The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-06-16
Written for the Democratic Advocate
BY EDGAR T. READ.

Written for the Democratic Advocate
BY EDGAR t. READ.
OF all the songs that have been written
within the past century how few now re-
main. Many and varied have been their
subjects; some voicing popular period or
cheering the soldiers heart with thrilling
hopes of victory; others the expression of
more quiet and peaceful hours; and still
others, their sentiments of love or thoughts
of home and native land have found vi
brating chord within the breast of gener-
ations, whose memory has long since ceased
to be cherished, and thus live on to delight
the hearts of thousands yet to come. Of
this great number some, almost from their
birth, were destined to life ''full Of years"
again, many have in their time become
greater fayorites with the people, but at
the passing away of the period or the de-
clining of the cause whose welfare they
sung, their words and music have been
assigned place in oblivion's book; and
with the onward march of nations, time has
turned the leaf on which they lie till now
their history and themselves have become
relic of the past. But there is another
class of lyrics which are the keynote Of
nations thoughts, and which live longer in
the memory of people than brilliant odes
of genius, beautiful yet unimpressive.
Among these, together with its battle
hymns and songs of freedom, belong
country's national air. 1t sounds through
marbled halls and over castle ramparts;
mountaineer sitting in his lonely cabin,
which clings to the beetling side Of some
rugged range, may sing of his country's
victory, or a mighty multitude with one
impulse shout forth the praises of their
king.
America has for its national song the
Star Spangled Banner, which although
surrounded by historic association and
breathing words of thrilling power, does
not take equal rank with the master com
positions of France and Germany, either
for fsvrency of spirit or earnest simplicity
of style Doubtless all are familiar with
the circumstances that inspired Francis
Scott Key to pen these lines. How,
prisoner ON one of Admiral Cochrane's
ships, he watched the play of war through
the night; and then when morning lighted
up the eastern sky, how eagerly he asked,
"0h say. can you see by the dawn's early light,
"hs5 SO P5Sqay we haifd at the '"'hshrs last
Key left the vessel that morning-he was
not captive of war bat had visited the
| feet under a flag of truce to secure a
frlends $ release ana IL neing near the nour
when hostiii1ies were 70 open ne was de-
tanned throughout the Domhard@eIt' thus
becoming ah anxious spectator OF the oa'-
tie' Inc Woros hurriuly eomnltleu 70
PAPER were reau u iew 'iienus " .ne
poet on Els re'arn' VINO hai'eu 'nem WIN
unOounaea praise AS 70 iA lurSnel nls-
tory ana the seiectlon OF tue Wsh-kno"u
music from wnlch lt Is inseparaoie' iee me
quote the words OF Mr.. hendon, one of
the party 70 whom the author impaired tne
stanzas. III was rude copy ana written
In scraWi Una. horace 1reeiy miShC nave
mistaken for ms own. he read IL ALOUD
once, twice. three times until the entlre
DIVISION seemed eiectrined py IT'S pathetic
eIoquence' AN iuea Sel.ed feru Durans
hunting up volume OF ola mute music,
whicn was IN my ten'' ne lmpa'lenVly
whistled snatches OF tune after tune as they
caught ms quick eye. Vne' called 'Anac-
reon IN ileaVen' struck ms fancy anu I.y5
eled ms attention, =, NoIe aIler no.e Iell
rom ms Puckerea nps, u9'll .p win "a ieap
ana sneu', e ne eAclaimeu' Doys, | se .e MT
ana l..inS Ine sa"e - ''le woruS' @ t"ese ere
.S,s sSn UuS a aor sae p plsS s NE M SO1f VI se
- I'a, Ipau'eI Sus sSI ue,. ea NV WI .h men
s1. snoureu ala ciaPPeu' ior uesef mas 'neie
meIuins ci poetry 70 music lhaue uuuel
suon Inspiring lnnuences y mas t: causns
up ~ ells camps sang arounu our Difouac
nres' anu wlls'leu III 'ne s'ree.s' ahu "nen
peaee was 9eci''IeG ~ g1 scAT'eteu y s.a Jul
nJ,e !. "'is o'iileu ~ snosAnto :. ~
oc 1oIor
TLa liz. r ...;o,
~ IN O,uee' y 1Aue'iIe e yat uasi m, als .
T' 1"e sun iioIoreu 'uue Vi ! SnAee Doou,e'
i no uS,I e n,: nas peeu Taeeu TT ~ sue
' .y 3. onnel I,oM IN 49,, T. ,vn t.e .saors -
md % O,bars 'oSt oS tho t;nn's f.yor = dsr;s;an
&c I -" s.o G.sa. - p.". W.. 1900 ~ nua-