I could sing a little, as well as play, and learned each of them--especially Old Folks at Home and My Old Kentucky Home--as they appeared.

Their contemporary vogue was tremendous.

Nothing has since rivalled the popular impression they made, except perhaps the Arthur Sullivan melodies.
Among my ambitions to be a great historian, dramatist, soldier and writer of romance I desired also to be a great musician, especially a great pianist.

The bone-felon did the business for this later.

But all my life I have been able to thumb the keyboard at least for the children to dance, and it has been a recourse and solace sometimes during intervals of embittered journalism and unprosperous statesmanship.
V Theodore Thomas and I used to play duos together.