 | Collected poems |  |
146
THE CHILD-MUSICIAN
These verses originated in an “American story” told me
orally by a friend who had found it copied into some English
paper. I “romanced” it after my own fashion. After it
was published, by the courtesy of one of the most graceful
and finished of Trans-Atlantic poets, I was furnished with a
more accurate version of the facts. Those who wish to read
the true and authentic story of poor little James Speaight
must do so in the pathetic prose setting of Mr. Thomas
Bailey Aldrich.
These verses originated in an “American story” told me orally by a friend who had found it copied into some English paper. I “romanced” it after my own fashion. After it was published, by the courtesy of one of the most graceful and finished of Trans-Atlantic poets, I was furnished with a more accurate version of the facts. Those who wish to read the true and authentic story of poor little James Speaight must do so in the pathetic prose setting of Mr. Thomas Bailey Aldrich.
He had played for his lordship's levee,
He had played for her ladyship's whim,
Till the poor little head was heavy,
And the poor little brain would swim.
He had played for her ladyship's whim,
Till the poor little head was heavy,
And the poor little brain would swim.
And the face grew peaked and eerie,
And the large eyes strange and bright,
And they said—too late—“He is weary!
He shall rest for, at least, To-night!”
And the large eyes strange and bright,
And they said—too late—“He is weary!
He shall rest for, at least, To-night!”
But at dawn, when the birds were waking,
As they watched in the silent room,
With the sound of a strained cord breaking,
A something snapped in the gloom.
As they watched in the silent room,
With the sound of a strained cord breaking,
A something snapped in the gloom.
'Twas a string of his violoncello,
And they heard him stir in his bed:—
“Make room for a tired little fellow,
Kind God!—” was the last that he said.
And they heard him stir in his bed:—
“Make room for a tired little fellow,
Kind God!—” was the last that he said.
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