Evening star., 1933-03-19

pnerc OF the good old days Of yore among her
old distinguished actor friends, many of whom
have passed into the great beyond. She takes
great delight in speaking Of her son. Thomas
G. Coleman with whom she lives and his four
sons. who will keep the family name going for
many years to come. She is comfortably stu
ated and surrounded by those whom she loves
most dearly, and, though she probably could
not dance the schottische or the polka with
the same agility she could when she made her
debut at Days, yet she does show decided
traces OF her former grace and beauty, and
her reconections Of the past are as keen today
as ever.
IN speaking Of the Thalians there are few
J other names that should be mentioned as
active members Of the club, and no doubt still
others Of whom the writer has no present
knowledge. John B. Randolph of the State
Department and Rudolph Kaufman Of The
Star, both OF whom were with us until recently,
were prominently connected with this orginiza-
ton, as was Herndon Morsel Who I am glad
to say was able to listen to the inaugural
ceremonies Of Mr.. Roosevelt over the radio.
and We hope may be able to do the same thing
four years hence
Other early Thalian members include Edison
B. Olds Rachel Cordella Levy Carrie Bloss,
India Woltz, Ralph Jefferson, Howard Nyman,
Katie D. Frye Ida Tullock, Agnes Kennedy,
Mrs. Jennie Bryan True Mrs. Kate Bruce
James E. Bangs A. B. Briggs Charles Hughes,
TioAAA 0AcIl, Israel hlmDall, Louie swallow.
Clarence Story and Hubbard Taylor Smith or
as We used to know him. Hub Smith" This
latter name recalls a letter the writer received
a few months ago from Mr.. Franklin H Davis,
one Of The Stars readers and evidently one Of
the writer's friends. He said:
I enjoy your stories Of early WASHINGTON
! am calling your attention to this: If Hub
Smith was an early Washingtonian he wouldn't
have sung the refrain you quote. It is an
extract from poem written by Samuel Min
turn Peck. who is still living in my home town
OF Tuscaloosa, Ala"
The following statement Is the one Mr. Davis
refers to:
1T Is nice to recall the old trees and picnic
places in Washington. 1t carries one back to
the days Of Hub Smith, and we can almost
hear him singing that beautiful refrain:
Swinging in the grapevine swing
Laughing where the wild birds sing.
dream and sigh for the days gone by
Swinging in the grapevine swing"
OF course. Mr.. Davis is right in saying that
the poem was written by Samuel Minturn Peck
end that Mr.. Peck is still living in Tuscaloosa.
and OF course it Is certain that Hub Smith did
sing ever so many times his version Of Mr..
Pecks poem, The Grapevine Swing" which
Mr.. Smith chose to call Swinging IN the
Grapevine Swing"
Naturally, after the writer's attention was
called to the matter, he was anxious to get at
IIlc 16CtS, anu 50 ne Qte0 Ql10SeQ 70 that QYeat
fountain OF knowledge, the Library Of Con-
gress. First, he went to the music section.
where he found the sheet music Of the piece.
which was entitled Swinging in the Grape
vine Swing" and Music by Hubbard T.
Smith," with the further statement that 1t
was dedicated ITO the Old Guard Union Vet
eran Corps, Washington, D. c." The state.
ment was also made on the music that it
was copyrighted in 1890 BY Herndon Morsen
but nothing was said about Mr.. Peck
Prom the music section the writer called on
his old friend Hugh Morrison, whose many
years IN Uncle Sans Library makes him Of
great value and his experience well worth
taking advantage of, and together we went to
the stacks, and there we found Mr. Pecks
poems, and the one in question was found to
read, in part:
When was a boy ON the old planta-
Down on the deep bayou,
The fairest spot Of all creation,
Under the arching blue:
When the wind came over the cotton and
corn,
To the long, slim loop I'd spring.
With brown feet bare and hat brim torn
And swing In the grapevine swing.
Swinging IN the grapevine swing.
Laughing where the wild birds sing,
dream and sigh
For the days gone by
Swinging IN the grapevine swing"
OF course any one can see that Hub Smith s
~ song was almost bodily taken from Mr.
Peck's poem, and 1t IS rather strange that the
latter was not given credit for 1t on the music,
unless there is . contention IS to the real
author, and the writer knows Of none. But
undoubtedly Mr. Smith wrote the music and
personally made the words and tune popular.
He was q very much beloved man and not one
who would falsely claim the authorship Of any
thing he had not written himself. The writer