Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-10
SOME FAMOUS SONGS,
Trivial Things by Which Their Au-
thOrs Were Inspired.

WTlle uuBlC CdH ThTtiy unueT6ItuO now
musical composition IL invented. says q
writer in the St. Louis Democrat.
Old Oalxen Bucket.
The "Old Oaken Bucket" was written
about 1917 by Samuel wcodworth. He was
ties for reimbursement, he failed to i'm
prove any Of them, ana to the end of his
days. in spite of his various attempts to
found newspapers and magazines, he re-
NAMED tramp printer" One hot day in
the summer Of 1917 he left the office in New
York for the purpose Of taking some re-
freshment. and went across the street into
a saloon frequented by his fellow-workmen
and ordered brandy It was set out on the
bar, and he poured liberal bumper, slipped
1t. and called to an acquaintance: There
IL no better drink than THIS In the w2Eld."
Eyes, there IS" rejoined the other What
is It'll" asked WOODWORK. "A draught
from the old oaken bucket that hung in the
we'll at home" was the reply. Woodwork
made no answer. but swallowed his brandy.
the printing office and sat down at desk
reserved for the use Of printers For an
hour or two he was closely employed, and
then calling to him the man who had made
the rem ark he read to him the now famous
lines
Old Folks mt Home.
A similar trivial incident inspired the
equally famous song, "Old Folks at Home"
Stephen Foster, the author, was once pass
ing through Kentucky. and while the stage
coach was stopped at a wayside inn to per-
init the horses to be changed, Foster stoed
near, watching the operation with some de-
gree Of interest. The darldes were slew and
lazy, ana maoe no great degree Of haste In
while In the pannec and dialect peculiar to
themselves. Finally one. deplorang his hard
lot sala; Il wish ( vas back with the OF
folks at home. Where was thatg' asked
Upon the Suwanee river" The novelty Of
the expressions caught the quick ear Of the
poet. He recognized in them and the theme
they suggested an appropriate subject for
his destination wrote both words and mu-
sic.
The Minute Gun.
A somewhat more unusual incident origi-
mated the fl nous song, Minute Gun at
Sea-" r. 8. Sharpe. the noted song writer
Of England. was once, during an exceeding
ly tempestuous winter, visiting some friends
at Brighton. A severe storm came on one
evening during his stay. and while the en-
tire party were selacing themselves in the
tap room ef the Ola Ship, an inn on the
dull boom OF q cannon was heard. All
rushed to the windows, and by the flashes
of lightning they could see a large ship
STRANDED in the offing. Busy preparations
were at once made TO rescue the unfortu-
nate sailors, and while boats were being
launched the regular boom of the cannon
came across the waters telling of their
deadly peril. Sharpe saw in the Incident an
excellent subject and being, for some cause,
unable to go with the ressuing parties, he
sat down in the deserted tap room and
wrote the song.
Sally in Our Alley.
Sally in Our Alley" a song which has
been revived with marked success. was the
work Of the equally brilliant and unfsrtu-
nate Henry Carey. While wandering one
day in the outskirts of Londen his atten-
ton was attracted by a young worfingman
evidently determined to make the best of
his holiday. He took the girl to the various
sights in the vicinity, treated her to a boat
ride, then to a few minutes Of the merry
go-round, after which he escorted her to a
cheap lunch house and gave her a treat of
bacon and onions, cakes and ale. During
the whole course Of their outing they were
followed by Carey, who was pleased with
the simplicity of the courtship. Returning
home, when the activity Of the young people
proved teQ. much for his endurance. he
wrote the Song, which he shortly afterward
published himself, as no publisher could be
induced to touch it.
Low-Dacl< Car.
THE Low-Back Car was the fruit Of a
little romance of the author. Samuel Lover.
When a young fellow Of twenty-four or
twenty-five years he casually met an the
house of an acquaintance a very charming
little girl. She was the NEST perfect little
lady he had ever seen. Quiet self-pos-
sessed. dignifed, she was apparently ma
ture beyond her years. His sympathy was
warmly reused by her apparent melan-
choly, and he imbibed the idea, without
foundation in fact. as it afterward proved,
bot Gh uy1G nj ol; Ii
friendly intercourse lasted but a short time
but quite long enough for the little girls
Image to be stamped upon his heart There
1t remained. though for many years he
neither saw nor heard of his childish &C
quaintance. Years later chance drew him
to the neighborhood where he had met her.
and, in passing along a country road, he
deserted In the distance a car approaching,
In which, to his delight sat his friend of
former yearS, unchanged. save by the de-
velopment into womanhood.
Bold Soldier Boy.
The BOLD Ssger Boy" one Of Lovers best
character songs. was the result Of seeing q
young friend. Dennis Blannigan by name,
for the first time rugged out in his uniform.
Dennis had enlisted. and after being re-
ceived had dopned his uniform and spent
the last day of his liberty In strutting I'D
and down the streets Of Dublin, the ad-
mired of all beholders. Lover saw him
and, amused at his innocent self-conceit,
went home and wrote the song Dennis
was always known as the BOLD Soger
Boy
Girl I Left Behind Me.
OF reminiscent military songs the annals
Of II usic are full. THE Girl Left Behind
Me" according to tradition, became the
parting tune Of the British army and navy
about the middle of the last century. In
enc Of the regiments then quartered in the
south Of England there was an Irish band
master, who had the not uncommon pe-
culiarity of being able to fall in love in ten
minutes with any attractive girl he might
chance to meet 1t never hurt him much
however, for he fell out again as readily as
he fell In. and SO acquired new sweet
heart in every town the regiment passed
through Whenever the troops were leav-
ing the place where he had q sweetheart, he
ordered the band to play THE Girl / Left
Behind Me" which. even then, was an old
Irish melody. The story Of his accommo-
dating heart soon spread through the army.
and other bandmasters. at the request OF
officers and soldiers. began to use the melo-
dy as parting tune. and by the end of the
century 1t was accounted dsrespectful to
the ladies for regiment to march awav
without playing THE Girl I Left Behind
Me-"
When the Feet Ara Triad