Barb'ra Ellen- Plegne (NC) 1918 Sharp MS
[My title. Single stanza with music as Bronson 72, from Sharp MSS., 4537. Notes from Sharp's diary follow,
R. Matteson 2015]
Sharp diary 1918 page 247. Sunday 1 September 1918 - Winston Salem
Breakfasted rather late and then wrote letters till lunch time, Maud typing them, to Miss Gilchrist, Miss Amy Wells, Alphonso Smith & Miss Freer. Then had lunch at the Café down stairs. After rest & tea called on Mrs Plegne, Mrs Weaver’s (of Woolwire) sister where we met her husband — a Frenchman — and a Mr Duke Hay. Mrs Plegne sang me a few songs and Mr Hay gave me some Charleston street- cries. Then back home where I wrote to Constance, Mrs Armstrong and the Roanoke Trunk Co[mpany], who sent me hangers[?] of the wrong size — a typical American blunder! Also fixed up my photos & film-book. Dined downstairs and then did accounts with Maud and wrote up my books to date, including tunes taken down this afternoon. Then busied myself packing in preparation for tomorrow’s journey. After dinner I wrote a long letter to Mrs Storrows and continued the packing chiefly of my papers.
[Barb'ra Ellen] - Sung by Mrs. Clara Plegne, Winston-Salem, N.C., September 1, 1918.
'Twas in the merry month of May
When green buds they were swelling
Young Jemmy Groves on his death-bed
For love of Barb'ra Ellen.