The suburban citizen., 1902-05-24

minstrel, published in the Sun, was the
history Of the famous song, "Dixie."
White spent much time in tracing the
history Of other songs, and in his diary
he gave the results of his work. Some
of these song histories are interesting,
and a few OF them are printed below:
The words of The Star Spangled
Banner" were written, as every one
knows. by Francis S. Key during the
bOmbardment of Fort McHenry dur
ing the War of 1912, but the history Of
the music to which they were set is less
familiar
"The verses" wrote White, were
printed in ballad form and scattered
through the camp on Federal Hill,
Baltimore. One evening one Of the SOL
diers picked up a copy and read it
aloud three times, until the entire di-
vision was electrified by its patriotic
eloquence.
"An idea struck Fred Durang, an
actor, who hunted up an old volume
Of flute music which he found in his
tent. He impatiently whistled tune
after tune, just as they caught his
quick eye.
zone called 'Anacreon in Heaven
struck his fancy and riveted his at
tention. Note after note fell from his
lips. With a laugh and a shout he ex-
claimed
Boys, I've hit it, and fitting the
words to the tune there rang out for
the first time the song of The Star
Spangled Banner
Getting a short furlough Ferd and
Charley Durang sang it on the stage Of
the HollSSay Street Theatre. The mu-
sic was first published by George VIII
Zig, Jr., of Baltimore
"Ferd Durang died IN New York in
1880. l well remember Tom Blakely,
an actor, saying to his wife, Poor
Ferd Durang is dying Durang was
born in Harrisburg, Pa. His father
was Frenchman and a fair musician.
Durang died in extreme poverty and
bat for his co-laborers on the stage
he would have found a pauper's
grave.
1.-The Hunters Of Kentucky was
very popular in my early days 1t
was written by Samuel Woodwork,
a typesetter. The Hunters was writ
ten just after the Battle of New Or.
leans, in 1916. The tune is from an old
English ditty, Unfortunate Miss
Bailey
1T was sung for many years by an
actor, Noah NJ. Ludlow, who died in
1885 or 1886 in st. Louis at the age of
eighty. Ludlow came near having
his brains knocked out on the stage
while singing the song in New Or
/ leans. An Englishman threw a large
! piece Of gas pipe at his head, but for
| tunately missed his mark.
| Woodwork wrote funny verses as
advertisements for a keeper Of a fancy
store in New York for a long time, Joe
Bonfanti, who made q fortune from
his poetry. when the California fever
broke out in 1S49 Woodworth went to
the Pacific slope and was engaged as
! a reporter on the Alta. He died there
and his remains lie in the Home Noun
! tain Cemetery.
Kathleen Mavourneen' was sold by
! Crouch, the author, for $50 and brought
! the publishers as many thousands.
! Crouch was hopelessly improvident
and in his later days became a tramp.
When Mile. Titiens was in this country
a number of years ago she sang
Kathleen Mavourneen' in New York.
A dirty tramp introduced himself as
! Crouch, was recognized, and thanked
her for singing the song so well.
"'Life on the Ocean Wave" written
4 by Epes Sargent, was pronounced a
| failure by his friends. Russell, of a
Boston firm Of music publishers, took
the words from Sargent and the latter
tells this story Of the melody
1--WE passed through the music
store. Russell seated himself at a pi-
ano, read over the lines attentively,
hummed an air or two himself and ran
his hands over the keys, then stopped
as if non-plussed.'
Suddenly a bright idea seemed to
! NoNh OA4 AlAll' u LItlONlJ All at Outc
came into his brain and he began to
hum it, and to sway himself to its
movement. Then striking the keys he
at last confidently launched into the
tune since known as Life on the
Ocean Wave
'The melody proved a success. The
copyright became very valuable,
though the author never got anything
from it but fame. 1t was popular in
England as well as in this country.
1.-The Arkansas Traveller The ia
nous traveller known as the Arkansas
Traveller Is no myth, but breathes
and has his being in that State. The
traveller lives in Little Rock and
may be seen every day on the streets
of the town indulging his taste for
music and story telling.
HE is known as COloney Sandy
Falkner He was born in Kentucky in
1904 In 1882 he went to Arkansas,
and became acquainted with Walter
Wright, the original squatter in the