Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

HTS-N A tainted the keepers OF
Belle Isle and Danville and Anderscnville and
Libby and the other ''pens" with the most loyal
songs in their repertoire. They even composed
songs; that is, after they had fairly worn out
the favorites they made parodies and medleys
on all Of them. One OF the parodies which
has been sung in every campaign since the war
ran something after this fashion:
''Mary had little lamb, its fleece was white as
Jet,
Shouting the battle cry Of freedom;
And everywhere that Mary went that sheep was
sure to get,
Shouting the battle cry OF freedom"
and so on ad infnitum. "John Brown was one
Of their standbya. The fellows who didn't
know "b fat" from q base ball could sing
'John Brown" with perfect safety-if the
guards we're ont of hearing The words didn't
much matter, for a new set was presented on
almost every occasion and two sets on gala
days. Nobody seems to know 'for sure" where
the thing originated. A man by the name OF
Stiffe, a native Of South Carolina, says that he
10 the author Of the tune, which came out
about 1856, and is probably sung by N ors people
than any other tune in the world. The John
Brown" words don't seem to have had any
origin, but, like Topsy, lust growed," line
added here to make a verso and another there.
Edna Dean Proctor wrote some very pretty
words to the old tune in 1861, but they have
never been widely sung. Three Of the verses
are as follows:
"John Brown died on the scaffoid for the slave,
Dark was the hour when We dug lis hallowed
grave,
Now God avenges the life he gladly gave,
Freedom reigns today.
John Brown sowed, and the harvesters are we.
Honor to him who has made the bondmen free,
Loved evermore shall our noble ruler be,
Freedom reigns today.
John Brown dwells where the battle strife Is
DER,
Hate cannot harm him nor sorrow stir him
more,
Earth will remember the martyrdom he bore,
Freedom reigns today"
Another parody which was made on the an
cient song "Way Down in Old Virginia, was
back from Richmond:
sway down in old Virginia not many months
ago
Mcclellan made a movement, and made it
mighty slow;
The rebels they soon found it out and got into
his rear,
But they caught the very devil, for they found
Phil Kearney there,
In the old Virginia lowlands, low"
After the battle Of ChancellorviTle, in 1863,
when Lee cleaned Hooker out and took 5000
Al Al
follows:
Way down in old Virginia not many months
ago
Joe Hooker made a movement, and he didn't
make it slow;
The rebels they soon found it out and fanked
him on the right,
And that's the reason why, my boys, we're
cumming here tonight
In the old Virginia lowIands, low"
TRAMP, TRAMP, TnAMr.
When southern prisons began to fill with the
flower of the north songmakers and verse
writers were attacked with frenzy OF energy
ard the market was glutted with songs descrip-
tive and songs recitative, marches, anthems
and sentimental illusions. or the whole lot
only one is remembered today. Like most Of
the others, its poetic merit is small but the
theme was touching and the simple melody
sang itself into favor at once. Tramp, Tramp,
Tramp the Boys Are Marching" was written
by DIR. Root in 1861 and its popularity during
the war period was almost great as John
Brown"
SIN the prison cell sit,
Thinking, mother dear, Of you
And the bright and happy homo
And the tears they dill my eyes
Spite of all that can do
As try to cheer my comrades
And be gay.
So within the prison cell
We are waiting for the day
That will come to open wide the iron door,
And the hollow eyes grow bright
| And the poor heart almost gay
As We think of seeing home
| And friends once more"
The answer, written in 1865, when the bows
began to march home, was a pretty song, but
never had the popularity Of the prison So
| lloquy."
| SUNG By TIE HvTcHISsoss.
| A song which was made familiar all over the
country by the Hutchinson" family was sung
by the boys in prison to taunt their rebel
keepers:
"what gives the wheat fields blades of steel7
What points the rebel cannon?
| What sets the roaring rabbie's heel
On the old star-spangled pennon2
What breaks the oath
| OF tho men Of the SOUTH
| What whets the knife
For the Unions life?
| Hark tho answer,
| Slavery"
One Of the favorite prison parodies was the
| work Of Miles O'RiIey:
s.Some tell us it's burning shams
To make the naggurs fight
And that the thrsde Of being killed
Belongs but to the white,
| But a. for me, upon me soul,
30 liberal are we hero,
I'd let Sambo be murdered in place Of myself
On every day in the year.
On every day in the year. boys
On every hour In the day,
The right 10 he killed I'll divide With him.
And dvu word I'll say"
One Of the most beautiful Of al the songs
written during the war, and one which has In
IL all the soul - we'll a. the sentiment of CEN
tury Of song culture. vas composed In 1851 By
Julia Ward Howe. Mrs. Howe had attended :
great public rally in which the war had been
the theme Of speech and song and story and
her whole soul was full Of tho subject That
night, unable to sleep. she got up and wrote
the poem. II was printed first in "Harper's
Weekly" but for some reason vas not much
noticed. Somebody-the "Hutchinson family, "