Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-05-24
History OF the Marseillos.

The Marseil.cs presents notes OF the songs
of glory and the sriek OF death; glOl ous
the one, funeral like the other, it assures the
country while it makes the citizen turn pal e
This is its history. There was then Cat the
time of the French Revolution, 1890 young
officer OF the artillery, in the garrison of
Strasbnrg. named Rougct de Lis!e. lie was
born Mt Louis lie Sannier, in the Jura, that
country o., revelry and tnergy as mountain
countries always are. He charmed with his
music and verses the slow dull garrison lie.
Much in request from his twofold talent as
musician and poet, he visited the house oil
Dietrich, an Alsatian patriot, on intimate
terms. In the winter Of 1892, there was a
scarcity in Slrasburg. The house Of Die
trick was poor and the table humble, but
there was always a welcome for Rouget de
Lisle. Once when there was only some
course bread and slices OF ham on the table,
Dietrich looked with calm sadness and said
to him-'Plentv is not seen at our teasts,
but what matter if enthusiasm is not wanting
at our civic fetes, and courage in our soldiers
hearts. have still bottle tf-wine in my
cellar. Bring it, said he to his daughter,
.and we Will drink to liberty and our country.
Sirasburg is soon to have patriotic core-
mony, aud De Isle must be inspired to pro-
duce one OF those hymns which convey to
the souls Of the people the enthusiasm which
suggested it,
They drank De Lisle was a dreamer
his heart was moved--his head was heated.
lie went staggering to his chamber endeav-
orng sy degrees to find inspiration in the
paip'tations of his citizens heart; and OIL his
small hnrpsichord now composing the air be-
, fore the words, now the words beto.e tie air,
, combining them so intimately in his mind
/ that he could never tell which was the first
produced, the air or words, 30 impossible did
he find i; to separate the music from the po-
etry ard the feeling from the impress on
! He sang geverything--wrote nothing. over
come by the divine inspiration, his head Tell
I sleeping on his instrument, aud he did no
awake till daylight. The song of the over
night returned 10 his memory, with dltlcu''
ty, like the reco!lections OF dream. lie
wrote it dow n aud gave it to Die.rck, who
called together some musicians who were Gu
pdble of executing De Lisle's comPosition.-
DE Iisle sang. At the first verse all coun'
tenances turned palt-at the second, tears
flowed; at the last, enthusiasm burit forth
The hymn of the country was found Alas
i, was destined to be tie hymn OF 'erfur.--
The unfortunate Dietrich went few months
! afterwards to the scafloid to the sound OF the
notes frat produced at his freside, and from
the heart oi his friend,
The new song, some weeks after was
sung at Slrasburg, 1t few from city tc ci-
~. Marselles adopted it u be sung, ut the
nneuinr and close Of its clubs The Mar
settles spread i, all over france. Hence th'
name Of M,rseilles.
8 De Lisle heard it and shuddered at i's seun
a on his ears. while escaping by the wild pass
4 es of the Alps us a prescribed RoyaiIst'-
!. "What do they call hat hymn'' no inquire
;, or his guide. THE Marseilles," answere
~ the peasant. 1t was thus he iearn'd tn
u name of his own work, The arm was tn RI
It ed against the hand that forged it.--Lama
N iisc.