_‘ A-_‘ IS ON- is he llM ._ To Subscribe for the -~ v...,__ _, rm- Both Papers Sent to one Address -. ‘ for $I.OQ a Year THE EV have SW’EET BYE AND BYE. ITS ORIGIN AND FIRST PUBLICATION BY MEN WHO SCORNED IT. A Physician \Vrote the Verses, and a. De- _ opondvnt Musician “'orked Out the Tune, All Within Forty Minutes. The Piece Accepted Out of Pity. A. P. \Vebster, the composer of the music, was by no means unknown to the public at the time the song was published. He had won great pop- ularity wih his “Lorena,” “Paul Vane,” “Little Maud.” These had been published at Chicago by H. M. Higgins, who, with the writer, then a boy of twelve years, created a sale for them by singing them for ac- quaintances and customers who came to purchase music. At that time, in the early sixties, \Vebster lived at the little town of Elkhorn, Wis, and about twice a year he would come to Chicago with a roll of manuscript songs. These were usually written with a pencil, and in a hasty, scrawl- ing manner, though the notes were al- ways legible. The songs he offered for sale at $25 each, and the publisher would select what he thought would sell, and either pay him or agree to pay royalty. In 1866 or 1867,11 young physician, Samuel Filmore Bennett, then lately graduated from Ann Arbor Univer- sity, had become an intimate friend of Webster. They were, in fact, almost inseparable. One day Webster came into his office in a most despondent frame of mind. “What is the trouble now?” his friend asked. “It is no matter,” Webster an- swered with a sigh. “It will be all right by-and-bye.” Like an inspiration the idea flashed upon Bennett, who had written sev- eral war poems, to write some verses, and he said: “Why not make a song of the sweet by and bye?” Webster answered: “You write the verses and I’ll make the music.” Turning to his desk Bennett hastily scribbled line after line,, and in less than half an hour the verses were completed. He handed them to Web- ster, who raised his violin just as two friends entered. Not waiting to greet them he drew his bow, and without any hesitation played the tune which since has been sung by millions. He hastily jotted it down on waste pa- per, and in less than ten minutes from the time he began the composi- tion the four men were singing “The Sweet Bye and Bye.” Thus origina- ted the words and music of a hymn which has given consolation and hope to the whole Christian world. The characters in the drama are few and humble, the surroundings most sim- ple—the poor despondent musician, the young physician, two friends and a common office in a \Vestern town. The composer, with his manuscript songs under his arm, appeared in Chi- cago soon afterward. He hoped and expected to sell the manuscripts for $25 each; this meant $150 or $200 to take home. He went to the music store of Root & Cady, who had made a fortune with “The Battle Cry of Freedom” and other war songs. They examined his manuscripts, and took all except “The Sweet Bye and Bye.” That they “did not think it worth publishing.” Poor Webster! The song counted on most was rejected! He could not go to Higgins again, for Higgins had hurt his feelings ,and re- fused to publish any more of his songs. He finally thought of a new firm of young men from Boston. Lyon & Healey. They had treated him courteously, though they had pub- lished nothing of his. Mr. Healy, af- ter listening to the song on the piano, concluded to ofier him $20 for it. This Webster accepted and seemed thanks ful for. Little interest was shown toward the song. It was gotten out in cheapest form, and for a year had no sale. Finally a compiler obtained permission to bring it out in a book, and success soon followed. Silas G. Pratt, the critic, says: “Mr. Healy’s and my own utter falure to see any- thing in it is only another instance of how human judgment crrs. and this was, in my own case, most keen- ly emphasized, when, after having passed four years abroad studying, I returned to be greeted in New York on the ferry boats, steamboats and railway trains with the strains of ‘The Sweet Bye and Bye.’ ” he had Considerable Patience. Amusing if apocryphal stories are told of the extreme care for the feel- ings of their physicians displayed by some patients. One such tender heart- ed man, seeingvhis physician coming along the street, slipped .into a door- way to avoid him. “Why did you do that?” inquired his companion. “Well,” said the man, whose health had been poor until within a year, ‘it’s so long now since I've been'sick, that I’m really ashamed to see him.” An instance of still greater delicacy is recorded of a man whose case had been pronounced hopeless by his phy- sician, but who afterward regained perfect health. the street some time after his recov- ery, and the latter had difficulty in making his former patient stop to speak with him. "What’s the matter?” inquired the physician, bluntly. Why,” returned the other, “you said I was dying, and I’m ashamed to you see 1111 alive an] well!” Such tenderness as this merits the approval with which a q.1ack is said to have commended a conscientious swallowe1 of his medicines. ",Ah my dear sir,” he said, with strong emotion, “you deseive to be il l” He met the doctor on , LIFE ON THE EAST SIDE. Hr. Rudman and 311's. Powers, in' Trying to Pass, Get \Vedged on the Stairs. The New York Sun avers that had the architect planned the stairway a little bit wider it never would have happened, and the community dwelling in the tenement at 52 Jefferson street would not be torn by internicine dis— sensions. But how was he to foresee that in the lapse of years two persons as fat as Mr. Sholem Rudman and Mrs. Maggie. Powers would dispute over a question of precedence and try to settle it by an appeal to weight? That stairway had answered all prac- tical purposes for a long time. It had even'sufiiced for the passage of :1 parlor melodeon to the second floor, front, two years ago, when a swell family moved there with such furni- ture as the place had never known be- fore. A