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36 Youth's Golden Gleam |
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words for his melodies and declared that "it is this intimate connexion between his poetry and music that gives such a charm to his compositions."25 It was Russell who introduced Stephen to another Cincinnatian qualified to appreciate Stephen's po'etical and musical powers—that dignitary of the Gazette editorial office,- William D, Gallagher. Facts concerning Gallagher and his local and regional importance will be given in a later chapter. Stephen dedicated a song to him.
The dedication of another song reveals another friend. He was Samuel P. Thompson,25 a young fellow who lived at Mrs. Griffin s boarding house. We know that he was employed as a clerk and that he was a Presbyterian. Stephen showed his esteem by dedicating to him his musical setting of a song entitled "Summer Longings."27
A friend of Stephen in the local publishing field was William C. Peters, a publisher himself and also a member of the firm of Peters & Field, music dealers and publishers. In addition to business matters they had family memories as a bond, for Peters had been a friend of the Fosters when he lived at Pittsburgh.28 He later declared that he was "one of the first to discover the extraordinary talent of Mr. Foster," and that he was "from first to last his firm friend and adviser/'25
Among the minstrel performers with whom Stephen had professional dealings (see Chapter vn), was William Roark, "who lives in our |
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