The age-herald., 1899-05-03
ORIGIN OF THE
 SONG OF DIXIE" Written in 1859 by Daniel De-
 CatUr Emmet. CIRCUS LIFE SUGGESTED IT Emmet Had Often Heard the Circus Performers Make Use of the Ex- pression T Wish Was
 In Dixie"
CIRCUS LIFE SUGGESTED IT

LOOK away! LOOK away! Dlxle Land.
 CHORUS.
 Den I wish I was in Dixie, hoo-rayI
 hoorayi
 In Dixie Land, we'll took our stand,
 To lib and die for Dixie.
 Away, away, away down south in Dixie,
 Away, away, away down south in Dixie, Old Missus marry "Will de weaber," William was a gay deeeaber.
 Look awayi etc.
 But when he put his arm around 'er, He look as fierce as a forty pounder.
 Look away! etc.
 His face was sharp like butchers cleaber, But dat did not seem to breab her.
 Look away! etc
 Will run away; Missus took a decline, 0, Her face was de color of bacon rine, O.
 Look away! etc.
 While Missus libbed, she libbed in clover, When she died, she died all ober
 Look away! etc.
 How could she act such a foolish part, O, And marry man to break her heart, O.
 Look away! etc.
 Buckwheat cakes and stony batter, Makes you fat or a little fatter
 Look away! etc.
 Here's a health to the next old Missus, All all ue BdlS uSil Wuul lO hlSS uSs
 Look away! etc.
 Now if you want to drive way sorrow, Come an hear dis song tomorrow.
 Look away etc.
 Den hoe 1t down an scratch yer grabble, To Dixie Land I'm bound to trabble.
 Look away! etc.
 The original song, Dixie Land," was composed in 1859 by Daniel Decatur Elm melt as a "walkaround" for Bryant's min strels, then performing in Mechanics Hall, New York. MT. Emmetts experi- ences were varied and part of his life had been spent with the circus. He had fre- uuently heard the performers make the re- mark, q wish was in Dixie," as soon as the northern climate began to be too severe for the tent life which they follow ed. This expression suggested the song "Dixie's Land."
 It made a hit at once with the play-going public of New York, and was speedily spread to all parts of the union by numer- ous bands of wandering minstrels, who sang and danced to it. In the fall of 1860 Mrs John Wood sang 1t in New Orleans in John Broughams burlesque of "Poca- hontas" and ere a week had passed the whole city had taken 1t up, and the darky on the street corner and the banker m ms office were both humming 1t contentedy. A New Orleans publisher saw possibilities in the music, and without the authority of the composer had the air harmonized and rearranged issuing it with words em- bodying the strong southern feeling then existing in the chief city in Louisiana
 '.Dixie" would doubtless, have met the fs le of hundreds of other popular songs hut for this. The original words, which are printed at the beginning of this article, rapidly gave wGy when the war broke out to the thrilling battle song composed py Gen. Albert Pike of Arkansas, ana they have since become almost lost 10 VieW' Several sets of words were, from time to time during its popularity, set to the music which, doubtless, is from the Scotch. The words of the war song thrilled the south before and during the war, and today occu- py permanent place among the immortal songs of the land. The first verse IS typi- cal of the entire eight:
 Southrons, hear your country call you,
 Up! lest worse than death befall you!
 To armsl To armsl To arms in Dixie!
 Lo! all the beacon fires are lighted,
 Let all hearts be now united.
 To arms! To arms! To arms In Dixie! Chorus: Advance the flag of Dixie! Hurrah!
 Hurrah!
 The word "Dixie' was brought into na- tional prominence and usage by these songs and, no doubt, perpetuated by the war song the air of which is today dear to every southerner. Previous to their advent the words had been used to indicate the south land only by q few, and In no sense was the term familiar, or it's usage general. There can be no denying this statement; but the general impression concerning the origin of the word Dixie existing existing out side of the south and in many parts of 1t is incorrect Naturally the popularity of the word created interest concerning it's origin. The fact that the term was used to indicate the states south of the Mason- Dixon line has led to the general accept ance of the statement publicly made some years ago that Dixie sprang from "Dixon." The argument was based mainly on the alleged similarity of the two words, Dixie and Dixon, and pointed out that the expression Dixie Land" gradually grew out of "Dixon's land," term which, by the way, was never in use. As a result, the real root of the word has never before been made known.
 It is often difficult to trace such a word back to it's first usage and firmly establish Its origin; but the arguments in the present instance, however, are both conclusive and convincing, and leave no room for reason able doubt that the term Dixie Land" sprang from the ten-dolar note, ''Dix," issued by the Citizens Bank of Louisiana, which had such an unprecedented circula- tion for number of years previous to the war. The story is not long one and in addition to it's historical significance, 1t cannot fail to be of much interest, for the word 'Dixie'' has grown into general usage, not only in this country, but throughout the world.
 In the days of state banks their notes suffered a discount in other states owing to the opportunity offered to counterfeiters for with such large variety in circulation 1t was difficult to identify them and to dis cover whether they were genuine or "wild cat" Some idea is gained of what this Identification meant when you learn that a paper called the Bank Note Reporter was published for the sole purpose of describing the rates of tho most reputable banks, some l, 400 in number, to aid in the identifi- cation of their notes. In consequence the managers of every state bank did all in their power to enlarge the circulat tion of their banks. It enabled them to increase their loans, and, with currency widely dis tributed, the dangers attending run" were materially lessened.
 c. ". Cammack, teller of the Citizens bank, in Louisiana, was instrumental in achieving for that bank the prestige of a larger circulation than any other bank of