month later it moved out, leaving an aching void in the rent roll, as is fully set forth in the un~ written folk-lore of the neighborhood. However, that is neither here nor there, as Sholem Rudman didn’t be- long to that family; nor did Mrs Mag- gie Powels. They are both tenants of the house now. In the p111suit of their house- hold duties both set foot upon the stairs on Friday afternoon. Mrs. Maggie Powers was carrying back a growler of beer to the corner saloon with the intention of demanding ex~ planations from the bartender because there was more collar to the beer than there was neck to the pitcher. She also purposed to demand more beer. As she reached the head of the stairs leading to the ground floor she beheld Sholem Rudman at the foot. He had a basket of coal on his head. Now, either Sholem Rudman or Mrs. Mag- gie Powers is a very tight fit for any non-elastic staircase. Together they could just about block a theatre en~ trance. Foreseeing difficulty, the wo- man hailed first: “Hey, there! I’m comin’ down.” “And I'm goin’ up,”‘ replied Rud- man. “lVait till I get to the floor.” said she. “Hold yourself up till I get to the top,” he returned. “I have a load with me.” “So have. I.” “My load is bigger than yours.” “What is it?” “Beer.” “Go and sleep it off.” “Yer no gintleman.” “You’re no lady.” “I’ll show yez; I’m comin’ down.” “And I’m going up.” Each advanced three steps, entirely shutting out the light; then ”each said triumphantly: “Now will you go back?” and an- swered emphatically: “No.” “I have the right more than you, you spalpeen,” declared Mrs. Maggie Powers. “How, then?” “I’m a lady.” “You’re Irish.” “That’s no argyment. dish.” “I got no time to talk with you. Go back and let me by.” “Not while I have breath in me body." Each advanced three more steps and met. There was a straining and pushing and groaning. It ended as might have been foreseen. Both got wedged fast. The beer bedeWed them and the coal fell from Rudman’s head upon them, and they jabbed each other with mad, fierce, short-arm jabs until their powers failed. Then both yelled for help. It came from above and below. The other tenants all took sides and quarreled fiercely over the rights and wrongs of the matter, while the sufferers gasped broken and piteous appeals for relief Finally a charge from above broke the dead- lock, and Mrs. Maggie Powers went to Essex Market and got a warrant for Iludman on a cha1ge of assault. Being the man in the case he was fined $5. You’re Yed- A Suitable Description. “Come, old man, tell me what your fiance is like.” “Well, she is a high grade girl with a ’96 expression; weighs 112 pounds and has the narrowest Itread I ever saw. Her voice has a tone that is its own, and her heart is built like a watch, her disposition is perfectly ad- justable and her temper comes with a brake, and she isn’t the sort to be frightened because life isn’t all as- phalt.”—Life. . The “’i'etch is Known. “We .take occasion to say,” wrote the editor of the Skedunk Enterprise, “that the despicable wrctch who stole our wife’s bloomers off the clothes- line in our backyard the cxhcr night is known, and if he or she does not immediately return the same he or she will get into trouble. A word to the wise is sufficient.” Electric Capital. It is claimed that there is more capi- tal invested in the Llcctric industry of the United States than in~all the rest of the world. In round numbers, there is not less than $1,750,000 in- vested in the industry in this country, not including capital in ocean cables. Verifying [an Epitaph. Tenderfoot—I can’t understand the epitaph on this tombstone: It says: “He talked himself to death.” How’s that? Bronco Pete—That’s right. He called Alkali Ike a lien—Chicago Tribune. Her Saving Consciousness. “I think it’s a shame, Cyrus, that we‘ve let Esmeralda grow up without trying to give her some kind of musi- cal training. 'She can’t sing at all.” ‘ That’s true, Emily—but she kno war it. ” ~ urneoaznlrn fi%’.€%¢%’ eye— at Testimonials E . N sands or letters indicating that the Bay State fip Furnaces do all the work required of them. 'E We have a book containing very many in- ‘i‘te‘resting testimonial letters. .the asking. " Barstow Stove C0. . n %€%3%’.%§3 concerning the Bay State Furnace we have t? without number from" eVery State and every. l'County 111 every State 1n the Union. Sixty years of success brings with it thou- It as yours for Consult your local dealer. 1. 228 Water St., New York ’; O lFOUNDR[ES-Providence. R. l. .. BOSTON OFFICE—56 Union St. . . A.” awkw- sr' O“ Che" Streams new manship. BUFFALO, N. Y. o‘xexexexexexexoxo is handsome, light, durable. Such grace of design as is embodied 1n this “ fast-c easy-running, much—tale. ed- about" mount can only be secured l. 7 the most approved methods, finest material and slnlled work- The ’96 Stcarns' 15 the best bicycle it' 15 possible to produce. Finished at your option in orange or black. Address now for beautiful new catalogue. “the Yellow fellow." E. C. STEARNS 15: CO., Makers. Syracuse, N. Y. SAN FRANCISCO? CAL. TORONTO. ONT. H. R. BULKLEY & 00.. Agents. SOUTH NORWALK. %. g. .3-‘1‘253 Towle Vault Light Cempany. MANUFACTURERS. Vlllll LlGHlS. SKYLIGHTS llND PATENT LIGHT DESIGNS. Factory: 48l BRIGGS AVENUE, BROOKLYN. Office: lli'l ELM STREET, NEW YORK. methods make them so. : " $4100 I, 9 Years’ " Experience ’ Just think .of the wealth of wisdom and experience, accumulated during 19 years of building good bicycles, that comes to you for the $100 you pay for STANDARD OF THE WORLD. The buyer of a Columbia has no uncertainty. He knows its quality and workmanship are right—the Columbia scientific TO ALL ALIKE. fiber. a» ”m- '6 Beautiful 11;: Catalogue of Columbia and Hartford Bicycles‘ IS free if you call upon any Columbia agent; by mail from us for two 2-cent stamps. POPE MFG..- ‘ CO., 'Hartford, Conn. Branch Stores and Agencies in almost every city and town. properly represented in your vicinity, let us know. If Columbia: are not
Norwalk Chronicler