The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1874-11-28
Origin Of the Marseillaise.

The story of the origin of tho Mar.
seillaise hymn has frequently been
told, and is probably generally known,
but tue romance with which it is in.
vested is 90 we'll rendered by Lamar
tine that it will bear repetition par
ticalarly at time when the world il
interested in everything belonging to
the nationality of the country
Of which it is the national hymn. Ii.
MARITIME tells us that "tbere was at
this time-l792-a young officer Of
artillery in the garrison at Strasburg.
His name was Rouget do Lisle. He
was born at Lons-le. Saulnier in the
Jura, country Of teveries and euer-
gy, as mountainous regions always
are. This young man loved war as
By n4AdB Avetb4ee d61 1dW muse ,.t'iAg4kansEr
ened tho tediousness Of the garrison.
Generally sought on account Of his
double talent a. musician aud 4 po.
ct, he became q familiar visitor to
the house If an Alsatian patriot, Diet.
rich, mayor of Strasburg. The wife
aud daughters of Dietrich shared bis
enthusiasm for patriotism and revo-
luton. They loved the young Of
ficer. They inspired his heart, his
poetry, aud his music ; and trusting
to the early lispings Of his genias,
they were the first to execute his
scarcely expressed thoughts. 1t was
in the winter Of 1872 famine reigned
10 Strasburg, the Dietrich family
we're poor, and their table was frugal,
but it was always hospitable to Ron.
get. One day, when there was moth.
ing on the board but some Ammuni.
ton. bread aud Z few slices of ham,
Dietrich looking n De Lisle With mel
ahcaDcholy calmnsss, said to him {:
'Abn1dapee is wanting ut our ban.
quet, but what matters that when
neither enthusiasm IL wanted at our
civic feasts, no courage in tho hearts
of our soldiers I i have still . bot!
tie VI wiue left 10 my cellar; let it
be brought up, and let us drink to
liberty aud our country. There will
soon be q patriotic celebration at
Strasburg may these last drops in
spire De Isle with one Of those hymns
which convey to the soul Of the PEG.
pls the intoxication from whence they
proceed, The young girls applaud.
ed, brought in tho wine, and filled
the glasses of their aged father and
the young officer until the liquor was
exhausted. It was midnight. The
night was cold. De Lisle was in a
dreamy state his heart was touched /;
Ills head was heated. The cold over
powered him, and he tottcrsd into
hts lonely rosn slowly, seeking In.
gpiration now in his patriots soul,
now in bic harpsichord /, sometimes
composing the air before the words,
and sometimes the words before the
Dir, and 90 continuing them in his
thoughts that he himself did net know
whether tho notes of the verses came
first, and that 1t was impossible to
separate tho poetry from tho music,
on the sentiment from the expression.
He Gang oil, and Get down. nothing.
Overpowered with the sublime inspi-
ration De Lisle went to sleep on the
harpsfchotd, aud did not wake until
day. He recollected the song of the;
previous night with Z dificllty like
that with, which No recall the i'm
preston Of . dream. He now set
down the words and music, and ran
with them 70 Dietrich, whom be found
at work 10 the garden. The vito and
daughters Of the old patriot had not
yet risen. Dietrich. awakened them,
aud invited come friends who were
~ passionatsly fond Of music ~ him.
self, and were capable Of executing
Do Lisle's competition. HE eldest
daughter played tho accom- apartment
while Roaget sung. At the first STAN
sas oil faoes turusd pale (; at tho. se-
cond tears ran down every check;
and ct the last al the madness Of on
thusiasm broke forth. i Dietrich, his
wife, big daughter and tie young Of.
6csr fell weeping into eacl, Others
arms-tho hymn Of the country was