The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-10-07

dAACllL tSSAOkl Vi WHICH
eight years. in which they walked
laughed together. They read the
i much history and mythology. In
t the girl books and talked to her
about them.
A key 10 the fathers character
and dignity may be found in a re-
mark he made to her on an occa-
sion when she sat near him at a
rouSing camp meeting in he out
skirts of the town. She unwittingly
voiced diSapproval of the proceed
ingS. He said quietly. If it be-
comes very diSagreeable to me I
can get up and 60 away 1t is not
my business 10 criticise. 1t is not
my meeting She accepted the re-
Duke and sat decorously to the end
Of the service.
1t is impossible for strangers to
know, to see and 10 feel the per-
sonal charm of a poet in his youth
and Intimate associations. This
poet was also a musician AS the
Troubadours were so. He PLAYED
the guitar and sang with fine effect
the old love songs.
We lived, a group of children, in
the midst of an acre of trees that
had been our fathers and mothers
home, and on summer nights with
the moon shining through the
branches, the soft air vibrated with
tenderness as he sang:
"Unloose the snood that you wear,
jeanette.
Let me tangle a hand in your
hair, my pet.
For the world to me holds no
daintier sight
Than your brown hair yelling your
shoulders white,
Than your brown hair yelling
your shoulders white.
And "Juanita," at his hands. lost
nothing of its sweet pleading:
'Nita. Juanita, let me linger oy thy
side,
Nita, Juanita, be my own fair
bride"
The courtship was open and adj
mitted, though unannounced. The
family were included or disregarded
as it might happen, she being the
Oldest. 1t was not a matter of mo-
ment to the pair who sat with them.
or didn't, though the Youngest
brother spent much time with them;
he was a lovely boy and a favorite
with both.
Never Scorned Audience
And then at times the singer en-
tertained us all, and liked 10 see that
he could draw an unSophisticated
audience SO close. He would play
all up and down the scale of human
emotions in the old melodies until
We were full of tears or plain con-
tent and muSing.
Possibly there was mixture Of
the appeal of OrpheuS, and the at
traction of the Pied Piper in his
hold of us, and he never Scorned his
audience. Great souls are apt to be
conscious that the finest tribute to
their power is the unqueStioning
answer to it, of the natural mind
and heart. Besides, it was play
time and he did all this to please
the girl he loved, and to please him.
self.
Jim" liked TO do caricature, too,
and when he would sing,
If there's any girl here wants a
kiss from me
She'll find me as young as I used
to be-
His personality melted away and
a toothleSs old man with cracked
voice sat in his place Another one
ne sang often in full masquerade
voice was:
There was an old woman lived
under the hill
Hi Ho! Diddle de day.
And if she's not gone she's living
there still
To me Whack, ferall etc.
Learned Old World Songs
The young man tapped a vein
which yielded much amusement for
himself and others, in the discovery.
through the girl, of some quaint old
world songs. They were of the
thoughts and things that float
about in the worlds fancy from
misty indeterminate past ages.
An old woman who used to be our
houSekeeper, sang them as she
darned the stockings. There was
an odd sound in her voice when she
drew out the long notes or reached
the high places. One song she
seemed to like was, Loved Henry"
1t went like this:
Set down, set down, Loved Henry,
she said.
And stay awhile with me.
The costlee cord that's round my
waist
will give it unto thee"
More people are familiar with
Lord Lowell"
Lord Lowell, he stood at his cas-
tie gate,
Combing his milkwhite steed
When along came Lady Nancy
Belle
Wishing her lover good speed,
speed, speed,
Wishing her lover good speed"
But more than all this, the poets
friends know that no impersonaCor
has ever equaled his own interpre-
tation Of his own poems. Great gifts
he lavished upon a group of coun-
try children; but consider who We
were and what his persuasion. For
us were the favors which in after
years audiences would have paid 10
have, and were denied. for he dis
liked audiences and his reticence
was real.
TO Be Continued