. Berlin,
eager to give credit where Z was due,
took the question Of authorship up
with the editors 20 Mr.. Fish.
Mr.. Fish modestly acknowledge
that he was the author of the famous
win. and sent a copy OF the original
document. which had become garbled
and changed In its journey through
printed pages.
Here you have Mr.. Fish's original
work. II Is wonderful sermon on
the blindness Of man who mistakes
true sold for dross. What are your
real treasures. Are you going
through life with your eyes on the
ground like the organ grinders mon
Key. with no thought. no vision
for anything above pennies? Have
you accepted the rich legacy OF
Charles Lounsbury. the treasures OF
the dawn. riches of the fields, the
glory OF the night. and the wealth
that Is born OF the love of all things
that live?
IL you haven't read this will OF a
railroad lawyer. and become one OF
hts heirs-at-law