Cogitations of a Crank At Three Score Years And Ten

hiock ing Bird, that charming bit of melody which has become as much of a Folksong, as anything the United States has turned out, was born in Philadelphia May I I, 1827. When still a boy, circumstances brought him to the Wyoming Valley near Wilkes-Rarre, and it was while living there that young Winner Urr doufitedIy obtained that love for Nature which became one of the ruling passions of his life. He has spoken of his early days among the farms, of midnight rides across the hills, and of hunting parties penetrating far into the Poconos, and across the Indian trails which at that time traversed the mountains. The moonlight shining over the hills, the deep, dark shadows in the val leys the verdant green of summer, and the white coat of snow in winter, each touched a responsive chord in his gentle, vibrant nature. When he became of age, and his ambitions called hiin to take up the battle of existence in the ciiies, he naturally tunled to the sympathy of music for his life work. His first effort at song writing was issued in 1850, under the title How Sweet are the Roses. His grqatest success, Listen to the Mocking Bird, was composed in 18 52. Unlike the business man of to-day he could not direct the energies of others, hut depended upon himself in all his work. He would compose in solitude upon his vio lin, transpose to the piano, write the words of his song, and then taking up his engraving tools, work far into the night, until the plates of his composition wcre complete. The next day he would present to the public through his own store, his work of the previous night. Such a distributing power hacl its natural limitations, and it was the copyrights which he had sold out right that won for hi111 renottn. Give Us Back O lr O ld Conlmander Little Mac, the Peoples Pride, sung by one hundred thousand Union soldiers on the banks of the Potomac, and for three days echoing through the land, brought the heavy hallcl of power upoil poor Winners head. He like many another citizen sympathized with Ceorge B. blcClellan, as a fel low Philadelphian, when the displeasure of the Administration fell upon the General. hIcCIellan had been deposed from the com mand of the Army of the Potomac, had bee11 restored to it after the ignominious failure of Pope at the second battle of Bull Run, and had not only shown at South Moutltain and Antietam some of the qualities of a fighting general, but had thereby virtually saved the national capitol from falling into the hands of the Confederates. Sep. Willner had not the slightest thought of disloyalty when publishillg the song, and after ward readily gave his assurance not to further encourage the circulation of the verses. A general order had been issued to the army prohibiting the singing of the verses, but the song, or rather the title, made a lasting impression on LIcClellans sympathizers, and indeed, became a fixed part of our political vocabulary. Strangely enough this title was used as a rallying cry of the stalwarts of the Republican party, years afterward, when they prosecuted their formidable can vass for the nomination of General Grant for a third term in the Presidency... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.