The record-union., 1894-09-15

MENIO DAILY III
Peace to the patriot dead,
Entombed in Honors bed,
In glorious contest siaini
The land that gave such birth
Well mourns their parted worth
And mourns them not in vain.
For ne'er shall Freedoms hallowed name
Die while there lives but yet the names
OF Country. Home and Beauty;
And who for these are fighting slain
In the next world shall meet again,
For they have done their duty.
Nor yet the struggle DER.
That, dercer than before
The midnight gloom assail-
Such desolating shocks,
AS when the mountains rocks
Are tumbling TO the vale.
The shores re-echoed with the blast,
Firm stood each freeman to the last,
For Freedom, Home and Beauty,
I'LL DINNER fash and fainter roar
Mark'd th' 1nvader'd quit the shore,
Where each had done his duty.
The local historians say that the new
song, although sung twice, failed to
arouse as much enthusiasm as "The
Star-spangled Banner" but that neither
was sung again at the theater. Key
wrote many other verses and a volume
OF his poems was published. There are
several hymns in the Episcopal Hymnal
OF his authorship, including the beautiful
Lord, with glowing heart I'd praise Thee
For the bliss Thy love bestows.
Key is buried at Frederick, Nd, where
an association has recently been organ
lied to place monument over his grave.
There is similar society in Baltimore,
which holds annual celebrations and
which has as its object the erection OF
memorial shaft in this city. The only
monument to Key is the one erected, at
cost OF 5000 the gift of the millionaire
LICK, III San Francisco's Golden Gate
Park. 1t seems somewhat strange that a
city which promptly erected monu-
ment to the soldiers of the war of 1872
and another monument to Wells and
McComas, The two youths who shot Cen
eral Ross, should be SO neglectfui OF the
memory OF Key, who in the same fight
gave to the country its national song.
The flag that hoated over Fort Nc
Henry on that occasion was % by - feet.
1t had fifteen stars and fifteen stripes,
and 1t was made by Mrs. Mary Pick ers-
gill, who worked upon it night after
night III order to get 1t ready and make it
| strong enough TO resist British bullets.
The flag is still in existence and
was exhibited during Baltimore's sesqui-
centennial several years ago. One OF the
spirits OF that celebratIon-he has since
dled-was William Carter. an exceed
ingly energetic but very diminutive local
parsonage. The spectacle of Mr.. Carter,
IN an imposing equlpage, wrapped III the
folds OF this enormous flag, was one of
| the unforgettaDle delights of that holiday
| occasion. The flag attracted so much at
tention that it is now held by its owners
as enormously valuable, and is closely
! and zealously guarded.
1t was only the other day that the
Philadelphia schools commemorated the
adoption OF the Stars and Stripes as "a ma
tlonal emblem. A committee had been
appointed by Congress, with General
| W ashington at its head, TO design flag.
Inc design was prepared, and then be-
gan search for some one to carry it out.
a young woman named Betsy Ross
noted Tor her skill in peedle-work, made
the rutfied bosoms for the shirts of GEN
eral Washington. He remembered her
skill ana asked her if she could make
such flag. She suggested that the five
point stars would be more appropriate
than those of six points, and Washington
adopted the suggestion. A further change
was made in the arrangement of the stars
from the original circle to the old idea of
a cross. This was the flag that was
| adopted by Congress, and Mrs Mary
| Pickersglll, who forty-seven years later
made the flag in Baltimore that inspired
Keys lines, was the daughter of Betsy
Ross, whose work from the design of
General Washington was adopted by
| Congress on the 18th day of June, IVA
The history of Fort McHenry since
that time has not been eventful. During
the civil war it was used as rendezvous
and prison. Many Baltimoreans were
incarcerated there at different times. Two
men were executed there as Confederate
spies, but that was about all the excite
ment the place knew. The fort covers
forty acres of ground, and is equipped
with fitteen-inch and ten-inch guns.
eight-inch converted rifles, and eight and
ten-inch siege mortars. with the addition
of plentiful supply of Gatling guns
The other day, when matters at Chicago
threatened to grow more serious, the
troops were got in readiness for West
ern trip, but the order to move did not
come, and affairs assumed their usual
placidity.
1t is very pleasant place to visit, and
since the rapid-transit development of
the city has built an electric road to the
gates many people go there daily. They
find beautiful green park, very cool
and delightful, and soldiers who are DO
lite as well as brave, and who can fight
ire as well as they can other things, as
they demonstrated very clearly the other
night when flames burst from the Colum-
bian Iron Works, which adjoin the fort.
and in which several of the new cruisers
of the navy were built. The fire burned
the models of the Detroit and Montgom-
cry, and did about $50, 900 worth of dam
age, but 1t would have done more had it
not been Tor the work of the soldiers.
OF course the military importance of
the fort, except as post-a living place
and sleeping place-is gone. Neither it
nor Fort Carroll, further down the river.
would be worth anything in case of war.
but its interest seems to increase with the
years, and in all truth its big guns peep
ing over its ramparts look as if they
could repel any invading fleet.-Balti-
more Correspondence of n. Y. Times.