The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-02-05
SCRAPS OF HISTORY.

The Origin of yankee Doodle" an1
Other National Airs Tie National
Flag.
.On, what a racket"
eyes; it is those fellows with their
drum, and dear knows what" replied
Ned.
''They enjoy it, 1 suppose" contin-
ued Lou.
Il presume So"
And Ned looked as if he did not
think it such dreadful thing as Lou
seemed to consider it.
They are playing Yankee Doodle, -
said Lou, after a moments pause.
''Of course they are; that is the proper
way to show fellows patriotism" re-
turned Ned: ''seems as if Yankee Doc
die would never wear out. 1t has been
played ever since l can remember"
Lou laughed long and loud. 1t was
quite improper for a girl, as, she very
well knew, but then it was too funny.
'.As long rs You can remember" she
repeated, as soon as she could catch
breath; then she went off in another
peal of laughter. ''Why. Ned, Yankee
Doodle is Il hundred years, old, to say
the least; it isn't likely to wear out after
standing that test.
"a hundred years old!'" repeated
Ned; Lou, are you sure?"
''Quite sure. Some say older: they
even think it was written in England,
in the time of Cromwell, only it was
.Nankee Doodle, and the line:
tNankec Doodle came to town.
had reference to Cromwelrs entering
Oxford. and the feather in his cap.
etc, was hit upon his wearing plume
fastened with peculiar knot called
macaroni. | looked up macaroni in the
dictionary, and found out that it means
collection of things thrown together
| can imagine just what kind of Il knot
that was-all ends hanging out all
wayst But l would much rather be-
lieve that the tune and words belong to
Revolutionary times, as long rs it has
become 4 national air. Some think the
word Yankee is simply corruption of
the way the Indians pronounced En-
glish. They said Anglais then; instead
OF getting it nearer right they got it
MON and more corrupted until they
brought up on Yankee. l believe it
was Just after the battle of Lexington
that Yankee Doodle was adopted as
the national song"
well, 1didn't know all that before.
said Ned. ''Do YOU know the origin of
Our other national airs2"
Hail Columbia. was written, l
mean the words, by Joseph Hopkinson.
a lawyer and Judge of Philadelphia;
the tune was composed by German as
= march in honor of the frs. President
of the United States, and was ca1e1
Tine Pres dent $ March; some time be-
fore the words wRre written. The SSag-
Spangled Banner was written about
seventy wears ago. There is a pretty
story about the writing of that, song
The British fleet had anchored beloW
Baltimore, anhwhile land troops m0wed
against the eitv the feet bonlbardezi
Fort McHenuv. ont of the defenses On
the river below. Mr.. Francis Hey was
Il prisoner CT i British ship, and is the
bombardment WAS kept up through the
night he and a friend who was.with him
were ver-E anXioaS as mOrnmg came to
know the fate OF the fori- And one
said TO the ether as he looked cut at the
first stgeak OF light: DO you see the
flag?' The Old iiag was still waving
from :ale fort and the question sug-
gestei the poem which Mr.. Key wrote
out:
oh. Say. CA you see by the. aawn's early
Light
whao 20 proudly we hailed at the tw flights
list SieamingS
Oht Sag. does the star-spang3ed banner still
wave
Ger the land of the free and the home of the
brave.
Lou hummed the lines, then she add
cd: =. Since l read the story the song
seems to mean a great deal more than
it did before
1T does seem to make it different"
said Ned. thoughtfnlly. Say, Lou,
can't you imagine them straining their
eyes before it was really light enough
to see, trying to catch glimpse of the
old flaga That flag meant a great deal
to them. didn't it?7
Indeed, it dill! But 1 suppose it
rea Is did not mean any more to them
taal It does to Us now"