absent minded absent minded poem set music sir accompanied illustration song written appeal daily_mail raise money soldiers fighting usually known boer war families fund charitable effort war chorus song audience pass hat credit sake pay pay pay patriotic poem song caused sensation constantly performed war offered shortly publication poem declined honour vast numbers copies poem sheet music published large quantities related merchandise sold aid charity absent minded fund unprecedented success raised total history september clear crisis south_africa likely turn war october military leave cancelled urgent preparations way send large expeditionary force cape horses supplies october proclamation issued calling liable men intended called service men soldiers permanent employment returning military duty meant significant cut income addition contemporary legislation time protecting permanent employment employers replace workers guarantee soldier returned able job result families quickly poverty lifestyle comfortably maintained wage shillings kept day guarantee husband job return prospect injury death number charitable funds existed support individuals notably soldiers number private appeals simultaneously wave patriotism sweeping country newspapers daily_mail newspapers involved charitable fundraising efforts benefit daily_mail proprietor publicised efforts help soldiers families drew attention produced absent minded october sent verses october note service turn proceeds regularly ordained relief funds portion contribution don want mixed business help money verse want catch isn thing shall care reprint need america wants sing care proceeds men october plotting fundraising poem having recited music halls suggested finding composer set common catchy tune poem published daily_mail october immediate success wife actor manager recited palace theatre night fourteen months performers recited music halls giving profits fund country premier composer sir immediately asked set poem music sullivan written operas including fourteen comic operas large volume songs orchestral pieces music middle composing opera rose persia completed opera sullivan agreed sullivan declined fees creating song artist days provided illustration titled gentleman showing wounded defiant battle illustration included art editions poem song sullivan agreed compose music poem completed song asked set absent minded music years later sullivan found verses difficult set told diary wasn charity sake undertaken task experienced composer completed music days november public performance sung sullivan theatre november magnificent reception theatre reception sullivan music captured britain mood sullivan diary entry notes wild enthusiasm sang chorus stood stage conducted encore funny sight characteristic grace composer wrote splendid words went swing enthusiasm music hand described music tune guaranteed pull teeth barrel organs wrote greatest english writers greatest english musicians joined inspiring words stirring melody song expresses heart feelings entire nation sullivan manuscript later auctioned fund critic fuller disapproved composition times sullivan asked friend idiot expect words set form developed composition symphonic introduction treatment etc poem song piano music sold extraordinary numbers kinds household items memorabilia merchandise woven engraved gentleman figure poem sheet music humorous illustrations items expensive answered requests day copies poem included cigarettes months performance alternative arrangements song published absent minded march daily_mail charitable fund eventually titled absent minded relief corps absent minded fund providing small soldiers supporting families activities corps met soldiers arrival south_africa welcomed return britain importantly set overseas centres minister sick wounded fund raised unprecedented money raised solely daily_mail poem publicly available permitted perform print way long copyright royalties went fund newspapers world published poem hundreds thousands copies quickly sold internationally song sung widely theatres music halls heard australia december local absent minded relief corps branches opened trinidad cape_town ireland new_zealand china india numerous places world contributed fund war efforts building hospitals fund charitable effort war referred origin welfare state december raised daily_mail asserted history world produce parallel extraordinary record poem popularity poem allusions common wrote lines thrilled world november month publication poem new patriotic play advertised open week titled absent minded queen country month called absent minded prominent figure charitable horizon present critical book conduct war published titled offered weeks publication song declined declined offers state honours historian wrote single restored strong ties civilians soldiers britain army performance absent minded march july crystal palace sullivan public appearance composer died months later absent minded remained popular year war years war ended popular culture time title popular phrase cartoons humorous representations character absent minded popular song performed play entertainer song heard issues early recordings post world war recordings noted phrase killing mouth current till recently conference called following absent minded held organised included lectures exhibition memorabilia documents relating poem song lyrics
The Absent-Minded Beggar